The times., 1898-08-13
RECEIPTS.
CHARITY APPROPRIATIONS.
institutions Specially Provided for
VIII Receive Their Funds

The Comptroller of the Treasury has
ruled that the appropriations specially
made for the support of sectarian and ec-
clesiastical institutions and societies in
the District of Columbia may be used.
The Comptroller recently formulated
ruling whereby church =ocieties were ex-
Guided from participation in the S2S,OOO
charity appropriation made by Congress
last year for distribution by the Board of
Children's Guardians This ruling did not
contain an exception, favoring certain
institutions of religious nature, which
had been especially provided for, and the
District Commissioners were undecided as
to whether they should allow the appro-
priations to be distributed
According to the ruling in question. 1t
appeared that such institutions as the
= Church Orphanage of st. Johns Parish.
st. AIMS Infant Asylum, the House of the
Good Shepherd. the st. Rose Industrial
School and st. Josephs Asylum, were
10 be barred. The matter was an impor-
tant one. and the Commissioners sent
query to the comptroller asking him to
enlighten them more fully as to the inten-
tion of the first decision, and whether it
"
money which was thus specially set aside
by the Government.
The comptroller yesterday advised them
that the money thus appropriated may be
rsed for the reason that the appropria-
tions for the institutions in question were
made by Congress, subsequent to the dec
laration of former Congress, that no
appropria tons be made for sectarian in
sututions.
yrro -4a IN, II la+
ter of advice TO the Commissioners that it
is a fundamental rule that one Congress
cannot restrict the action of its success
sors, and also that the later law, which
is in conflict with a former act, operates
10 repeaI the first one to the extent of the
conflict
For this reason he maintains that
though charity appropriations cannot be
distributed for the maintenance of sec
tartan institutions. according to condi-
tions under which the special appropria-
tions were made. they must certainly be
used for the purposes indicated by Con-
gress.
The wording Of Comptroller Tracewelis s
letter is as follows:
Il have received your communication
of the Sth instant, in which you refer
to the decision of this office of August l,
1898. to the effect that the board of chill
dren'S guardians Is not authorized 70 pay
any part of its appropriation to any
church or religious denomination or TO
any institution or society which is under
sectarian or ecclesiastical control. The
statute there considered is the District of
Columbia appropriation act, approved
March s. 1897. (29 stat, 6S3), and particu-
larly the following clause:
- And it is hereby declared to be the
policy of the Government of the United
States to make no appropriations of
money or property for the purpose of
founding. maintaining. or aiding. by pay
ment for services. expenses. or otherwise
any church or religious denomination or
any institution or society, which is under
sectarian or ecclesiastical control; and it
is hereby enacted that from and after the
3oth day of june. 1898. no money appro-
priated for charitable purposes in the