New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-23
WHY'RE DO ORR CHARITIES 90 to-
r. u. Eater If ne Y J Tr'Ss11

4 -
G.. :, -, .aos,, notice Of the Geographical 80
o;..,, ol,s;on "a made 20 some imPromptn remarks
1918 o.s, .bs reading Of the report Of the Chairman
- nc d.r,onor,jon between the receipts ana Gsours-
,o.r,s ., come Of the Societies in the CITY, ms
lie. ,,o, should claim the attention OF larger au-
l;e,ce Witbou, designing to make the eharse lHa'
frnds are wiTfully perverted from their appiop''"',
channels +. Il no, fact that more or Jess Is renue''
u.eIe.. hv acknowledgement owing TO Incompetent! vi
indifference on the part OF manager
ftbs G.orraphieal Society would prepare SEN
of statistical tables showing what proportion o, :"
oce;rs - our beuevolen, and educa'iona! socet g
ss actually distributed among it, benehcares, OF III
..ber words what Der cent of the expend lures orc
,barCeable 70 collection salaries ana Incloeh -. =;
for maintaining an organization, anu "h"- p, -
really expended on the 0clecfs the soSle'S nssfnl
10 relieve or benefit. would II not he dong u'oiu
work 49, ,,,,,,os,,rarv
That the affairs OF portion Of our eieem2'yn"I!,
educational and religious establishments coun o. mo-,
economically administered, IL private adhl''eH'
all shr nix from publicly investigating the causes aI
auulying the remedy. Such comparison as t IS
,aflcs would afford would expose methods ana eA.'I'
errors 20 that systems Of dong business nNs"' ''
improved r.,... ...,;.,,;ors hold
their office only nominay; they really know b9t niue
of the internal mode OF management. Inc alhntl1,
tive officers are elected pro tormd, give soaPe 10 al
md have everything their wav. These executive
oficers with the beet Intention will illustrate humh
nature by first providing for themselves ana the iVI
the objects under their And we cannot justly
blame Them for they often LEFT TO their own WAYS
of providing the necessary resources and compelled 10
resort 20 any plan, matter how expensive 10 pro-
duce an effect and raise the means for their support
The interest involved ought TO be sufficient TO Ct
tract more attention to this subject. Il is probable
that our citizens give by voluntary donations ana
taxes not less than s. 600 900 annually for the materi-
al educational and religious support and instruction
of the poor in this city. IL there any other SUN eA
nended for which they know so little what De-
| comes oft We do not wish to bring suspicion on
any one society," diminish dollar from the peral
ity of the community for there Is room for me proper
expenditure Of all they give and more. we wish
10 invite attention the Importance of those who give
becoming personally acquainted with the manner IN
which their liberay is distributed and knowing thet
large proportion of it reaches the OBJECT a. posi-
ble instead of being up in expensive machinery
Two rules will do much to accomplish this Let the
managers unpaid officers of every society DE Prac
ticaly acquainted with s internal 3 bsr e2ecu emo
tive officers or EMPLOYEES for nf)matl0ni 80 that
they correct abuses or curb e1iravaganGe. Let
those in the habit Of giving 20 chartaDe ousctS DC
systematic in their berality, become personally ac-
Guaipted with the objects which they propose to as
sst and send in their donations at the time they may
be called for instead of waiting TO be urged by hired
collector or accidental appeal. Nigant watching anu
supe ror knowledge encourage the faithful and prevent
wiCng. Truth and honesty are never AFRAID oil oeis
EXP osed to the light. ,o ,oLa tho
A. an illustration Of what may be done, take tne
CITY Tract Society. The receipts in 1890 were a. 'oi
total incidental expenses including printing sou or
tre over per cent of its gross income The balance
was expended the objects Of its organization inns
| is economical and may be accounted for by TWO
| causes: the Chairman of the Society understands
thoroughly every movement of its agents, and not
dollar il expended for collecting Othe- Societies
tested by the rule show cost Of incidental and
collectoria expenses Of from 10 to 30 per cent. Is
there any satisfactory reason why the difference should
be so great is there not some radical defect in their
government that be remedied
Having occasion recently for information in regard
| TO Society we called the published Secretary of
IT, and found inquiring of him that he could not
| give the knowledge desired, nor could he even tell
| what it was designed to do. He was nominaly the
Secretary and his name was used TO give it position
before the public, while others had the actual drec-
ton No matter how worthy cause may be, 1t is an
imposition to resort to such practices to sustain H. and
there is security for those who contribute to its
| support.
The truth is that the American people derive their
| chief enjoyment and spend their time in earning
money deegating to others the pleasure they might
| receive by eXpending it themselves works of u.s.
fulness and in causes and ways for good. c.. 5.