New-York tribune., 1880-01-11
ORGANIZED CHARITY.

Il Y
We have received one or two eommunica-
fions from correspondents sincerely intereste"
in the work of relieving the poor, and VINO
are convinced that the beat and only way OF
doing it effectualIy is by a system of organ
izad charity. They demonstrate with us ABOUT
onr allusion on last Sunday to the work done
during the last year in Philadelpbia by the
"Society for Organ zing Charitable Relief
land Suppressing Mendicancy" alleging that
both our statements and conclusions were IN
fair. We will look more closely into the mat
Ter. TIE TRIBUNE is assuredly not preJu-
diced against any charitable system, or any
society for carrying out such system.
With every humane person, it is earnestly
desirous of reaching the surest and most
effective means of solving the problem
"What shall be done to lift this dead weight
"Of pauperism in all of our great cities Z"
We are told that the plan for organized
charity has been more successfully carried
out in Philadelphia than anywhere else ex-
cept in Buffalo and we are aware that IL
has the support of many OF the most 1nlu-
ential and intelligent citizens OF Philadelphia.
They have tried the experiment earnestly and
honestly, and fair idea therefore OF the
success which may reasonably be expected
anywhere from this system may be gained
from the report they render. Let us lock AT
the figures. The Central Board, to whose re-
port we alluded OH Sunday, received dur
ing the year just closed, S7,928 "A. OF this
800 73 were given to the poor. The $500
with which we credited them the other day
as given in charity was paid to the Ward AS
sociati0ns. to whose accounts we shall now turn.
They fail to render individual reports from each
ward and we have only been able to procure
such from two-the Fifteenth aud Twenty
seventh. The first of these wards reported
reccipts for the year of $2,39S 81 donations
70 the poor of fuel, clothing and food are es-
timated mt $1,157 81; $24 7S remained IN
the treasury and the remainder, Tl,2l6 I'll,
went for the rent, salaries, and stationery OF
the officers. The Twcnty-seventh Ward re-
ports it's receipts at 5000 20; OF this, S2S 81
remain on hand. $72 50 were given to the
poor, and $5Oj II were used in Office rent
salaries printing circulars, etc.
The Ward Associations, however, submit
report of their total receipts and expenditures
during the year. Their receipts exclusive OF
contributions in supplies Of clothing, fuel, and
proyisions) amounted to $31, $50 9S; their
expenditures to $29,S97 II. OF these cx-
penditnres. grants amounting in value to
SIs.O69 80. we're given to the poor; from
this. of course, should rightfulIy be subtracted
the value of the contributions in fuel, cloth
ing, and provisions, of which no account
is Given; but without subtracting this
amount, it leaves n sum of Tll,o27 80
paid in salaries. rent, etc. The whole
matter in a nutshell is, therefore, that
while the chartably- y-disposed people OF
PHILADELPHIA contributed during last year
q.I59 ~ for the relief of their poor, the
Door received of that fund exactly SIS, ,1O0 50,
more than half being absorbed in the cum
brous machinery Of Offices and officers. This
too. without the slightest dishonesty or unfair
mauipulation of funds. If the machinery Is
necessary, the machinery must be paid for
II is for the people to determine whether 1t
j., necessary, and whether their money should
"a on tho one hand to supporting costly
system of organized charity, or directly to the
poor. with the risk of sometimes going to un-
worthy objects. The officers of the Phlla-
delphia society appear to fear that the public
NAV he startled at the figures, aud hasten to
assure them that the real aim OF the society
- not 10 Iclltht lHN p''if D"' w i'""NN wv
demand for alms--in other words, TO suppress
the paupcrs. In accordance with this aim,
the amount Of relief which they report to
have given to the persons found worthy
of relief did not average one dollar and hall
each during the whole Of last year. {" Here's
"richness.r quoth Squeers, passing round
the bite of dry bread) Employment was
found only for 343 out OF the
25,s2G applicants. The rest were suppressed.
Now. suppression of street beggary and un-
worthy tramps will be very comfortable
thing, but the public should know exactly
how much it will cost, and determine, too,
whether it is to take the place of that charity"
which our Master left to us as the most sa-
cred of personal obligations. Organized sys-
tens, il will be remembered, discourage and
offer to supply the place of individual char