New-York tribune., 1878-11-25
mower of the United States, through her own
Courts, to protect her own witnesses.
prcyyy,yG THE VIyTEES WORK.


Phi,adelphia is going Systematically to work
| to bring together the want and destltution Oh
her Door during the approaching Winter, and
the charity extended for their reiei' 0no
adopted last week modification OF the same
plan as that used in Glasgow ana berlll' anu
in Boston, Harrisburg, and several small to"nS
in this country. The Mayor, and representa-
tiyes from ward associations, Presidents Oh
boards of health city trusts ana munlclpa
punitOry institutions, are to constitute ceh-
tral board. Each ward forms charitable as
sociaton composed of members OF every
church and charitable society, with volunteer
corps of women visitors, directors ana pau
superintendents By means OF this Wlde hia-
chinery it is hoped that a strict oversight ol
the needy ard dangerous classes can DC hep1
up, that professional mendlcancy can pe
totally suppressed, and employment ana con-
seoucnt relief furnished to all the deserving
poor.
The experiment IS as yet untried in Phlia-
dclphia. ONLY eleven wards having fallen lhto
limo Tho co6DcratiOn must be general,
OF the result will be of course
failure. If one ward stays out of the ooard
it will become the Mecca of all the tramps ana
bcggars driven from the others. W Nhether IL
il possible to make such vast and loosely
hinged machinery effective in large clty we
very much doubt. especially as the plan pre-
supposes the giving gratultously OF great
deal of time and labor by large number OF
men and women. People whose time anu
labor are worth anything seldom can afford 10
give them for nothing. In this matter, II the
aim be. as it seems, to reduce charity to the
badcst and most practical form, 1t Is better
to proceed upon purely practical basis, ana
not to rely on emotional aid.
Three years ago, Mr.. George l.. HARRISON
then president of the Board of Public Charl-
ties in PENNSYLVANIA, urged upon all the cities
and towns IN that state the adoption OF the
plan found so effective in Boston. it Is, III
brief. the erection Of central building III
each town. rs a General Bureau of Charity
Separate rooms in 1t are given to each
public charity, and to private charities
also, charging only for light and fuel.
All thc machinery for the help of the poor,
from the House of Correction to church sew
ing circles was thus brought together under
one roof. The city is divided into districts,
ard to each there are committees OF visitors
No slreet-doOr giving is encouraged AppH-
rauts for relief are sent, with the name OF Il
respectable householder, to the general bu-
rcau, where the books of the different chan-
ties at once show whether they are deserving
or professional "romdsmen." Men and wo-
men able to work are given work; if not able
thcv are given food and clothes. If they can
work and won't work they are sent to Deer
Island. where a weeks stay usually brings
them to their senses. The great advantage
of this system Is that it is permanent, hence
more susceptible Of Growth and Improvement,
and rot liable, like that proposed in Phlla-
dclpha. TO fall 10 pieces every Spring.
The Winter is upon us in New-lork also
What are we to dol We have been the
hcad-ccntrc for all the Adventures ana
tlamps in the country long enough. We
spent all last Winter planning systems OF
charity. What shall we do with them now