Year: 1874

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The unreasonableness Of the unemployed At
their recent meetings in this city is very clearly
shown by the scenes which transpire daily in
front Of the doors Of the Relief Society. When
the unemployed at the outset, mis- led by ambi-
tious demagogues OF the Hoffman stamp, were
Informed that the Relief Society had resources
sufficient to meet the wants of that portion of
the community, and that no one would be left
to starye they noisily refused to have anything
to do with the Society, and demanded that the
city should appropriate d sum sufficient to main-
tain them, or that the Relief Society should turn
over its balance on hand to the city authorities,
to be diabursed by the Aldermen. When, how
ever, they found that their clamor was unayail-
ing; that they had made demands which it was
not within the limits Of possibility to comply
with; and that the Relief Society Was
ready md willing to relieve distress
and to provide employment to those who were
willing to work, they commenced to flock By
thousands to it's doors, Notwithstanding their
previous assertions. Among all these thou
sands, ne understand, but very few have been
found ready TO go 70 work when work was Of
fe1ed them but all we're ready to receive relief,
and nearly ali wanted it in money, and, in many
instances, demanded it in noisy and intem-
perato manner. It may be sot down ss true in
majority OF caaes that 8 noiey and impndent
mendicaut is an impostor. People who are
really suffering and in need Of assistance are
usually quiet and make their condition known
reluctantly. This rule has held true in the large
crowds which have besieged the Relief Society.
There have undoubtedly been many instances
where the applicants have really beer in need OF
assistance, but there have boen many others
where the applicants have been impoBto1s. In
our columns, yesterday, two notable cases were
given. In one, woman, representing herself to
be in great destituton, received $40 in money,
went OF and got drunk, and in this condition
Society received letter stating that " five Indies
we're rery destitute, having had nothing to eat
for several days." Ono Of the Society's visitors
called upon the 'save ladies " and found them





intoxication. In such crowds there arc always
plenty OF able-bodied dead-beats aud professional
beggars, who will not work 80 long as they can
find any one to support them, aud others who
obtain relief simply to provide themselves with
whisky, ike the five sots mentioned above, who
had clnbbed together because they thought
they could get moro in the aggregate than if
they applied individually. Beggary has been
reduced to such q fine art that the detec-
ton Of the counterfeit Is extremely dif-
fcu1t. The only wny to secure this
result and disbu1se the society's funds
ia to make personal examination Of every case
which is not known to tho disbursera- This is
due to those who are in real want, because it
will sift out the lmpostors. They will at once
seek eoma other source to impose upon when
they k1:ow that their circumstances aTe to be
officially investigated. It is due to the Society
itself tu cconomizo its funds. else they will very
soon be exhausted, and much Of the money
wasted. Having made this investigation, tho
charity should then take the form Of work and
necessary articles Of fuel, food, and clothing,
rather than Of money direct A man who is able
to work aud will not work when WORK is offered
him, should not have relief of my sort.
Where women apply, the necessary arti-
cles Of household consumption arc Of more ser
vice to them than money, which they cannot ex-
pend to us good purpose as the Society. The
noti.e which has been issued BY the Society to
euaploJezs. aakinz them to futniah Hotk a. fAr