The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-22

The report of the Senate Committee on
the District of Columbia on the chart
ties OF the District. submitted to the
Senate yesterday. concludes labor that
has extended over period of more than
year. The investigation has been thor
ough and complete, and will, doubtless.
end in legislation in accordance with the
recommendation of the men who have
given this matter such patient and PAINS
taking thought. The report is very vo-
luminous, and consists of more than 100
pages Of printed matter.
1t begins with the commencement of
charitable work in the District. before
the days when Congressional donations
were expected. and before the time when
Congress was expected to assist every
charitable institution that was organized
for the purpose Of ameliorating the con
dition of mankind in the District Trib-
ute is paid to the zeal of those good peo-
pie who undertook this work but in the
calm and dispassionate consideration OF
the subject it is shown that there grad
ually was built up a multiplicity of or
CARNATIONS intended to do the same
work, and that, as the lack Of funds be
came apparent. or the zeal of the origi-
majors diminished, Congress was appeal
ed to for help TO continue the work of
relief.
The investigation has shown that there
has been a lack of cooperation among
the institutions themselves, and the ne
cessity Of securing means of supporting
even a limited amount of work, so that
it has been impossible in most instances
to carry out progressive ideas. The nat
ural result IS that the charities Of the
District are far behind those in operation
in other communities. The cure for the
major part Of these evils is to be found,
the committee believes, in the formation
of board of charities such as is rec
commended, and as provided for in the
bill introduced by Chairman Mcmillan,
of the committee, some days ago.
4 Board of Five Proposed.
The committee calls attention to the
fact that the District Commissioners
have always favored a board of chart
ties, and it emphasizes the statement
that Congress. under the existing condi-
lions. has repeatedly called for informa-
ton TO enable it to deal with the Dis
trict charities in a comprehensive man
ner. but hitherto, the expected results
have not been reached.
The committee therefore recommends,
as the first step toward the efficient or
/ ganization of the District charities, the
| appointment Of board of charities &c
! be composed Of five residents Of the Dis
| trict Of Columbia This board should
| have the power TO visit and inspect al
/ institutions that receive appropriations
! from Congress and are Of a charitable
| eleemosynary. correctional, or reforma
| tory character. This board should be-
| appointed by the President of the United
| States. by and with the advice and con
| sent Of the Senate, and no payment fol
| the care support and maintenance
| should be made 10 such charitable, elee
| mosynary, correctional. or reformator
| institutions for any inmate Of such insu
4 tutions who is not received and retained
| therein pursuant to the rules establshe
| by the board Of charities.
The proposed legislation is similar Z
| that found in the new constitution Of the
State Of New York, an instrument which
| 1t IS believed by economists, represents
! the best thought on this subject. The
| objects TO be sought by this board have
| been fully set forth in The Times. but II
| a general way il may be said that the
! whole management of the various chart
| ties which the Government assists is Il
| be turned over to this board the mem
bers of which are TO serve without com
| pensation BY thus putting this matter
| into the care Of central board Congress:
| hopes 10 secure the best results and be
| come possessed of such information a.
| will enable it 10 deal intelligently witt
the subject in the future. The results
in the past have often been 10 stiiie pri
| vate benevolence by ill-directed appro
| priations and often TO lead institutions
| 10 place upon their boards persons hav
| ing a pull with Congress rather thai
a knowledge of or any interest in tn
| charities they are supposed to serve. TIL
| new method Of dealing with this matter
| is expected TO change all this.
| The statistics gathered by the commit
| tee form an interesting appendix to this
voluminous report, and show, among 9th
or things, that during the year almost 2
per cent Of the total population Of thi
city are either cared for in institution
| or treated at free dispensaries, a percent
age that Is largely in excess of any 9th
or city In the country. These figures d
not include the blind, the deaf and dumt
nor the insane.