Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-12-07
HOW THE MONEY GOES.
Sanitary Establishmen and their
Working.
[From The Cincinnati Enquire

[From The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Boston author of a recent essay upon
social matters and phenomena, speaking OF
the influence OF women in national affairs,
places the Sanitary Commission among the
great things Of the day, more significant
than victories, more indicative of the re-
suits of the war, and better eXemplifica-
tion of the spirit of the people. 1t would
be we'll for this style of philosophers, If
they desire to retain confidence in their
own generalizations, to contine their re-
searches as closely as possible to the sur
face. Institutional benevolence, of all
things is, perhaps, the one which is least
fit to bear a rigid examination. Enough
now and then leaks out to prove, to an
absolute certainty, that our great national
charitable institutions, our Bible, Tract,
and Missionary Societies, are simply con-
Germs carried on for the benefit of their
actuaries. Some reputable man Is thrust
forward as President, to give credit to the
concern, under cover of whose name
a body of Reverend Agents, Secreta-
ries and Treasurers, live in clover upon
the contributions Of the pious, who little
dream how small fraction of their bene-
factions are applied to the objects to the
furtherance OF which the Society is pro-
fessedly devoted.
constituted by nature to live upon organi-
cations devoted to any object for the pro-
motion OF which mankind choose to COM
bine: kind of humIn barnacles. There
are religious and benevolent, as there are
political barnacles-public-sp gen.
tlemen, always looking for place to at
tach themselves, aud always growing into
good condition by the attachment. Name
any object to be secured by association,
and, in n city like this, he must be igno-
rant of human nature, who can not name,
at once, the individuals who will be found
clinging to it, making themselves officious
in its management, and gaining high credit
tor their disinterestedness-a virtue which
they particularly affect and for which
their fame is brilliant in an inverse ratio
to the amount of popular knowledge as to
how the finances OF the concern are adj
ministered.
Next to war patriotism, sanitary benevo-
lence has probably been the greatest, and
at the same time the boldest, humbug of
the day. If the model war patriot is by oc-
cupation a speculator and in propensity
thief, the operator in sanitary matters has
differed only in sphere, not in disposition nor
in practice. A report of the doings of the
Western Sanitary Department, from Sep
tember /, 1861, to January l. 1864. shows
that out OF 1921, l,065 expended, $93,592 had
been devoted to the purchase of articles
and the balance, 1927, ,473 had been expend-
ed in distribution. 1t cost two hundred and
twenty-seven thousand dollars to place the
proceeds of ninety-three thousand dollars
In the hands of the soldiers. When it is
remembered that sanitary stores are trans
ported without charge by the Government,
and in many cases by private concerns, 1t is
impossible to account for this vast waste of
trust fund upon any other hypothesis than
that of a misappropriation equivalent to
theft. In other words, the actuaries of the
concern are swindlers, who, under pretense
of benevolent activity, made their way into
the management and put the funds which
were designed for the relief of sick soldiers,
into their own pockets. The only thing that
can be said in their favor is, that they have
not come quite up to the managers of the
Tract Society, having absorbed only about
sixty per cent. of the whole, while the lat
ter-according to report made few years
ago-are accustomed to absorb about eighty.
We are reminded of the good Mr.. Sleek
who, when he took the bright, new gold
dollar which Mary's uncle gave her, to ex-
pend 1t in sending the gospel to the Pota-
mics might get it.
The manner In which sanitary stores are
disposed of when they reach the army, is
a standing joke both there and elsewhere.
The delicacies, eatables and drinkables are
apt to find their way to official quarters.-
The Surgeon lives high on the good things
designed for his patients, and trunks and
boxes Of nice under-clotbing and warm
blankets enlist military temptation, and
journey back to quiet hooks iii Ohio, Michi-
gan, New England and Pennsylvania
Sixty per cent. In the hands Of the pious
managers at.home, and probably an equal