Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-21
DISTRICT CHARITIES
No Action Taken by the Congressional 1nves-
tigating Committee.
Representative Pitney Thinks There
WI Be No Meeting Until After
Congress Assemblies,

Representative Pitney of New Jersey was
In the city this morning. He Is q mem
Der of the joint committee Of Congress
appointed at the last session to investi-
gate the charitable and reformatory in
situations of the District Mr.. Pitney is
on the House committee on appropriations,
and when the District bill was under con-
sideration in the House took a lively in
terest In the charities items
THE special committee on charities has
not had a meeting up to this time" said
MIR. Pitney to a Star reporter today. mo
meeting has been called. and 1 do not
think the committee will get to work until
after Congress assemblies. 1 have not had
time to make any investigations upon my
own account during the summer and fall
nor do l think any other member las done
So"
Authority for the Investlga ton.
The investigation was directed by pro-
vision in the last District appropriation bill
as follows:
THAT a joint select committee is hereby
authorized. to consist of three Senators, to
be appointed by the presiding officer of the
Senate, and three members of the House of
Representatives, to be appointed by the
Speaker of the House. which select COM
mittee shall make investigation of the
charities and reformatory institutions of
the District of Columbia. and especially
of those for which appropriation are made
by this act, as respects their relations to
the government of the District of Column
bia and to the United States, whether by
special charter or otherwise. their effl-
cheney, their management and resources,
whether by appropriations investments or
otherwise, and also what portion, If any,
of appropriations heretofore made to them
have been used for the purpose of main
tanning or aiding by payment for serv-
ices. expenditures or otherwise any church
or religious demo minatiOn or any Institution
or society which is under sectarian or &C.
clesiastical control: whether such chart
table or reformatOry institutions are eff
fective, economical in their organization,
methods and expenditures to provide for
the poor and destitute in the District of
Columbia: whether it is practicable for the
Commissioners or other authorities in the
District to make contracts or to otherwise
provide for such care of the poor and desti-
tute with any of said institutions, and If
SO. which of them and to what extent
within the limitations of the policy herein
before declared: and. if not, the probable
expense of providing and maintaining pub
lie institutions for such purpose.
Said committee shall make report as
soon as practicable after the beginning of
the next session of the present Congress,
including in such report any changes by
them deemed advisable as respects the
methods of dealing with the charities and
the reformatory institutions of said Dis
trict. Said committee is authorized to sit
during the recess. and the necessary ex
penses of the committee, including clerical
and stenographic work. shall be paid out
of the contingent fund of the Senate and
House of Representatives. jointly, on the
certificate of the chairman of the commit
tee.
The Committee.
In accordance with the foregoing law
the members of the committee appointed by
the two houses of Congress were Senators
Harris, Faulkner and Mcmillan and Repre-
sentatives Pitney. Dockery and Blue Sem
ator Harris declined to serve. and no one
was appointed in his place. A question
might arise, therefore, as to who is chair
man of the joint committee. and whether
the committee is complete. 1t Is thought,
however that this apparent embarrass-
ment will not prevent operations on the
part Of the House members Of the COM
mittee, but that as soon as Mr.. Blue. Mr..
Dockery and Mr.. Pitney get together they
may commence the preliminary work Of the
investigation on their own account.