The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-11-10
WELLER TELLS TRUE Meaning Of CHARITY
Speaker at United Charities
Annual Meeting Says it is
to Get Relief More
Than to Give It.
SAYS JUSTICE IS COMING

Future Equality Being Worked
Out Through Charity En-
deavors-Keokuk's
Underworld.
That the moral, industrial, intellec-
tual and physical Justice of the future
Is being worked out through the me-
dunn of hard working, organized char
ity of today, was the central thought
expressed by Charles F. Weller, Of
Chicago, in his address delivered at
the annual meeting Of the United
Charities society last night.
The speaker said that the socialists
and kindred spirits asked for Justice
and square deal and not charity,
but he stated that equal justice in all
things for all persons was still a
realized, that the labors Of charity
would have to go on.
He said that the word charity was
one of the most hated words in the
language and that he would like to
see 1t changed to service. The speak
er told Of number of local cases that
had come under the eye of the United
Charities and where relief had been
secured and also where justice had
been obtained. He then pointed out
that while the world was waiting for
equal justice for all to come, that 1t
would be criminal to pass up the calls
for assistance today because charity
ia the medium through which help is
to be provided.
Growth Of Charity.
MP. Weller traced the growth OF or.
ganized charity. He said that 1t was
first known in Napoleon's time in
France; had later spread to Eng
land and Germany and finally to the
United States in the year 1877. He
called 1t one Of the great movements
for the betterment of mankind and
said that it appears to be widening
year by year.
The speaker took up as one of his
points, the real work of society
such as Keokuk possessed. He said
that It was more for the purpose OF
getting relief instead OF giving 1t.
"Of course, there are cases." he
said, where material relief is neces.
sary and there should be plenty OF
sources for charity organization to
draw on for this, but the big object
is to investigate the charity cases.
and by diligent work, which will
probably be made up of much prod.
ding, wake those who ask charity, up
to the point where they will better
their conditions by their own endeav
ors. @
I'VE are always hearing tho old cry
that so much OF the charity money
goes for salaries OF the workers and
so little to those who need it. This
is looking al the matter In the wrong
light. II it cost 500 to get man on
his feet again where he could support
himself bySllis own efforts. and not
one cent went in the usual charity
channels, why that 800 was very well
spent as itshelped one person to a
higher path Of life. We are paying
our charity goff1cers as we pay our
nurses. physicians and teachers, for
their training and knowledge and not
for the great material things they
can offer.
keokuk Conditions.
The speaker told number OF
stories of Keokuk cases during the
evening, but the following illustrates
more than any other one what the
United Charities here has to contend
with.
This is the story of woman, who
through the influence Of spiritualis.
tic meeting, left her husband and
two children and came to keokuk
with the vision in her mind that she
had some great future before her.
| This failed to materialize and she Sc
cured a position in a restaurant. This
broke her health down and she went
on farm. Some time later, the hus'
band and children came and through
the efforts of the United Charities,
the husband and wife were reunited.
Through the same agency the man
was secured a job as q laborer. In a
few months he broke down and had
to quit work, then the baby took dou.
BILE pneumonia and the wife capped
the climax by going down under the
strain Of it all.
The baby was taken to the hospital
and got we'll. In time the whole fam
ily was on its feet again and the Unit.
ed Charities secured the family a
place on a farm The man failed to
make good here and later position
was secured for him on q rancn. HERE
he made good and his family is happy
and contented. ALI told 500 was ex.
pended in putting this down and out
family on its feet.
The speaker said that this was an
instance Of justice worked out through
charity and said that he felt every one
would agree that the money was well
spent. He said that if the organiza'
ton had some philanthropic business
men It could turn to for help in cases
such as this. that a great deal more
| good could be done.
How to Raise Money.
The speaker told of several ways TO
raise money. One was the taking up
of a collection on Thanksgiving day
| in all Of the schools. Another was TO
tell Of some individual cases in the
newspapers and ask who would help
| in those certain cases. Another was