Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-12

uiuerent umes De sent 70 the aims mouse Ihe
objections are the name OF II (near the Eastern
branch as to health and the penal inst buttons
ss to reputation) and tho potter's field at the
end. Mary-indeed, most-are Of such a class
as would pain US all, and you also, to send them
! there" The reply to this can only be that many
Of similar class are probably already at the
aims house. Either Il Is proper place for the
state to place them or it is not. If it is others
may as properly go there; if il is not our SYM
pathies should go out first to those already
there and we should see to 1t that the place il
made proper one for them to stay. Fourthly,
to make more costly provision for ono class of
dependents, and by 80 doing to increase thar
numbers may not properly BE- done from the
public treasury-, because, while benefitins them,
we may SO increase the burden of taxation as,
conceiyably. to tax yet other persons across the
pauper line Most American taxes tend to diff
fuse themselves and TO diffuse themselves along
the lines of least resistance. What we see is
the increased comfort OF certain old depend
ents; what We do not see, but ought always to
remember, is the increase OF tax burden, slight
but positive, which often rest at last on very
weak shoulders No such shifting of the bur-
den is possible where the support is freely
given by individuals. filthy and lastly. better
provision for some dependents than the aims
house affords is ostensibly more honorable than
aims house relief. but it Is not really So A
pauper, in the legal sense of the term, Is one
who receives unearned material aid from. the
| state; and therefore the benefciaries of pri-
intents and purposes paupers, and might as
well be called so A temporary dodging OF the
fact and changing Of the name will not change
the f..ct, but may spell the nomenclature
We have thus reviewed in single instance the
! reason why the state ought not to do or assist
in doing that which it is entirely proper fO-
individuals to undertake. Other examples will
| appear when we come to speak OF the particular
institutions receiving or asking subsidies.
2 1t frequently does positive harm to a
rnor tr t,aIl
stroys its usefulness to receive public mouoy.
l cannot conceive how charity organization
society or an associated charities society can
possibly do its work as well with public money
as 1T can without. 1t must command the inter
ested confidence and support of the community
and it will hardly continue to do SO unless it
looks to that community fox support. II the
community have not confidence enough to sup
port it its mission has failed. An Institution that
receives no public money is freer in all it's oper-
ations and is more highly valued by those tina:
sustain and manage it. The benefciaries also
feel differently towards their benefactors.
When visiting one subsidized institution in
Washington the request was made that nothing
should be said before the inmates that would
inform them that the institution received nny
public money. l could understand the wish
and presume that the inmates would work more
faithfully. be more grateful for favors received
and finally turn out better because they were
kept in ignorance of the fact Yet doubt the
possibility or desirability OF thus trying to use
public money and at the same time trying to
conceal the fact of doing 80.
T. State subsidies te.d to dry up springs Of
private beneTolence. "If you will get me an
appropriation as large as that received by the
Institution across the way viii never get I'D
another fair or ask help OF any private per
son, was the frank admission to me Of the fady
in charge Of one Of the Washington institu-
tons. why don't you go to Cengress?' is the
commonest question with which the well-to
OF Washington put of those who solicit them
70 give aid to the local charities. The general
secretary Of the Associated Charities informs
me that after that organization had received a
thousand dollars from the Commissioners their
private contributions promptly fell off It Will
be found that those Charitable organizations
that have beer receiving public subsidies for
series Of years are those that now have least
contributed to their treasures By private per-
sons. Private givers seem disinclined to have
their mites" Overshadowed by congressional
appropriation, and prefer to work for those en-
terprises that obtain nothing from government.
In many lines OF work philanthropists were the
pioneers, and after they had shown what was
possible the state began to help then took up
the entire work, AID the private donors turned
their attention to other lines. This has been,
roughly, the history of the education of the
blind and of the deaf and dumb. 1t is highly
proper development, but the point of import
ance to US here Is that as the state takes hold
the private philanthropists let CO. BY compar-
ing table and table III it will be seen that
those institutions that have received public
subsidies during The longest periods receive the
least. proportl"nateiy, from private sources.
So thoroughly do some OF the Washington
charities apl reciate the force OF the TWO pre-
cedIng poiuts that after mature consideration
they have decided not to ask for public aid
though az first inclined to do 30. They feel
that they will be freer in their movements and
more thoroughly supported by the community
ia 20
Country Home beng in need of fHnds last
July asked me to recommend that the Commits
sioners give them a small amount to help them
through tie summer. Explained why, in nv
opinion, 1t would be a serious blunder for that
institution to take such a contribution, even
were it offered, and refused the request point
blank and without hesitation. This fact to-
gether with a statement OF the work of the
home, being made known through tine daily
papere, the result was that within three weeks
the home received from voluntary contribu-
tons nearly five times as much as they had
a. ked The Commissioners to give. Other insti-
tutions to which. in their own interest l &C.
corded the favor Of a refusal, have not vet had
SO much occasion to thank me for the dis
cipline, but l am confident that they will be
benefited by it in the end and that certain
institutions that are now on the list OF subsidy
receivers will eventually find it to their own
interests to lead II more Independent existence
4. The distin ction which most people and
many state CONSTITUTIONS seek 10 mako between
''sectarian" and 'non-sectarian' institu .ions is
of small Importance for our present purpose
There is no general agreement az to definition
Of terms, and until some new reason for using
| them develops they will be discarded in these
reports. The only distinctions that arc now
| made are between public aud private institu-
tons, and between open and close corporations
5. The advantage to the state of getting its
dependents cared for by private organizations
receiving public subsidies lie greatest when
such q policy is first adopted. and diminishes
with the lapse OF time sn' the growth OF the
community. This will be apparent when we
enumerate the advantages and disadvantages OF
the policy, and the truth Of the proposition
may be verified ty examining tie HISTORY of
states that have expe:imentsd Sic1ig this line.
9. The advantages OF GREETING public SUBJ
sidies &c private charles are jI brief:
(a) The persona, attention and gelf-saS rifce
Of a considerable number Il people Is secured
for the state'e dependents without expense.
Here should be includs,. The. servit go 1T the
boarde Of trustees and lacy visitorE aud man.
ayers Of treasurers and other officiGls whose
duties are often onerous aud who give
freely Of their time, ability anu sympathy.
Here also should be reckoued the practically
unpaid services OF the members Of the chari-
table or educational brotherhoods and sister,
hoods.
(b) When the community 10 small and the
number of dependents of . particular class is
small it enables the state to make provision for
them at much less expense than would other
wise be possible.
Co Where special technical skill and training
is needed. ds in the instruction of defactives