The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-22
CITY PROSPEROUS,
/ SHOULD GIVE MUCH.
Ic. m. Rich Offers Check to commun-
ity Fund and Suggests That Peo-
pie Open Their
Pocketbooks.
NEED is EMPHATIC ONE
Unless People Of city See to 1t That
Santa Claus Has Munitions Of
IS War, He Viii be
81. Handicapped.
NEED is EMPHATIC ONE

III sum OF 500 is raised today for
the community Christmas fund, G. M.
Rich, president of the Purity Oats
company, will turn over to the com
munity managers a check from his
company for $780, Mr.. Rich made
this offer to the community Christ
mas people this morning.
I never like to see anything fail
that has been started said Mr.. Rich.
II think 1t is shame that a more
generous response has not been made
already towards this Christmas CIV
ing. We have given already, but if
the community people can raise this
hundred dollars we will give them u
check for the same amount.
The merchants of Keokuk have
been very prosperous this year. The
city has BEEN prosperous, and it
seems to me that when we think OF
the, money that has been made here.
and the number of children who will
leo without Christmas unless we as
icity do something for them. we, ought
not to hesitate about giving to the
community Christmas fund
Other sources corroborated Mr..
Rtch's statement that the community
has been prosperous and can afford to
give something towards making the
other half Of the Keokuk children hap
Ply. One man who was asked about
prosperity In Keokuk, said he had
no doubt but that this year has been
second only to the biggest year in the
building of the power project here
He pointed to the fact that it's almost
case Of fighting for clerks in the
various stores about the city.
] Should Give Now.
IF KeOkuk is going to give q COM
munity Christmas to the poor chill
!dren, there is no reason to DELAY I'M
til the last moment" one man said.
THE city has been prosperous and
should be willing to share little OF
this prosperity for such good cause"
/ Warm clothing bit shop worn,
perhaps, will be more than welcome.
Toys which are not as bright as they
were once, and which are doing no
good on shelves covered with dust,
might make many little boy or girl
happy. And the Christmas dinner
menu is going to be slim, and include
only bare necessities unless some OF
THE people around Keokuk will open
Iup their hearts and their purses.
| You Help Worthy Cases.
Every day there has come to the
headquarters on North Fifth street
appeals for help which on investisa.
ton have been found valid. A mother
with tears in her eyes, said that for
the first time In her life she was go
ing to have to ask someone else to
play Santa Claus to her children, but
her husband was injured recently and
lost the sight Of both eyes, and she
is doing all she can to provide sthe
bare necessities. Her home was neat
as pin and the children wore neat
iclothing. Their talk was of Santa
Claus, and the mothers eyes were
idimmed as she listened to them. IN
less generous purse is opened, Santa
CLAUS will bring only the smallest
part of Christmas dinner into tina,
home. And who can imagine child
without candy and an orange or 9
book or toy at Christmas time
This is just one Of hundred differ
lent cases.
Comparison With Last Year.
A comparison of amounts given thus
far this year with those of last yeal
show that only $36 has been given fol
the community Christmas this veal
and over $500 was on hand for the
work at this time last ySar This def
cit is going to mean that the commun
ity Christmas work can not be car
ried out as extensively as was done
last year, and that in consequence
there will be heartaches in many
homes.
1--WE don't believe that the people O
Keokuk are deliberately forgetfns
u.s." said one of the young women thi!
Afternoon. "But If we are going to d.
ANYTHING towards making these poo
people happy. We must get to 1t a
once. And we must have money tt
buy provisions and proper CLOTHING
and food. People are not selfish, W.
are sure, and they do not mean to for