The evening times., 1897-01-13
Its Committee Heard on the
Question of Charities.
PRESENT METHODS ARE POOR
Favors the Appointment by the Com
missiOners of a Board to Have
Control of the Matter-Mr. VOLTS
Strong Argument for Abolition Of
Office of Superintendent.

| reflected through Its committee on CHdIi-
| ties, upon the question OF abOlshing the Of
| flee of superintendent Of charities, was
] presented to the Commissioners this morn
ing by Messrs. b. 7. Janney and II. b. f.
| Mcfarland, members OF subcommittee
| appointed for the purpose.
| Mr. Janney was the first to address the
| board. He recited briefly what had been
| done in the direction of the desired legisla-
| tion, and said that, while no attack was
| made upon the present superintendent per-
! sonally, it was believed that it would be
| better for the office to be in charge Of
1 citizen of the District, but, better still.
1 that charitable work shall be in the hands
| of board to be appointed by the Com
missioners.
Mr.. Janney then introduced Mr.. McFar-
| land, chairman OF the subcommittee, who,
he said, would present the matter more
| fully.
| Chairman Mcfarland said the Board OF
| Trade had In 1895 adopted resolution
| declaring in favor OF the appointment of
| board of nine, who shall serve without pay.
| The hoard however, should have an office
and a secretary. The secretary, he said.
| should be a man OF high executive ability,
and should have a salary commensurate
| with the importance OF the office.
The Salary.
Asked What he thought the secretary
should receive, Mr.. Mcfarland named ST.
| 500, but lie doubted if Congress would
| allow so much.
Mr.. Mcfarland was asked if ne did not
believe the secretary would occupy the
same relation to tile charity work that the
a
| said. No" Tie secretary would be pure
" ministerial, and he would be the agent to
carry out the wishes OF the board.
He was asked if the secretary ought not
to be a man of such grade OF ability as to
| entitle him To as much salary as is now
paid to the superintendent, and he replied
in the affirmative.
"UnquestionabIy he should.'' was bis
comment, "but l doubt if Congress viii
| pay so much.
In answer to questions by the Commits
sioners, Mr.. Mcfarland explained that the
| board OF charities contemplated is TO be
similar in character to the present board OF
| Associated Charities; that a similar sys-
| tenn is in operation in nineteen States,
| with good results, n proof OF which he
| promised to furnish statistics; and that the
| board would he expected to IIold meetings
at stated intervals.
Mr. Mcfarland was emphatically Of the
opinion that under the proposed system
| the charities would be better organized and
better results Obtained than under the pres
| ent management, which, he said, is practi-
cally without a system.
Wants Their Approval.
The object of the Board of Trade, he said.
| is to secure the Endorsement of the Commits
| sioners before going further. The matter
| should have been brought to the Commission
ers long ago, he said, and if it shall now
receive their approval, bill will be pre-
pared and submitted t. Congress.
Col John Tracy, superintendent Of chari-
| ties, addressed the board in explanation OF
| the work under his management lie re-
| garded the office one createdby Congress
| for specific purpose, which was to OBJ
| tain national supervision of institutions
| supported in whole or part by national APP
propriations The United States pays
| half Of the money thus expended, and the
superintendent is the representative of
| that proportion, but at the same time, as
| such officer, lie was in constant communi-
cation as 10 the Diet ails of the work with
| the District representatiyes-the Commis-
| sioners.
lie said the cost was but small compared
| with the interest involved, and he did not
think the subject should be, interfered
| with at this juncture, when plans for
| future changes in the system are under
consideration in his office as well as
| by Congress.
Col. Tracy referred in this to the ap-
| pointment of a Senatorial commission at
| the last session, and its probable action,
| but Mr. Mcfarland replied that he had
| taken pains to ascertain the status OF
affairs with that commission, and had
| learned that nothing is to be expected
| since the life of the commission will ex
| pire with the present Congress.
Mr.. VOLTS Address.
Mr.. Simon Wolf, the last to address the
| board, spoke in the highest terms of Col.
| Tracy's cordiality and courtesy in all mat
| ters with which they had had mutual
| interest, and said he had no fault whatever
| to find with him. but he believed the office
| should either be abolished or that citizen of
| the District should fill it.
1t is an insult to the intelligence of Dis
| trict citizenship, he said, to have it said
that some one from section outside should
be placed in an office purely local.
II do not suppose said Mr.. Wolf, that
| the incoming administration will permit
| Col. Tracey to continue in the position,
| not even il he should have been a gold
Democrat, and the proposition to make a
change cannot, therefore, be considered as
a reflection upon him or the adninistra-
| ton under him."
The Commissioners promised to give the