Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-05
aancaster f,ltellige,lrer.
THURSDAY EVENING. JULY s.. 1913
STATE Aid for Charities.

THURSDAY EVENING", JULY o. soo'
State Aid for Charities.
Charity is a very good thing for gov
ernment to practice. We believe that IL
ia the duty Of the state; to take care OF
all its citizens who cannot take care OF
themselves. The poor who cannot labor
should be provided with bread and shell
ter, il both ara needed. The manned
and sick, and insane, should he well
cared for in hospitals. This is the ac-
cepted belief. This duty is assumed 10y
Pennsylvania. But there is no DOUBT
that it is inefficiently performed gener'
ally and to such an extent that private
charity steps in to supply the states
omission. A great number of institu-
,tions of private origin exist for the re
lief Of the unfortunate in Pennsylvania.
Some of them are we'll founded, well
sustained and we'll managed. A great
many more are not. They are started IN
zeal, but the zeal does not hold out. The
fund provided does not suffice; and the
yearly call for aid upon thu benefactors
becomes wearisome They fly to the state.
They say to it, see the noble charity
which We have organized. We
are doing the legitimate work of the
state. Help us. Bear 1T least, Il
portion of the burthen with us y
So they commenced years ago; and
yearly their cry has become stronger and
their number larger, until the sum voted
by the state for the support of these pri-
vate institutions has swelled into millions
and the serious question comes up as to
how this appropriation of moneys is to
be treated. 1t confronts the governor
now. The bills wait his signature which
give great SUMS of money to many char
liable institutions which the state is moi
responsible for the creation of, and which
are not consequently placel 50 as to
make the distribution Of this charitable
fund equal among the people of the state
We do not believe that it is right f"l
the state to give charity in one section
that it does not give in another. Ii
should take care of all alike. IT'S money
should l,a SO distributed that it will reacl
in equal proportion every case of dis
tress THIS need will generally bear the
same ratio in every section Of the STATE
to its population. The ratio may D.
larger in the city than in the country
and in the mining THAN in the agrlcul
tural region but this ratio can b'
readily established by observation am
inquiry and the charitable money of th'
state should flow into every cOunty il
proportion to its neel. Obviously thi:
is not its flow under the system of aid
ing largely private institutions sporadic
ally and spasmodically started by Zealou
philanthrOpists and then thrown on TIN
state to sustain when their ardor cool
or their pockets tighten.
The states charity shonld be system
atically dispensed. The institutions il
aids should lie located SO as to best ac
commOdate every section IL has now
an excellent organization to take cllarg'
of its charity in the board of public
charities. That board should he places
in direct charge of all the institutions
the state sustains. 1t should aid few
that il does not wholly sustain. 1t i
able itself to take care of all it ought I,
take care of. Let it take possession of al
the we'll located private institutions tina
the managers have grown weary in sus
tanning. Let it give th. board of publ {
charities the money needed to care fo
them. Let it establish such Others n
may be required I'm localities now ne
elected. Let it pay its money and contru
its expenditure. Let us have Systematl,
charity; and let us know that our none.
is profitably and properly expended. On'
institution, that is now again asking fo
aid, Il short while ago received an appro
priation of $40, 600 to furnish, it. 1t drew
the money for that object and expende,
it in finishing it's building. 1t is unfur
nished to-day and awaits 4 new appropri
alton before il begins its operation. Tha
was a fraud Il pious fraud in behalf o
charity. But the state would profit b.
cutting off the supplies from these h"l.
men who cheat it in the name Of charity
1t aids many noble charities, but under
It's present system of giving to beggins
charities it cannot be but that its conf
dence is often abused.