Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-17
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
A Public Meeting Last Night-Ths Work Of
the Ye1r.


the YesT.
The call for public meeting Of the Associ-
ated Charities in the New York Avenue Church
did not result in q great crowd, for there were
not more than scant hundred people present
when, at 7so o'clock last night Commissioner
Douglass raped for order. He did not have
any difficulty in obtaining it On the platform
with him sat Rev. DR.. Bartlett and Rev. W. E.
Parson- Prayer was offered at the beginning
Of the meeting by Rev. DR.. Domer, and then
there was singing BY those present under the
leadership Of Prof. Paul.
The first thing to be done was the reading Of
the animal report of the general secretary, Mr..
l. 3. Emery, which occupied fully half all hour.
he made careful review of the work accom-
plished during the year. and gave a sketch Of
the history of the organization. This was his
tenth ANIMAL report. He called attention to
the striking prevalence of cases OF abandon
ment of homes by husbands and fathers and
said that to that cause alone was due greater
part of the suffering that eventually was re-
ported to him He described the various
phases OF the cases and summarized them ell
by asserting that from the facts that he could
obtain fully nine-.enths resulted from intem-
perance. As many az forty cases of abandon
ment were reported to him in one month, and
IN nearly every ono OF them drink was the
cause, directly or indirectly. He gave some
interesting statistics of the work of his Office,
showing that 3 321 calls were made during the
past year in place of 1852 the previous year, q
reduction OF 1881. OF this years number
2,7z7 were white against 1869 during the pre-
eeding year and 493 were colored this year,
while 1888 were of that complexion before
There were SIS applications for work and e42
applications for aims. OF this latter number
els we're white and 324 colored. Aid was given
to 49, families, decrease from last year Of
AL.
The general secretary concluded that this
large decrease all along the line indicated bet
ter state of things, due largely to the mildness
Of the climate during the past twelve months.
He thought that much was also the result OF
the excellent organization of the Associated
Charities. which is now able to give more last
Ing aid to poor people
The report Of the treasurer. NJ. G. Emery,
was presented. showing a balance on hand at
the beginning of the year OF 1856. 30. The. re-
itures u, 1913 %. thus reducing the balance at
the end of the present year in November to
s229.25
Brief addresses were then made by Rev. DR..
Bartlett and Rev. W. E. Parson, who con-
graduated the association upon tho state Of
things exhibited by the report of the secretary,
but deplored the falling OFF in the resources of
the organization as indicated by the reduced
balance.
Dir. ". c. Dodge, the president OF the board
VI 'haiHSers, thSn gave review OF the WOrk OF
the Associated Charities during the year past,
showing the gradual perfection OF the system
o. giving aid TO the poor. He spoke briefly OF
the differences that have arisen between the
ASSOCIATION and the new superintendent of
charities. and though his remarks were vigor-
Gus III a general Genunciatiou of the course
taken By that official, he avoided personalities,
so that tie tranquility of the meeting was not
disturbed. He expressed the hope that the
Commissioners of the District would see their
way clear to a restoration of the Associated
Charities upon their former basis. and he closed
by calling general attention to the necessity Of
extending public aid to the organization.