The Portland daily press., 1877-11-06
NEW YORK, Nov 4, Is

fRESS OIL tne lsJ 1uSt. TO read 10 IL d1spatcn OF
which quote the heading and initial para
graph.
SHAMEFUL MANAGEMENT OF CHARITABLE INsTI-
TUTIoNs.
Ne,o York, Oct. 31.-The State Board of Charities
report that their investigations the past year of the
different hospitals for the sick and for lunatics, the
almshouses and warehouses, lunatlc asylums,
be wretchedly managed, filthy, over-crowded, and
that Incompetence and cruelty characterize the
dealings OF those in charge towards the patients,
causing shameful suffering to the sick, aged,
helpless and insane.
Happening to be in Boston next day had the
curiosity to consultthe files of the newspapers of
that city of the same Gate, to ascertain the
kind Of pabulum (which the geniuses Of the
associated press had served up for the regale-
ment of the people 10 that locality. There was
paragraph on the subject in each of them, of
which quote the headings:
Daily Observation-Disclosures Mismanage-
ment."
Herald Disgraceful condition Of Public In
stituticps"
Globe-"A Terrible Indictment"
Post-"Disgraceful Revelations.
Traveller-"A Terrible Presentation"
Transcript-"Bad Condition of New York
Charity institutions
presume articles Of similar purport found
their way into several hundred daily journals
throughout the country, and were received
with more or less crsdulity by such readers as
have not learned by their own experiences how
utterly misleading and fallacious are a great
majority of the items which find their way
into circulation through this method. Having
in this particular case full knowledge of the
facts shall do service to the cause of truth
by showing how grossly it has in this Instance
been perverted. as it often is by the reckless
ness CT eager newsmongers.
This is what actually happened. There was
a friendly conference at the Mayors Office
on the 3Oth ultimo, between the Boari of APP
portionment. the Commissioners of Charities
and Correction and the New York members of
the Board of State Charities in respect to the
appropiiaion for the ensuing year, for the
maintenance Of the charitable and correctional
institutions of the city and county. 1t lasted
over two hours. The proceedings were opened
by the reading by Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt of
the State Board, Of an elaborate memorial
setting forth the crowded condition of the In
situations, the inadequaey Of the appropriations
of the present and preceding years for their
proper sustentation, the evils that had grown
out of an excess CT parsimony 10 providing for
them, and tie necessity of increasing the
amount set apart for their support. The docu-
ment was in large measure compilation
from the annual reports of the Department it
self. The criticisms were maibly those of the
officials in charge of the establishments under
discussion. The allegation that incompetence
aud cruelty characterized the dealings of those
in charge towards the patients was corrobor
ated by mention of the circumstance that
considerable number Of the male attendants
at the Asylum for the Insane at Warl's Island
had been discharged because they had been
detected in .unkind treatment of the unfortu-
nate creatures under their charge, and the sig
| nifcant fac. was cited that this class of en-
| rloyes received the pitifal compensation of $40
| per month iu 1876, reduced to S18 in 1877
| through a further curtailment Of the appropria-
tion fer salaries. 1t was urged with logical
force that it was unreasonable to expect to hire
| competent orierliss for such meagre wages
Numerous other examples were adducsd in
| demonstration Of the proposition that con-
| tiuuous reduction of the sum allotted for the
| cara Of the department while the census had
been steadily increasing was violative of the
| principles of humanity and ought not to have
bssn practiced so long.
| 1t was not averred, however, that there had
| been any dereliction Of duty on the part of the
heads of this branch of the city government. On
the contrary it was admitted that they had
probably done all they could with the means
at their disposal to promote the well-being of
| the sick end Insane and to utilize the labor of
the vicious and criminal Very few of the
abuses enumerated occurred during the present
| or preceding year. Most CT them ante-dated
the official term Of the present commission.
| 1t was the system that was eomplaiued of, rath-
| than the admiuistration Of it, and the reme-
dies suggested were, first; that appointments
should be made without any reference to politi
| cal considerations; second: that sufficient
money should be supplied TO furnish more
| eligible accommodations fer ard mora gener-
Gus treatment of the sick and suffering poor
thrown upon the bounty Of the corporation.
In respect Of the main points presented ther
l was substantial agreement between the men,
bers of the State and City Commissions. The
sudden elimination of the political feature in
the selection CT employees would almost GER
| taiuly prove beneficial innovation, bat 1 fear
| our citizens have not advanced far enough in
the science of self government to render il
practicable Just yet. There are several Difficult
ties iu the way Of il. One is, that our loca
politicians always have retinue of dependent;
whom they are importuned to provide for
OF course these men are always, on their OWL
showing, g,abundantly capable Of any service as
signed them; and if need be they can procure
certificates blythe ream CT their eminent fitness
for whatever place they are in quest Of
Another is, that ioasmuch as everybody who
is any body belongs to one party or the other, II
is absolutely out CT the question to find men
who have no politics Then again, those who
have places to bsstow are naturally thrown
mora largely into association with men OF theil
own political faith than of any other. And SC
| il hannans that Mhila nartisan reasons for an