The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-25
COST OF PUBLIC CHARITY.

AN INTERESTING COMMUNICATION ON THE
AMOUNT or MONEY COLLECTED AND WHAT
DIsPosITIoN IS MADE OF 1T.
TO rng EDITOR or THE HERALD:-
Charity Is a noble virtue, but tho essence OF Its
merit Is that II IS voluntary. Compulsory charity may
be Tor the sake Of the social order which
protects or promotes. but II cannot DO defended or
maintained the idea that It Is any sense exer-
OF the virtue OF charity nor criticisms oi us
workings TO be resented as indicating hostility to
voluntary charity however profuse
There is an immense amount OF money raised by
taxation In this city Tor great variety OF charitable
purposes, and the amount raised Is increasing and
threatens 10 continue every year. For the
year 1877 the OF $9700 rs TO be collected from
the taxpayers OF this CITY and distributed among
various private charitable ASSOCIATIONS In addition
to this amount OF $3.50 600, being proceeds
Of the Excise fund.- IS, the law stands to-day to be
distributed by way OF gratuty to similar associations.
finally there to be raised for the OF the PUB
lie Department OF Charities and Correction the OF
81, 200 600 The aggregate be raised tor tho relief
and support OF the poor exceeds $2,5OO00l
OF the $4,000 hrst mentioned $3.50 900 are for the
Catholic Protectory, $240 900 Tor the Founding Asy
um at Eighyirst street, and $l06 900 Tor the Cbll
dren's " nursery, IN Filty-lrst street The remainder
is divided among long list OF private ASSOCIATIONS.
Each Que OF these associations has At different times
within past years procured the passage OF
act Vi the Legislature directing the payment 10 the
ASSOCIATION OF certain amount per capita Tor each
child or person maintained IN the association Tho
payments at first are Tor moderate number but the
numbers increase ncxorably every year The CITY now
supports over two thousand children ut the Protec.
tory like number ut the Founding Asylum, over one
thousand at the Nursery. aud about two thousand
more ut other institutions, all al least seven thou
sand chiluren. Now, this IS large family to sup
port, and as IT appears TO be growing rapidly every
expenditure OF so mucl money Tor these purposes is
jucious There are several particulars IN winch the
laws relating 10 these associations ought certainly TO
be amended In the tirst place there Is no provision
in any tho laws by which can be satisfactorily
certained that the children IN any OF these institutions
are children whose support ought undcr any crculn-
Stances BIO chargea0e 10 this city. With little man
ugement children from any part OF the State, and
from any OF the adjoining States, can be got INTO the
different Institutions, Immediately become active
factors In increasing the amount OF our annual taxes
In the next place tnere rs no provision Limiting The
period during which the city can be made ~ =
tribute tor the support OF child once admitted II Is
evidently utterly wrong to leave children who have
parents or connexions, who ought TO be chargeabe
with their support to remain Tor an Indefinite period
OF years the charge OF the city In respect 10 the
ioundlngs very large number can be disposed OF oy
adoption, and u 10 mancstly njudcious 10 put tho
entire burden OF their support Tor indefinite period
tho city. There seems, also, to be no limit 10 tho
number oi institutions that succeed In getting bulls
passed TO provide funds for their main teuance.
During THIS very session. IN the face OF the prevail
ing demand for nent, two bills OF this cnarac-
ter have already become iawsone relating 10 the In
fanl Asylum, one 10 the Founding Asylum, and
"a third ono for the benefit OF the Womens ln-
Urinary IS sui pending. ~ y not Ie'evaht W
the question OF the propricty OF these laws
10 say that the objects arc comrnendablc.
The city cannot afford to support these institutions
simply because their purposes are praiseworthy. ln
this con ncction desire 10 call public attention 70 a
bl now pending relating to this subject and 10 aavo-
cate It's passage. refer to Assembly bill No. BIZ BY
It's provisions all per CAPITA allowances liked at the
UNIFORM figure OF So per week. This may not In all
be sufficient to pay the entire expenses Of the
institution, but those which can do nothing toward
supporting themselves ought not to be maintained.
The bil also transfers the excise fund from the Held oil
gratuitous distribution into the body OF The FUNDS
raised by taxation. where properly belongs II also
limits the period during which any private institution
may charge per capita allowance against the city 10
years, and requires returns under oath OF the
made. The bill Is u step IN the right direction. and
hone II viii pass CHARITY.