Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-03
They Are Discussed at Length in
tie House of Representatives.
ITEMS In TRE APPROPRIATION BILL
st. Johns Church Orphanage the
Exciting Cause.
REMARKS ON THE SUBJECT

| NNS b-'tiiSb Dlll lniS morning
| Mr. Hainer of Nebraska moved to strike out
the paragraph appropriating s1,s00 for the
| support of st. Johns Church Orphanage
| (EpiscopaD.
| he sad he desired there should be no con-
| fusion of ideas in regard to this item and il
| would be necessary to refer TO the remarks
| made Saturday by the gentleman from Ala
| barna, which, according to that gentleman's
custom, have been very profusely edited
| In those edited remarks some comparisons
| had been made between small institutions
| and great hospitals Mr.. Hainer then read
a letter he had received from Mrs. Mary L.
d. Macfarland, vice president of the board
| of childrens guardians expressing her
| qualification at what Mr.. Hainer said about
| the necessity for public control of public
| appropriations for public wards, aud ccr-
| fectlng the statement made by Mr.. Wheeler
| on saturday that if the dependent childre>
| or the District properly coming under the
| control of the board of children's guardians
| should all be committed to its care the ex-
pense of maintaining them would be greatly
| increased Mrs Macfarland pointed out
! that the statement confused classes of chill
| dren properly belonging to the reforma-
| tories, which could never come under the
board OF ehildren's guardians, with children
! VINO could properly become wards of The
| board, and showed by statistics that the
| expense of keeping wards of the board had
| steadily decreased, and that, through the
| boards system of getting free homes for the
| larger proportion OF its wards, the expense
| OF additional wards would be less, rather
than more, than at present.
| General Amendments.
Mr.. Hainer then offered an amendment
| designed to place the money appropriated
for cha ritable purposes under the disbursal
OF puolic officers, and not to be granted To
private institutions. Mr.. Hainer said this
amendment would not take the bread out
| OF the mouth of any Gependent child, but
| would simply provide that every dollar Of
! tie public money should Ds 81 ent under
government control.
| Mr. Hainer said that Col. Tracy, superi77-
teLdeht Of charities, and the different char
| liable associations of the city had resolved
| themselves into mutual admiration Sc
| ciety, Sol. Tracy compliincntinC them and
| they complimen:ing hi:I., bur that the pub
| lie cannot get anything oGt of the situation
| TO show the actual condition Of the char
| table associations.
Mr.. Hainer sad that St Johns Church
| has ample iunGs with which 20 take care
| of ITS orphanage, but nevertheless some
| OF tne monly 20 be appropriated by his
pending amendments could be allotted 10y
the board CT childrens guardians
| Mr.. Henderson of Iowa said he did not
| want TO take any RISKS that would deprive
| these orphan children of The support which
congress may, ia its wisdom, provide for
them, and he feared that Mr. Haiacr's
| amendment by its wording would delar
| some OF those who Were not in the jnsttu-
| ned. Mr.. HaiEer said that St Johns or
| phanage has $4,000 from private cortri-
buttons, and had diverted 5000 of il 10
antecedent debts He said he would con-
| cede there is absolutely nothing wrongful
| IN TINS or any other institution, that they
are doing the good work which The amiabIe
| superintendent of charities says they are
/ dclnS, but he merely wants to proyid. that
| every dollar of public money given by Con-
! gress should be rigtdly accounted for and
| spent under strictest surveillance ana not
| 1cf sectarian purposes.
Mr.. Cannon's Question.
Mr.. Cannon asked how Mr. Hainer could
reconcile his argument with the fact that
| undei his proposed amendment the money
| appropriated for the board OF chiIdreu's
guardians could still be expended by that
| board for the remitting of children to those
very sectarian institutions?
Mr.. Hainer replied that the money would
stlll be unGer the absolute control of the
board of children's guardians, and every
cent would have to be accounted for while
| the children would also be controlled by
the board just as completely as any father
would have control CT his own child at a
! boarding school
Mr.. Cannon held that TIE money as at
present expended is accounted for through
the District and United States officials.
Mr. Cannon's Review.
MI cannon then gave a review of the
methods practiced by the government in
dealing with charities relating to children
up 10 the year 1892. when the board of
children's guardians was organized by Con-
gress. Mr.. Cannon's remarks conveyed the
implication that the children coming under
the jurisdiction of the board of children's
guardians are in measure attainted by
| the act. This implication was stoutly con-
troyerted by Mr.. HaiEer, who said that in
corrigible children are sent TO the Reform
School, and that the mere fact of the
courts committing children to the board
does not attaint them.
Mr.. Cannon said he heartily indorsed ef-
ficient work by the board of children's
|, guardians under the law. He said il is
growing and he welcomes its growth. The
true friend of charities is the man who en-
ables the government to extend its aid as
the institution by its own effort becomes
worthy of it.
Mr.. Cannon had read a statement from
Mr.. Simon Wolf, made before the appro-
priatons committee, president of the board
of children's guardians, who is also one of
| the directors of the German Orphan Asy-
| lum. Mr. VOLTS testimony was that to de-
prive the various institutions of their aid
| would be calamity to them, without con-
| ferring adequate authority upon the board
of children's guardians without further leg
| islation.
Effect of Mr.. Hainer's Amendment.
Mr.. Cannon said it is well known the ap-
rropri ltions committee cannot report gen.
cral legislation in a bill, and that Mr.. VOLTS
statement showed that Mr.. Hainer's
amendment would cut off the various in
stitutions without comforting compensating
jurisdiction upon the board of childrens
guardians. He would like to see the ideal
charitable Institution in operation here, but
until that can be done, he wants to give
the best provisions that he can to enable
charity to be dispensed. Mr. Cannon Oh
jected 10 requiring all poor children de-
sirous of the haven Of an asylum to be
committed by a criminal court.He would
shield the children and parents by aiding
CT, rrixa institutions that will al n
tie unfortunates without publicity.
Mr.. Cannon then referred to St. johns
Church Orphanage the institution in ques-
ton. He was glad IL is supported by a
rich church. If he were conducting
church charity he would drag in every
millionaire ne could. He was glad the
institution mad been endowed by Mr..
Warder, new deceased, but would not there
fore take aSay the aid of the government.
Mr.. Cannon explained the method of
cisbursing the money in this institution.
He said the church has treasurer, who
bonds himself disbursins agent Of the
government before he can draw a dollar.