Year: 1874

that is Cuba.


Organized Charities and the City


Poor.


The organized charities of the city are per-
severing in their demands upon the generosity
of the citizens, and during the year they
realize very large amount of money from
voluntary contributions. The aid they re-
ceive, if devoted wholly to the cause of the
poor, would relieve much suffering. But, un-
fortunately, the professional charitable associ-
ations are imposing institutions, clothed with
purple and fine linen, and can only be main
tanned with becoming dignity at heavy cost
If they collect hundred thousand dollars
eighty thousand Of the amount will be ex-
pended on secretaries, managers, clerks and
other self-denying Christians, while the
proportion of twenty-five or thirty per cent
will probably find its way to the starving poor
It is no doubt very gratifying to read the glow
ing reports of the organized charities and to
learn of the extent of their good works, es-
pecially when one enjoys also the opportunity
to read of his own iberality in print But the
experience Of last winter shows that if the
poor of the city are to have substantial and
efficient relief it must come from some inde-
pendent source, and not from the profess
sional dispensers of the peoples charity.


We shall probably have great distress
among the poorer classes in the coming win
ter If there should be as many thousand
persons out of work in December as were idle
in the winter of 1873 they will clamor for
assistance, and the people will be forced to
take heed OF their cry. The prospect before
the laboring classes is not very encourag-
ing, and the indications favor the belief
that we shall have what is called q ''hard win
ter" 1t will be we'll to take heed of these
warnings in time, and by an early movement
to provide against the danger of q starving
multitude in rich city. Last winter, while
the organized charities did their best to dis
credit outside efforts for the relief Of the poor,
vast amount of good was accomplished by
such volunteer movements. Had the high
salaried red-tapeism of the regular institutions
been left to provide for the starving and freez-
ing thousands we should probably have had
bread riots in the city. As it was, a season of
danger was happily bridged over. The evil is
again upon us, and it will be well tor our
prominent merchants and business men like
August Belmont, William Butler Duncan, L.
p. Morton, A. T. Stewart William B. Astor,
Commodore Vanderbilt, s. B. Chittenden
and others to organize an early movement.
<o opl 10 IL
some well considered and efficient plan for
the protection and relief of the poor. What
is needed is simple prompt and inexpensive
method for the distribution of the gifts of
charitable citizens, SO that the poor may reap
the full benefit of the public generosity, and
so that no dollar Of the money contributed
for sacred object may be diverted into the
pockets of greedy secretaries, managers and
clerks. Our business men should take early
steps in this direction, and devise some effec-
tive plan for guarding the city against the
danger of idle and starving multitudes for
extending prompt and direct assistance to
the suffering, and for protecting the poor
against the ignis fatuus of organized charities.


The RrTUALIsTIC QUESTION. .-Rumors had.
it appears, much to do with the defeat
of Dr. Seymour's aspiration to the bishopric
Of Illinois. From the evidence of an
illustrious divine We learn that he was
'liable to rumors" and wanting in frankness
We do not pretend to know what this ecclesi-
astical language may mean exactly, but we
suppose it must be something very serious
since it shut DR.. Seymour off from his pros
pective bishopric. The suspicion of ritual
istic practices also weighed heavily against the
Doctor. 1t is evident his coat is not of the
exact heavenly cut Of his fellows. Perhaps he
burns more candles than is consistent with
sanctity. In either case his chance of becom-
ing a bishop seems to be at an end, unless
church fashions change within a reasonable
time.


The CREAMER MOVEMENT against the bosom
friends Of Tammany grows in strength and
enthusiasm. The honest democrats do not
care to be voted in bulk BY a ring and,
whether Creamer and his friends win or not,
one thing is certain, that Tammany will be
taught lesson, and we shall see no more of
''bosom friendship" in the management of
that party.


SMITH Nj. LANE is good man for the As
sembly. He is democrat and gentleman,
and Tammany did well to nominate him.
Why does not Tammany send to Albany o
delegation of men like Smith M. Lane, and
not the bullet-headed, whiskey-drinking and
gin-peddling ''rounders' who are SO generally
nominated, and who are bought and sold like
cattle in the shambles Of the lobby2


EVERY CONGRESSMAN who values good din
ner and every New Yorker who hopes to have
o good time in Washington this winter hopes
for the triumphant election of Uncle Dick. II
j would inst be like New York To give tha sant