New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-26
SUPERVISION or cHARirIFS.


SUPrRVISION or CHAEfTTFS.
The conviction Of Mr. Cowley Will be OF
little Use if it does not result in increased
precautions against the Cowloys of the future.
Public attention must be directed to the ne
cessity of az improvement IN the methods OF
supervision, in order to mako it impossible, If
we cam that little children shall ever again
be starved IN the name of charity. The dIS-
closures concerning the Shepherds Fold raise
presumption, at least, that the present sys-
t.m of supervision has failed at one point, if
NJ no more. No one will bc found to assert
thar the Fold was conducted as a charitable
institution should he conducted. Whatever
Mr. Cowlcy's troubles were, it was wholly
unnecessary that the children in his
care should starve. y newspaper pala-
graph stating well-authenticaicd case OF
restitution in this city never fails To bnng
money. food and clothing TO the untortunateS.
and sometimes i'm harmful pr0'uson. No
sane man will believe that the people of New
York, who pour out money Ike water Tor
characterization Mcmphi, or starving Ireland,
would have been deaf 90 appeals for bread
for Il score OF little children at their own
doors. Mr. Cowlcy had only To bring the con-
difon of his Institution % ,he public at en-
ton. II a day would have passed without a
movement for its relief, then we do not know
the ucoulc OF Newly or. 10 is this cousidcr-
ton which makes the verdict against HIM
morally as well as legally just. lnasnuch ass
il Is evident that hc had seltsh reasons FOR
not forcing his plight upon the notice Of the
public. Il has also a direct bearing upon The
question of responsibility, iuasmuch rs this
institution was all this time subject 10 the
SUPERVISION OF the State Board of Charities,
whose uowcrs over the humane side OF our
charities seem ample. There il another branch
of this subject of supervision which carnc' lis
demands The action of the Legislature, but
there Il no space to consider it here. The
question Of humanity naturally claims the
first place
The act of 1867 which created the Board,
empowered and required It's members 20 visit
at least once year all the charitable and
correctional institutions of the state, except
inc prisons, which were receiving State aid.
The Boards right OF investigation was practi-
colly unrestricted, and covered the finances Of
these institutions, The methods OF instruction,
the management of inmates. the conduct of
all official, from trustees down to the hum
ble,t employees, the condition of buildings and
grounds. ctc etc. The book, and papers Of
all such institutions were 10 be IA freely
open to the members of the Board as the
buildings and grounds, and any refusal 10 i'm
part information or 10 grant facilities Tor in
spcetion was made punishable with cOnsid-
cradle fine. Six years later an act WAS passed
which greatly cnl rgcd the power Of the
BOARD. THIS authorized the Commissioners to
INSPECT amy charitable, correctional OF IT, orm-
otofy institution in the State, excepting pris-
ans. whether maintained by the state by
Municipalities, or otherwise and likewise any
incorporated or private insane asylums. This
made them board Of investigation for Onr
whole system of charitics-State. municipal.
sectarian and private. 1t was also provided
that when three members of the Board be-
lieved that legal investigation or action was
necessary respecting the affairs Of any such
institution. the matter should be reported to
the Attorney General for such proceedings as
he might deem necessary.
And yet the full possession Of these powers
by body of earnestly benevolent men and
women did not protect the lambs III the SheD-
herds Fold. The name of that institution APP
pears in the list of those subject to the vista
tion of the Board An investigation was made
ot one time. with IA result unfayOrable to Mr.
Cowley, but no effective action seems to have
collowed. Yet we should be slow to ccnsure II
body whose members are so sincerely devoted
70 their work. as we believe them to be. Some
Of them have exhibited spirit of pure
bencyolence which has not been surpassed by
ANYTHING in the annals of philanthropy. All
human effort is liable to error and impcrfec-
ton, and the usefulness OF such body is to
be Judged by its general record. IT is the duty
| of the Legislature, however, to inquire
whether the authority Of the Board cannot be
made more effective, or the system itself
should not undergo reorganization. The
matter deserves careful investigation.