Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-11-19
why CITY SHOULD
AID CHARITIES
Reasons Are Advanced BY
Associated Charities Why
Council Should Act.
OTHERS HAVE GIVEN
Associated Charities Has DemOnstrat.
ed Its Worth In Aiding the
City.

Editor Graphic The Associated
Charities wishes to comment on the
action of the city council Monday
night in declining to appropriate the
small sum of S. month to aid the
Associated Charities in it's work.
First-That by giving money to this
association the city council would not
set precedent or compel them to do
note to any church, charitable society
of monument fund when demands are
made, because the Associated Chart
ties is different in its nature from
these other organizations, being a
civic organization, undenominational
and holding Especial place of its own
in this community, it being the official
charity giving body embracing all of
the organizations of the city.
Second-The municipalities of Fort
Smith, Little Rock and other larger
cities of this state have set aside
amounts varying from $500 to $500
annually for the purpose of promoting
the work of their associated chart
ties.
Third-The Associated Charities of
Pine Bluff has already taken about
thirty blind, crippled and MANNED beg
CARS from the streets of this city, thus
fitting the burden from the city Off
Gals, VIII sowere previously forced to
care for them in some manner. The
Police Department has referred to the
Associated Charities six or eight
cases. which were promptly cared for.
and Mayor Bloom, as he stated in his
public spirited message to the council,
also referred several cases to us.
the prompt disposition of which met
with hearty approval. Mayor Bloom
expressed it mildly Monday night
when he told the councilmen that the
city had already saved more. money
through the work of the Associated
Charities than was aswed from the
cit government.
Fourth-The council disposed OF the
matter Monday night before City At
torney w. B. Alexander had finished
looking up the legal features of the
appropriation the question having been
raised as to the authority of the coun-
Gil to make such an appropriation
We have asked for legal opinion on
the subject.
1t appears rather strange that Lit
tie Rock, Fort Smith and other cities.
operating under the same chartesr and
within the same state, can make ap-
preparations for their charities and
Pine Bluff cannot. The Inconsistency
Of the city council is shown in this
matter when it is cited that previous
city councils, some members of tho
present council. then being members
OF that body, made appropriations to
enable the city engineer and the chief
Of police to make pleasure trips to
national conventions, when it was GER
tain that they had no legal authority
to do so.
Our contention is that the law of
common sense applies when the poor
and needy are at stake, and especially
when it has been shown that the Asso
ciated Charities is fulfilling it's prom
Use to long suffering public.
We have no desire to criticise the
| members of the council, but want to
impress upon them the Importance of
giving the city's official recognition to
| the Associated Charities and their fl
nancial support, however small. We
believe firml that he council will re-
consider the matter and that they
will favor us with an endorsement in
a financial way.
Associated Charities.