Evening star., 1895-04-27

forces. on business-Hke principles, so as
to secure the maximum Of result for the
minimum of expenditure. both Of effort and
OF money. The natural law of the busi-
ness world, which produces the consohda-
ton and concentration Of commercial
iorces, Is being more and more recognized
by experts in charitable work, as appli-
cable with equal profit to the operations
Of philanthropy, and what we want in this
District Is effectual action under 1t.
Ihe office of superintendent Of charities,
costing $3.50 for the next fiscal year, and
which, under the law. can only be filled
by nonresident. is superfluous and should
be abolished. as its first incumbent, Prof.
Amos e.. Warner, a high authority on
charity questions, recommended in his sec
ond annual report. The proposed board OF
charities would be able to do the work
which was intended should be done by the
superintendent of charities, but which has
not proved to be practicable for such an
Officer
Accompanying the report was the follow
Resolved, That Congress be asked to
abolish the office of superintendent of
charities for the District Of Columbia, and
to create board of charities to consist of
nine citizens of the District Of Columbia,
to be appointed by the Commissioners Of
the District of Columbia, who shall serve
without pay, and who shall have the gen.
eral supervision ofalt the public charitable
work of the District fof Columbia In and
out of misunderstanding aid from the
revenues of the District of Columbia (ex-
cept those which ares strictly correctional
or educational, or which belong to the fed
eral government), and the direction OF per-
manent and emergency outdoor relief of
the destitute"
Mr.. Macfarland, speaking as an individ-
ual member of th0 committee, read pa
per which he had prepared on the subject,
in advocacy of the proposed plan. After
noting the wonderful advance in the study
of charities and corrections, and Its estab-
lishment as distinctscience, he reviewed
the. status of the charitable work in the
District, and showed the amount of money
annually expended for this purpose. After
declaring that the District Commissioners
penditures in addition to their own busi-
ness. he pointed out the fact that DR..
Warner, the first superintendent of chari-
ties, had reported, after one year OF in
an officer as the law contemplated to do
the work laid down for him to do. He knew
that this had greatly disappointed the then
board of Commissioners. who had hoped
that this newly created office would relieve
them of much care and responsibility. Mr..
Macfarland went on to say that in his
opinion. that which an outsider, for obvi-
GUS reasons, failed to accomplish in the
District. board of mine eminent citizens
could achieve. and he proceeded to show
how such board could reach the desired
ends by Strengthening out the muddle,
which, he said, now exists In the minds of
most Congressman in regard to the District
charity appropriations. He thought that
such board should by conciliation in
dealing with the institutions accomplish
what could not be accomplished by coer-
c.on. and could obtain willing grants from.
Congress where now money is given
grudgingly. 1t could systematic the whole
work of poor relief.
The Superintendcnt's Omce.
When Mr.. Macfarland had concluded his
reading of the paper. Mr.. R. Ross Perry
asked him If the committee had made any
inquiry into the work that has been done
by the superintendent. An affirmative an
swer being given. Mr.. Perry said he be-
heved that the result of this inquiry should
be spread abroad. He feared that it was a
rather summary way of disposing of this
public officer. whom the report and resolu-
tion sought to decapitate. He, Individually
believed that there should be a change in
the system, but he would like to hear the
other side.
There was some discussion between Mr..
Perry and Mr.. Macfarland in regard to
what the present superintendent has done
that the former one had failed to do. Mr..
Perry admitted that there was nothing
more accomplished now. Mr.. MacfarlanI
said: If DIR. Warner, whose opinion has
great weight with me because of his ex-
perience and high standing, after examin-
ing all the conditions found that an out
slider in such an Office would be unable to
am satisfied. that the present, superin-.
tendent cannot accomplish that task"
DR.. Pardon spoke In favor of the resolu-
ton, saying that he thought that it was
no reflection on the present, ahnlinistra-
ticn of the Office to urge the adoption of a
better plan of supervising the. charities.
DR.. Bovee said heawas sorry that the dis
cussion had taken place in the absence of
the superintendent of; charities who, in
his opinien, should have been invited to be
present He hoped there was no personal
feeling in the matter. He went on to say
that the history of all these bodies is that
they depend entirely upon the executive
officer, who constitutes the board. Under
the proposed plan the secretary of the
board would be noi more nor less than a
superintendent of charities. DIR. Bovee
thought that II the present system should
be continued little longer the residents
here would soon begin to see daylight
ahead of them in these charitable puzzles
Mr.. Macfarland assured DR.. Bovee that
there was nothing personal in the attitude
assumed by him or the charities commit
tee. The action world be the same with
any incumbent in office. He was sure the
members of SUCH board as he had de-
scribed would never abdicate their func-
tiers to a subordinate
Mr.. Moore said that he understood that
Mr.. Tracey, the superintendent. of chari-
ties, had been invited TO be present. Presi-
dent Warner said that that was the case,
but that a note had received from Mr..
Tracey saying that he would have to go
out to the girls reform school to look into
the troubles out there, and SO would be
from attending the meeting.
Mr.. Moore said that at first he looked at
the matter very much did DR.. Bovee,
but he has since changed his views, and
sees that it is better to have the charities
in the hands of nine citizens who know the
people than in the hands of stranger.
Former Plans.
Mr.. w. c. Dodge called attention to the
fact that the plan of large committee to
the charities of the District Is not
rev, and he read from proceedings of a
meeting held some years ago, at which he
much the same plan. He thought
the record of the associated charities was
sufficient to convince every skeptic that
men and women Of intelligence and high
standing could be persuaded to take posi-
ticns on such a board He was satisfied
that if such a plan could be started the
people would see better results than they
have ever dreamed of seeing.
Mr.. Lcring Chapel advocated the
scheme, but took occasion to refer to the
troubles that arose between DR.. Warner
and the organized charities of the city.
This brought Mr.. Weston Flint to his feet
in defense of Dr. Warner, and an ex-
planation of the process by which the first