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

AN INTERESTING COMMUNICATIONS On TIE
AMOUNT or MONEY COLLECTED AND WHAT
DISPOSITION Is MADE OF IT.
To rHE EDITOR HERALp:-
Charity 10 a noble virtue, but tho essence Of its
merit Is that II IS voluntary Compulsory charity may
be vocated Tor the sake OF the social order which Il
protects promotes, but il cannot DO defended or
maintained Inc idea that It is any sense an cxer-
OF tho virtue OF charity, nor are criticisms Of us
workings 10 be resented rs indicating hostility to
voluntary charity however profuse.
There is an immense amount OF money raised by
taxation In this city great variety OF charitable
purposes and the amount raised Is increasing. and
threatens 70 continue evory year. For tho
year 1877 the OF $970000 Is 10 be collected from
the Taxpayers OF this city and distributed among
various private charitable associations. In addition
this the OF $3.50 0O0 being tho proceeds
OF the Excise fund.- as the law stands to-day, TO be
distributed by way OF gratuity to similar associations
hnay there to be raised for the Of the Pub
lie Department OF Charities aud Correcson tho Of
ST. 600 The aggregate to be raised tor Tho relief
and support oil the poor exceeds 81, 600, 600
OF the 1910 900 first mentioned $500 0OO are for the
Catholic Protecory, $24o 900 Tor the Founding Asy
dren's Nursery, IN Fiitynrst street. The remainder
is divided among long list OF private ASSOCIATIONS.
Each OF these associations has a. different times
within past years procured the passage OF AN
Vi the egslature directing the payment TO the
association OF certain amount per capita Tor eacn
child or person maintained IN the association. Tho
payments Ut first Tor Moderate number, but the
numbers increase inoxoraby every year The city now
supports over two thousand children Ut the Proec.
tory, like NUMBER ut tho Founding Asylum.
thousand ut the Nursery, and about two thousand
At other institutions IN all al leas, seven thou
sand chluren. Now, this Is large family TO sup
port and as II appears 10 be growing rapidly every
year IL Is certainly time TO ask ourselves whether the
expenditure OF 80 mucl money Tor these purposes 10
juulcous There several particulars IN which the
laws relating these associations ought certainly 10
be amended. In the nrst place there Is NO provision
in any tho laws by which IL can DO satisfactorily
certaned the children IN any Of these
children whose support ought, under any circun-
Stances be chargeaoIc 10 this city. With ttlc man
ugcment children from any part OF the State, and
from any OF the adjoining States can be got into these
different Institutions and Immediately become active
factors increasing the amount OF our annual taxes
In the next place there Is no provision limiting the
period during which tho city can DO made con
tribute for The support OF child once admitted Il is
evidently utterly wrong 10 leave children who have
parents or connexions, who ought 10 be chargea6ie
with their support to remain Tor an Indefinite period
OF years the charge OF the city In respect to the
ioundlngs, very large number can be disposed Of by
adoption, and u Is manifcstly injudicous TO pull tho
entire burden OF their support Tor indefinite period
on city There seems, also, 10 be no limit 10 the
number Of institutions that succeed In getting bills
passed 10 provide funds for their main tenance
During this very session, IN the face OF The prevail.
ing for retrenchment two bills OF this cnarac
ter have already become lawsone relating to the In
FAINT Asylum, one 10 the Founding Asylum, and
a third ono Tor the benefit Of The Women's In
Urinary IS sui pending. l. - not relevant .v to
10 say that the objects commendabic.
The city cannot afford to support these institutions
simply because their purposes are praseworthy. In
tins connection desire 10 call public attention TO
bi now pending relating to this subject and 10 auvo-
cate its passage refer TO Assembly bill No 3l7. By
It's provisions all per caDitd allowances liked ut tho
UNIFORM figure OF 81 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 bill also transfers The excise iund from the held OF
gratuitous Distribution into the body OF The funds
raised by taxation where Il properly belongs II also
limits the period during which any private institution
may charge per capita allowance against the CITY TO
three years and requires returns under oath OF the
persons Tor whose account per capita charges arc
made. The bill a step the right direction. and
hope II viii pass. CHARITY.