New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-20

IEIKiGFS ~ 'H.1RTIl.
There j. 4 dccp-rootcd belief on the pAr' 81
average people that the cost OF administering
charity j. too great. 1T takes d"lar 10 S''
tom c.nts 10 the hoaih,n." said prominent
Church member recently in explanation 81 HIS
refusal Ia contribute anything 10 foreign mis-
,iou,. Many person, feel pretty much Inc Hllh'
WAY about all religions and philanlhropic enter
pri,,s tina; call for contributions for thclr sup
pori They do not allrgr any dishonesty on me
part If the managers; they may even De III
hearty sympathy with ih" objects "f me 50
.ictio> that ask for their money. But ih"N "-
u,yc that the way in which they ar" conlu'''h
Is unbll>inossk.. that too many ASSISTANTS s''-
r.tarioS and clerks are employed. ana thli III
SOM. ease, there j. 10 proper provision Tor
oullfln, the accounts That such an impression
* prevalent viii be- admitted even 10y those
vino regard II ~ erroneous ana UNJUST II -
in fact proved negatively by The generous sup
mort given 10 The Tribune Fr'Sh-Alr fuhd 10y
u,ouv noopl.. solely on The ground that every
dollar ~ The contributions has gone directly 10
those for whom the Fund is intended.
\ow f. I, unnecessary Ia say that thiS
di.fr1lst has little foundation In fact. 50 far ~
fin. Great religious and charitable organizations
are concerned They are managed by coilip'-
toni business men ~ standing and integrity
and. ~ a rule. they do all that 1t j. possible 10
do with the funds az their disposal ms Is
..p.ciolv true ~ the missionary and philah-
fhrnpic organizations ~ the 'mlrch's, DOM
catholic, and Protestant. Whatever may nave
b.,u tine ease I'm the past. they ar" now man
ocoI with wisdom. discretion ana economy
and from what we know 90 the various foreign
missionary socctios We are sur" that Inc
romarl, Of the myman quoted above does them
grave injustice.
Nevertheless. lclkascs that might b" avoided
and even serious acts II misnnnHg"inrut' are apt
~ occur in ihc most deserving societies. Nh'h
this happens IN th. cl>" II any society. thc h'~t
service. that 10, friends AMI supporters can r'h-
der n T. To- expose such acts If apparent ms
manascmrnt so that they may be- rrlncdiol.
Such criticism coming from friend VIII nav"
an Influence that no attack from without co'ild
have. For II cannot be- imputed to spirit 81
parti,an bias We have been led To max" lh'>e
remarks by an article that appeared III LAST
weeks independent making some temperate
criticisms uf The management Of a most worthy
Roman Catholic charity. the Mission al mo
immaculate Virgin. Of this city The writer al
the article II. Il. Iiarrisan. is himself Roman
Catholic and appears to be actuatcd only 10y
% desire IL, correct what he deems "A doubtful. II
moi iuprnpcr ll,r Of the funds Of this charity.
l,rrllv. his point i that whit" the Rev. James
I pouchortv the manager of the society. which
| ol,n,.lrS To be organized 10 take care or home
less children speaks in his last report OF the
"sl,ndcr and uncertain revenues" Of the Mis-
sion h,. i the owner Of two yachts. by refer
cuce 10 the American Yacht List for lS9i II
will be- found that the Rev. James j. Doughcrly
B owns thc Estcllc schooner. e.; II gross and ,9'o
net tonnage o. feet over MI. 30 10 feet wide
and s., feet deep. He also owns the well known
racer Vcsia. which sailed against The Henrietta
and the Flcctwing in the ocean race of 1856. Il
schooner Of 11olo tons. and 1876 feet over all.
Both these schoOncrS belong 10 the Atlantic
Yacht club II has been said that thcs" boats
were. bought for training vessels for the boys Of
tho Mission: but In reply To that. Mr.. llarigan
soys that a couple of cheap fishing smacks
would have answered that purpose just as well
~ two expensive yachts which must cost Il good
deal to keen them in commission. OF course
| AFR Douchcrty is vet 10 be heard from: but it
will strike candid Catholics ~ we'll rs Protes-
tants that this charity, which has received and
deserves 10 receive Il generous support from the
public, is not conducted as economically rs it
ought To- be-
According 10 the report of the Con
trollcr Of New York. Mr. Doughcrly received
during last year from the public funds the
sum Of Sl2l IS; 30. or nearly one-lifih of the
5000 $50 ~ of the Excise Fund distributed
among eighteen charitable institutions. Simply
rs a dcnominational institution. It's management
| would hardly come within the purvicw of pub
| liz investigation and criticism But. with all
rcspcct we submit thai Il society which receives
! such a muntc,nt appropriation from the public
funds i, morally accountable To The public for
/ the way in which it spends lis income. II may
/ be- all right for MI Doughcriy or the Mission
! 10 own Two expensive yachts, but II does not
/ look 80. and an explanation is desirable. More
/ over II i Il little myStfying for Mr.. Dousheriy
I tn speak of the slender and uncertain rcve-
| mes" of the Mission when. besides The Slil,-
/ ~, 81 already mentioned thcr" is IN apparent
! lions tu THE Homeless Child Allowing 500
year per child for The $50 children In the
! Mission there would sill be- yearly balance
Of S19j,S? 81 on the credit side of the Mis-
| prcsilnablc income from l22 masses which are
said each year. 3J7 Of which, however are said
! by Father Doughcry n "frec-will Offering
| We refer to these criticisms Of Mr. Harrigan