The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-09
CHARITIES CONFERENCE
THE NATIONAL BODY GETS TO WORK
SLOWLY AT TORONTO.
Alfred o. Crosier Reads the Report of
the Convention on Organiza-
ton of Charity.

n,
the organization of charity section, was
slow in getting together this morning. and
was in session until 1890. The session was
called to order by Alfred O. Crosier of
Grand Rapids, Mich, who read the report
of the convention on organization of char
ity. Chairman Crosier. in his report, said:
I'm changing the name of this committee
from charity organization, words usually
used in a technical and restricted sense, to
organization of charity, its members con-
ceived it to be the intention of the national
Conference Of Charities and Correction to
broaden its scope TO cover, as far as prac-
ucable. the entire field of the organization
of charity. This belief will be found re-
fiected in its programme Each section
meeting should be Il conversational where
questions, answers and discussions can be
participated in by all With the utmost free
dom. For the private interchange of opn-
ions by the delegates in a semi~social way
we have arranged social half hours fol-
Many of the committee are of the opinion
that definite steps should be taken to crop
the entire field of unorganiZed charity with
the seed OF organization and SyStematlZa-
ton. The system should extend from the
national government down through the
state, county, city, village and private
charities to the individual. In cooperation
with the public authorities, and by the aid
OF the Bertilon system of measurement.
an exact description of every migratory
pauper ana tramp, ana his methods or for
age, should be kept and placed at the joint
disposal of every municipality and that
this should be re-enforced with Vagrancy
laws adequately stringent, while at the
same time adequate and suitable avenues
for reform should be always available
when such persons exhibit a proper desire
therefor
The Congress of the United States
should make an adequate appropriation
and provide for the appointment by the
President of a commission of. say three
competent persons, to extensively and thor
oughly investigate the present quantity
ON. xlof-
dependent classes and their various con
tributory causes, covering the entire field
recording the gathered facts in detail and
publishing the same in their report. They
should also investigate the abuses Of adj
ministration of public and private charities
everywhere, and ascertain and report the
OF the many problems arising IN this vital
social domain. Similar activity and posi-
tive efforts should be put forth in the field
OF private charitable enterprise.
An entirely separate organizing organi-
cation called congress for organizing char
ity.' or some other suitable name, has been
suggested, to undertake a broad, energetic
movement to bring order out of
the unorganized charitable chaos
throughout the entire country. Others
ganizing branch or department of
the National Conference should be or
ganized to undertake this work; that it
should undertake to raise the necessary
funds and employ a secretary or other
suitable official who should be an expert, a
IuGnl speaker ana a SOOu organizer, VINO
should give his entire time to the work,
travelling throughout the entire country and
eventually creating a central bureau or
clearing house through which all of the
various organizations Of charity in the
communities of the entire country could CO.
operate, Others think the present ma
chinery of the National Conference ade-
quate, and that It's general secretary should
give his entire time to this work
without, as a committee, expressing an
opinion as to which of the above courses
should be undertaken, we respectfully re-
fer the matter to. the conference for its de-
Louis Selling. director of the Hebrew
paper on practical Charity and Jewish
Methods eth Mr. Selling said, in part
twofod The first how to prevent the
need of charity and the other how to di-
mlnlsh the causes which augment the num-
Der of those who ask ii. My experience
has been that two causes are paramount
in bringing about poverty. The first is ig-
norance, the second intemperance. If we
can wipe out these two curses, it will di-
mnish poverty. In order to diminish TIE
number in the future. of those asking char
of school age to attend the public schools
before we allow their families any assist
ance from our charity funds, and expe-
rience has taught us that this element is
growing up to be a better class of men and
apd become a support 10 their par
ents and relatives. And were these despot-
ic countries to-day to stop sending in their
paupers and ignorant people we could dis
solve our charity organizations inside of
ten years.
And 1 recommend that this organizatio
which has won renown for guiding such
great charitable work adopt this same rule;
that is, to lend assistance only to those
persons who are willing to have their chill
dren educated, so as to be fitted for the
battles of life with the same equipment
which we have. Our aim should not be SO
much how to administer charity, tC
make charity more and more unnecessary.
Let us attempt to diminish the springs
which feed the rivers of poverty.
The second cause which aggravates and
promotes poverty Is incompetence. While
the Jew Is not as rule subject to that
deplorable vice. nevertheless in charitable
work, our hands are combined with yours,
and we suffer through it's curse likewise.
To decrease drunkenness there is one
have been tried and tested, but one in par
ricular | wish to recommend, and is to in
culcate the principle in operation in Ger
many, that is to stop the treating system |
THE Massachusetts statistics OF labor
show that of 3, 220 cases OF poverty or paup-
.rlSm investigated, nearly One-half of them !
are traceabe to the use rather the abuse |
IF liquor. We must therefore conclude that |
{ we root out intemperance, pauperism will |
decrease. True, there are other causes for |
poverty such as evil society and unhappy |
but remove the first two |
causes ignorance and intemperance, and |
you will greatly diminish the number of |
)aupers."
The morning session closed with a paper |
prepared by Mrs. Frances r. Morse, of the |
associated Charities Boston, Mass, which |
vas read by Miss Mary +. Richmond, of |
When the soldiers and sailors homes
we're discussed the chairman of the com
nittee, Captain H. A. Castle, of St. Paul, |
Iinn, read the first paper 1T dealt with |
The Nation and the Veteran. Alexander
ohnson followed with an address prepared |
" G. L. Faulkner, OF AtchisOn, KAN.
,oing into the limitations of the soldiers
Tome system Gen. l.. f. Force, of San
husky, O.. spoke of the administration of
oldiers' homes.
Speaking on ''Friendly Visiting as a So
iai Force" this afternoon, Charles F. Wei
or. superintendent of EngleWood district,
'hicago Bureau of Associated Charities.
aid in part: The consideration Of friendly
listing as an individual force received al
most the entire attention Of former con-
erences If friendly visiting is q social |
re broadly diffused, that they reach entire
eighborhoods or groups OF the lowly. and
approve life conditions for the latter in an
abusive general manner
The session this afternoon was taken up
nth sectional meetings. Before the organ
cation of charity these papers We're read:
Friendly Visiting rs a Social Force" by
'harles r. Weller, superintendent Engle-
-ood district Chicago Bureau of Asso-
lated Charities: Value of Investigation
nd Dangers Incident to It by Edward r.
levin. general secretary Charities Organi-
alton Society of New York. and the dis
ussion was made by DR.. w. p. Ayres gem
raj secretary Chicago Bureau of Asso-
lated Charities.
Before those interested in child saving the
blowing addresses were read: Dependent |
hildren of Family Homes" by William p
etchworth. member of the Board of State
harities. New York: Memoir of Mrs.
atherine Fay Ewing Founder OF Chill
rens Homes in Ohio, by a. J. Hathaway.
In the Juvenile reformatories section q
aper by Superintendent 7. J. Charlton of