New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-27
CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY.
REPLY TO ATTACKS UPON IT'S WORK.

by the ChIdrens Aid Society to Minnesota, In reply 10
letter from the Rev. Mr. Dana Of st. Paul. reiaths W
attacks made this society at the National
of Charities at Madison Wis, last summer Since
wrote that statement the PROCEEDINGS OF the Conference
have reached me, and reply to the charges moro
specifically.
The first was from Southern delegate in regard to
the boys sent the South. stating that they were
placed without sufficient inquiry as to the character
OF the applicants and that "many were treated Lire
savesr Now plan at the South has been the same
as at the West. local committee OF Mgn
character is chosen by the citizens beforehand OF ~
public meeting, b selected by friends oad the agent
i'm his choice of places. The agent afterward reVsts
the places the resident agent sees the boys ana con-
slant reports received from the boys themselves aud
their employers We believe that in general the homes
found for the boys the very best OF the locality IN
the South as we'll the West and are quite GER
tain that these boys have been as well treated Ill the
South any part OF the country Those in the South
usually large boys, perfectly able to take care OF
themselves and not ndentured They would not stay a
day in their situations If they badly treated ana
white labor Is In the South that il tuey e
their places they could find new situations We
have placed nearly 500 boys In Virginia. ana only one
case or abuse has ever been reported, from near
Charlottesville. and this was made known 10 the society
by the neighbors of the employer and prosecution
begun aided by the Society, by the citizens themselves
Tue cruel employer fined $3.50 with COSTA
Tie movement is popular in Virginia that we receive
hundreds and hundreds OF applications more thah VIC
can fill, aud many OF boys have already acquired
property have married, and own farms OF their own
one welknown gentleman, Mr.. Joseph Wilmer OF kapi-
dan, in whose vicinity over ono hundred boys
have been placed, writes In recent le''er tna'
that he considers the Children Aid Society "tne
best charity the day." and that the boys are dong eh
ceptioraly well. For proof Of these statements we
would refer to the following gentlemen In virginia
among many Others: Mr. J. Wilmer and Mr.. j. G. way
man. OF Rapidan Mr. J. b Male OF Raccoon Ford MI.
Charles Payne wilderness Dr. Smith, OF Hicksford, ana
Mr.. A. b. West OF Farmvllle.
The next accusation ia from Mr.. +. W. Chase OF Min
nesota who charges that OF the boys In that state
have run away from their places and that the children
arc not sufficiently looked after when placed IL Is true
that the older boys are inclined TO change
their places whenever they are offered better
wages by neighboring farmer, but IL
will he found that immense majority OF those placed
In Minnesota have remained steadily IN their homes
The resident Western agent Mr. Fry, and the western
frequently revisit parties In my recent
gave list Of the companies sent within the last two or
three years. numbering several hundred and the names
OF prominent citizens OF the towns where they were
placed who can verify these statements The boys are
certainly doing cxcellently in Minnesota.
In the course OF the debate, Dir. W. j. Scott OF Ohio
urged that many OF these children inherit criminal or
ganzaon and therefore necessarily become criminals
but II will he found that the great proportion OF these
children are not the descendants OF criminals but sim
ply Of poor abong people and others who have become
unfortunate. II Mr. Scott viii inquire Ia his State he
will find great numbers OF welto-do young and re-
spectacle women who have grown up from among the
children sent by ths society. The testimony OF an
other delegate from OhO-Mr. C. Oh. LOekwoOd-s more
reasonable and mOrc humane. He asks whether or
not where so great work is being carried on, 1t is
strange that injustice should be done in taking ex-
ceptioual cases and holding them up as the average
when there are thousands who have been made honor
| hafuD Wy
city" Mr Philip j. Gilet dele gate frop Illinois, also
says with the spirit Of true humanity;
do not know why these children from the East
should be Judged differently from cur own. Some turn
look the good The result OF this work in Illinois has not
been related II Norn Carolina ~ mas Dsen generay
have their houses aud homes % them, aud III
| some on ses tbey have made very valuable men and
| women ,gas present at the Exposition In Paris
n 1873 Visited tue educational departm nt Hound
~ rtion OF il In charge OF young man bad seen him
| belore; 1 told min OF my early history.
| lie opened hs heart enf told me some o.
| hs H- early recoilections were OF some Of
these refugees IN New York He had been taken by some
of tAese societies IN NewYork 10 Illinois, bad done we'll
and byhar work bad passed almost through or the
! best colleges in the Mississippi Valley. aud had been
tasen ~ confidential clerk 90 the commissioner ap-
pointed To- tine Paris Exposltioh ahd atter ls olose was
coming back 70 graduate with honor lie was an honor
oth nc casrs ns this Il Is unjust uniar to pre-
east rigid rule apply TO these unfortunate
aud very they Will average rs good as our own
Mr. Henry j. Dodge Of Illinois, also states in the de-
bate:
world Ike 70 give the example o. young hoy who
came from this society In NrwIOrk. lie was put In q
@ L." and na1d his fare and got him work and then
he brought on sister and her work and then he
| brought on second brother ana got him work.
ana at ss ae safas pcr week re only e y s
years OF age We need not 70 Paris London TO find
boys who have rescued by the Aid Society. For
nine years have been engaged in the same work. and
can give YOU illustrations than have fingers, Of
| those who have turned out welI'
I M MiehiOln. EmOrc Of
Wisconsin, On the other hand make the statement that
these children looked after In their places and
that they are PUT their homes without sufficient IN
opires TO the characters OF the applicants and that
| many turn out badly In regard 20 Michigan could
give Mir Baxter the OF great numbers by
| this society who have grown MP to positions Of useful
meas I'm that state and 1876 resident agent, Mr.
Fry made thorough investigation OF the prisons Of that
state and did not dud in them single person sent out
nv ths Association Ia report Of 1881 will be seen
list OF forty five taken at random Of these chill
dren seut out twenty-five years ago to Michigan all OF
| whom so far heard from, have grown up be re-
spectable and wetodo people. Some seventeen years
! ago had tho satisfaction OF reviewing our work in
Michigan and could not lind that than per cent
OF the small children had turned out badly, and not
per cent Of the larger boys Equally encouraging re-
suits were obtained from Indiana aud Ohio. Mr. Gilmore
certainly In hs statements In regard the
boys sent to Wisconsin Out Of company of thirtyone
children sent to La Crosse in 1866 known to
have turned ont badly. and Of four children OF
family this party. have been adopted and carry
the names the families which took them and the other
two are very happily married And Of another company
ofthrtythree Mansion In 1875, two married
two have for their parents who, with their families
are doing exceedingly well another has 100 acres OF
! land in Dakota and far heard from, only
! one has turned out badly. We would refer
| Mr. ElmOro to the following gentlemen for
proof that many Of these lads have done extremely well
| Mr. -
| Mr. Barney Hmkelman of Fort Atkinson, Wis., Mr..
| Jones hardware merchanb, OF La Crosse; Mr. s. n
Arlcb, West Salem, Wis; Mr. James Boyce, NewIsbon;
Mr. Frank Hill. Of KOourne City; and Mr.. James Al
| LADY. of Mansion, Wis.
We admit OF course that the large boys change their