Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-10
DISTRICT CHARITIES
Delay in the Work Of the Congressional In
vestigating Committee.
Nothing Likely to BE Accomplishei ed
Before Appropriation Bills
Are Disposed OF.

1t Is quite doubtful whether the select
committee authorized by the last Congress
to make investigation of the charities and
reformatory institutions of the District of
Columbia will get together in time to &C
complsh anything before appropria ton
nllis are disposed of. 1t will be remember
ed that Senator Harris. chairman of this
committee, which consists of three Sena-
tors and three Representatives. resigned
from the committee last summer before the
adjournment of Congress, and slice that
time no successor to him has been an
pointed and no meeting of the committee
has been had. The appointment of the
committee was on the recommendation of
the conferees of the Senate and Mr.. Har-
RS successor Will probably not be APP
pointed unta Senator Allison can be con-
suited, as he was prominently identified
win the movement for the appointment Of
the committee.
Object of the COMMITTEES
Ihls committee was appointed for the
purpose of investigating the charities of
Inc District in order TO see whether any of
the money appropriated for this purpose
has been used in maintaining or aiding or
payment for services, expenses or cthar-
wise any church or religious denomioa ;ion
or any society or institution which is un-
whether such charitable or reformatorv ;n
stltutlons are effective and economical in
the1r organization, methods and exnendi
lures to provide for the poor and destitute
IN the District of Columbia, whether it is
practicable for the Commissioners or o1hsr
authority in the District or to otherwise
provide for such care OF the poor and desti-
tute with any of these institutions, and. if
so. "hlcn OF them and to what extent
within the limitations of the policy de-
CARED in the appropriation bill this should
De zone. The paragraph of the appropr!a-
tion Dill authorizing the appointment of
ms committee and the investigation to he
made by 1t also instructed the COMMITTEES To
report on the probable expense of proyid-
Ing and maintaining public Institutions for
such purposes.
The committee was to make a report as
soon as practicable after the beginning of
the present session of Congress and 70 in
clude In that report any changes by them
deemed advisable respecting the methods
OF dealing with the charities and reforma-
Tory institutions in the District The COM
mittee was authorized to sit during The
recess.
Waiting for senator Harrfs' Succe.sor
On account of the condition of Senator
Harris health these meetings during tho
recess could not be held, and as he was
chairman of the committee no one took the
responsibility Of even asking that a meet
ing OF that body be called 1t is probable
That within few days Mr.. Harris sue
cessor Will be appointed, as ne still firmly
declines serving on the committee, although
ms health Is considerably improved since
the last session of Congress. But even
with new chairman of the committee an
pointed. the time for SO extensive an inyes-
ugation, which is regarded to be useless
unless 1t can be made very thorough, is so
snort mat hardly an attempt will be made
to comply with the law authorizing the an
pointment of the joint committee.