The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-19
TO END BEGGING.
PrOyident Association Has No
Use for Professional Beggars.
Spring Days and Beggars Come
Together They Say.
THEY ARE NOT DESERVING
Aims Seekers as Class Do Not
Deserve Assistance.
This Is the Statement of PrOyi-
dent Association Secretary.


{ Spring days and beggars make their
appearance simultaneously. The
pleasant days that until today have
been the order of things for the last
week have brought forth a small crop
of professional aims seekers This fact
has come to the notice of the Topeka
ProVident association.
! The management of the association
has decided to make an effort to put
a stop to begging on the streets of To-
peka. 1t is their contention that if
there are any cases of want they
should be brought to the notice of the
association. Aid will be given to those
I who are deserving of assistance, and
all cases will be investigated thor
oughly.
1t is estimated that hundreds of
dollars are given away each year in
Topeka to professional beggars who
are not deserving of sympathy In
fact, careful investigation by char1t-
able institutions of this country has
revealed the fact that with but rare
exceptions street beggars do not mer-
it the aid of the general public
Are Not Deserving.
In my experience in social service
work" said Miss Mary r. VoSe, Secre-
tary of the Provident association, Il
have never found a deserving street
beggar. They, as a class are people
who have entirely lost their self re-
spect. We would appreciate it if the
Topeka people would refer to the
Provident association all professional
beggars. If they are really deserving,
aid should be extended to them: 9TH
erwise they should be required tc
leave town or discontinue their prac-
tice of annoying the people"
n Case in Point.
There is a middle aged woman
short and plump-who stops women
on Kansas avenue and West Eighth
avenue, and asks them for coin. Too
sick to work. is her excuse for her
occupation. The people say, We'll.
why don't you go to the Provident as
ISOLATION? - She replies. I've been
there, but they won't help me-.
AS a matter of fact she lived at the
Provident association for six weeks the
latter part of 1912. One night she
came in drunk and for three days she
remained in bed. her meals being
brought to her. 1t looked as though
she expected to remain in bed the rest
of the season She was told that she
would have to get up. She made her
getaway down the back stairs and
that was the last that has been seen
of her at the Provident building. 1t
has since been found that while be-
ing sheltered at the Provident building
she did some begging on the streets.
trip down to, Ia nsas City.
Begging asY Profession.
1t was learned here that she was
given aid by the Wichita association
of charities before she came to To-
peka. She was given work at the To-
cal Provident building with view to
helping her to help herself, but it
seems that she is not contented unless
she is on the streets.
There is another well known case in
Topeka. Shea woman who would
probably tip the scales at two hum
dred pounds-sells pins, toilet articles,
etc. That in itself would not be an
offense, but she makes herself a null
nr,~ @f ixnc Sc-f IN
wife herself to meals. In fact she acts
as though the house were hers when
she enters a private home. She has
on hand a supply of pink soap that
she frequently offers to trade for a
meal when she fails to get a chance
to go to the table otherwise.