New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-30
CREDIT TO WHOM CREDIT IS DUE
-,yo,,, ~, COMMISSIONER KELLER AND HIS PRED
rcpssORs N IMPROVING MATTERS IN

THE CHARITIES DEPARTMENT.
To the Editor of Tho Tribune. .,
CT. paIavine that the truth wrongs no one. anu
thai the surest and only way 70 secu'e 49,
rnin,stration is 10 give public ohcials c.e 80,
their good work. and TO crlticise 'heih " ,
failures and misdoings with an even man, CO
Lave to reply briefly to the commuhioa'aon i ,n,
az B. c." published In your issue OF inc N',n '.'s,
:, ,ntrodutlng Commissioner Keller Presioeht Vi
the Charities Department Of this city. 10 inc va
.,oaal Conference OF Charities ana 'orieo.o" -.
The evening OF May is. l gave him credit ioi ."
decided improvements during the FOUR Hoh''.S o
his adrninisration-the completion OF inc
., o-khouse prisoners from the wards OF beile'u 10
Hospital and reduction Of the mortaIi'y 'a.' -,
the Infants Hospital on RandaHs Isiahu "
c." contends that the credit for these '"p'o.
nerts "a due not 70 Commissioner Keller ou' ~
the Board of Charities Commissioners wiz" -
ceded him The following facts VIII sho" mat '''''
Is mistake ,o,
As 70 the substitution Of paid help Tor PRISON
labor In the wards Of Bellevue Hospital . D. -.
say, that Commissioner Keller has Simply COMP,
with the law. True enough. but this IS precisey
what his predecessors failed 10 90. II mas 0e
drec, violation Of law 70 employ "orA"ouse P .
oners IN the wards OF public hospitals IN tnls oS
since January J. 1886 the new charter Simply 'r
enacting previous legislation upon THIS SUBJECT IA
the latter part OF that year the prisoners VIZ ~
moved from about one-half OF the w1rls OF Belle
IN Bellevue Hospital In complying with the Ia
until the term OF the present Commissioner. any
this, Notwithstanding tho fact that lhe Do Do 800
and again in DeceInber 1896 made sufficient appir o
priaiions FOR carrying the law into enc, ~har
sums were expended by the commissioners "a N
itiss for other purposes. ,s.a, tIos
o A to the mHrtay rate In h sm lheasts
OF fact thar during tho hrst four IN ~, he whole
number snder care whe during the rs four
months OF 1893 the deaths numbered 3D. or ~ PEI
slight decrease during the last four months Of
~ as compared with the Corresponding periou 20
tae preceding year. II is hardly fair. however, ~
compare the four months beginning WIN Sep,ein ib
Per, ,@. with the four months oesinHsing W.T. u,
Climatic conditions different seasons Moreoy,er
sa o esss@rg given FOR in9 mseadns sce for
cS D aaesa'en; good reason. two p@yions for ace
were included BY the Department IN the census Of
t Se Infants Hospital from July 70 Noyemeer 1sy
SSesh rate There actually me more deaths rs
Srsf in me last four m9nths Of lH 'nah during INC
The decrease in tho death rate during the last
humber Of we eas eees ape appos supervns
big pS9vdns spsfa Of 'TTn %na Of
eSe things could have been done In lss, az we, AS
ssl me appr9pratoa Tor the in,4 neseyabsr
~. was but slightly in excess Of that made IN
81 % eineer 1898 and moreover. II hah only the force
aSs and was obliged soon For af ,Sc
commissioner Keller has had distinct ad-
"a. age In that he has had sole authority. while IN
.orrner years the Department was administered by
eoatd y would he pleasure. II time permitted
~ speak OF the efforts Of individual members OF the
previous Board 10 improve the Charities Depart
an"nt, and particularly of tho work % DR.. stephen
smith who held ofiiCl during the last three months
OILY OF the previous adm aistration.
a.. 10 give Commissioner Keller due credit for the
improvements he has already made Is not TO bettie
~ ne slightest degree the very great improvements
mace by the previous administration in the Chair
YES Department. particularly By the Board OF Esti
sn ale ana Apportionment, In granting more liberal
ssppfostfiations and by the Mayor In officially sp-
R,roVing desirable legislation. The approval OF
shsyor Strong made possible the separation OF the
CHARITABLE from the correctional Institutions, and
iue transfer OF the city insane 10 the care of
Az staIe These two steps were the necessary con-
n..ons or any radical Improvement In the Charities
SS1eeps!iment: The reform administration was much
sots liberal In Its appropriations TO the Charities