THE ART OF BEGGING.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 123, 14 March 1901, Page 4

THE ART OF BEGGING.

The old wheeze that “ beggars must; not be choosers ” is endorsed only in the exception in Paris, if the results of,' police investigation in that city are [credible. The haggles in the French [capital, it is stated, are a well organised definite methods and properly regulated processes; mejr have, in fact, reduced beggary ta some*, thing approximating between an art; and a profession. An income 0f.£1,000.000 a year, the police state, is. the modest outcome of this organisation. Like other corporate bodies, it. has its strong men, who, by virtue of some of poverty, are, permitted a personal aggrandisement, which is not allowed to the rank and file of the profession, Such an one vvus Father Antoine, a pious hunch-, back, who had a monopoly of church-, door begging, specified parts of which . ho rented out to other beggars at fixed rates. His strong-box provided hia hump, and his untimely decease disclosed that receptacle as containing a beggarly sum of £4OOO. For the - benefit of recruits to the recognised ranks of beggars, there exists a sort of “ Vade kitcum,” or “ Who’s who,” manuscript copies of which are retailed at a cost of five shillings. Thia precious volume contains detailed lista of those who are in the habit of dispensing indiscriminate hospitality. There is also a beggar’s supply store, where humps, crutches, wooden legs, goitres and other abom-t inations may be hired, and where babies cun be leased as a “ crying inducement ” to the public to give. Furthermore, there .are contractors who employ both false and real cripples ' at a percentage basis, the contractors finding crutches, wheeled chairs, eye-, shades, poodle dogs, “ Give a penny ta the poor bliud m m ” signs, and other accessories. The contractor is also supposed to be an expert in “ lays,” and to bo able to tell exactly what class of beggar will suit a given district* Children take their stands outside confectioners’ and toy-shops ; the victim of a boiler explosion ” is planted at a factory door; little girls sell flowers at outdoor cafe tables; organ -grinflew visit the beer-shops; match-sellers haunt the doors of clubs and hotels* and miserable men got up to represent broken-down swells slink along the fashionable boulevards. If a beggar tries-to beg independently he is lively to receive rough treatment at ,tb» instigation of the contractor* and experience shows that to the police is the worst possible remedy ta seek. Consequently, the beggars' organisation continues to flourish,