New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-20
DISCUSSIONS IN THE EVENING.
ADDRESSES BY MAYOR QUINCY, OF BOSTON
JOSEPH II. CHOATE AND JOHN
W. KELLER.

W. KELLER.
The subject get apart for the evening session OF
the conference was Municipal and County Charl-
ties" The large Association Hall OF the l. NJ =.
A. in which the meeting held was almost en-
tlrely filed with an attendance which included
many men and women prominently Identified win
tho public charities OF this city. The many impof-
tant problems which pertain TO the administration
and distribution Of municipal charities were com
prehenslvely discussed by Josiah quincy Mayor OF
Boston; John W Keller. president Of the ew-iorK
CIV Charities Department. and Joseph II. Choate
After William T. Stewart had called the meet
Ing to order ne vacated the chair in favor OF
Homer Folks chairman OF the standing commit
tee OF the Conference municipal and county
charities.
MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY.
Mr. Folks read the annual report OF the commit
tee which frst drew attention 20 the influence
which the Conference had had In the improvement
0: State charities. on legislation. the development
o, State institutions the charity organization
movement and child-caring agencies. its Influence
II was shown had been powerful and continuous
but on the charities that were carried on by the
great municipalities It's influence had been In com
parlson feeble and intermittent 80 far as
charity had become distinctly municipal
Undertaking. It had shared the report pointed
out the general character Of the administration
OF the municipality cities that had been notorious
FOR lneflc.ency and corruption had corrupt ana
Inefficient departments OF charity, and untold SUI
,erings had thus been inflicted upon the recipients
OF so-caled public charity. which In some cases
might moro truly have been called public cruelty
Tn. repor, then proceeded to comment upon the
most efficient governing authority OF charities
department at some length. the advantages and
defects Of. on the hand. a board OF unpaid
trustees similar 10 the system In vogue in Bos-
,on md on the other O. -aaricd commissioners
tho method employed In New-York TO administer
tho charities
The practical operations Of the plan adopted
BY New-York In 1895 the report went on. and OF
that adopted by Boston in 1891. Will be watched
with very great interest and may arord data FOR
a more definite conclusion than can now be reached
as to their comparative methods. For the present
We may pron,ably withhold decision and each use
his bcst efforts TO make the system under which ne
nnds himself working bear It's best fruits
MAYOR QUINCY SPEAKS.
Mayor Josiah Quincy opened the discussion which
followed the reading OF tho report He devoted
himself .imo., entirely 10 the question OF the
hes, form OF administration OF charitable nstitu-
lions
He said in part:
Tho problem is not an isolated one. but IS con,
governm@nt /, is possible but by means prob,
able that charities Will De correctly organizea ana
wisely administered In city where ihcre i muh',i
pal corruption. hut tho only sure guarantee OF
securing continuously prop'r conduct OF chaflSles
is 10 be- found in the city whore Is maintained
hieh standard Of civic government in all us various
branches II H. useless for those VINO are sl"'idty
Interested IN charities TO entertain me las" ma
they can obtain heir own sp,elaa orJrceT So, W.
whole Rad municipal government must mean bad
municipal charities. II Is, therefore, encouraging
ulo who visit these conferences and are Interested
In the work to assume part III munlcipal GoVerh-
mont and 10 nanc their innucnc" felt IN making
nominations and elections Cooperation IN al
branches Of the municipal government Is mo most
rcStect To- The best form Of organizing munici
mi charities We shoud not favor 100 d"gmhlc
f.rCr NJ an
can DO yet is to Try TO learn some lessons Oh *
r,ncnIes leaving the advsabiiy their par
,ictlar Application 10 be determined according 10
question OF political character Is the connection
Of such Administrations with ine centrnl a"teori,y
Councils should serve upon charliaple boards nor
should they have any vote" IN choosing te, au',
h9arf whIfh ihnmiG al TnaaSSfn@ry Of the
,,r aTd should be appointed by the Mayor. The
Mayor should h9ye the power TO renee contro
is impossible.
UNPAID BOARDS AND SALARlED OFFICERS.
Mayor Quincy then discussed al some length the
relative merits OF an unpaid board and salaried Of
ncias Summing up his arguments. nc said mis- ex-
porience in Boston taught him that unpaid boards
were preferable because they were generally free
from political and selfish motives.
Concluding. he said;
While for the present charitable organizations
both public and private are perhaps necessarily
dealing with the symptoms rather than gong TO
The root OF the disease aevlatng distress instead |
OF trying to prevent its recurrence the time IL near
al hand when the cities Will recognize the intimate
relations which charity has with those larger IN
dusrial problems which are beginning 10 perplex |
the world as the world becomes conscious OF them
Scientific charity must come TO concern Itself more
and more with the education, industries habits or
living recreation OF the poor. AS We come to
have "A more correct conception or the causes
which MI charitable institutions we snail,
think come to realize that great deal OF the |
necessity for charity he avoided In the future |
by the extension o, political democracy INTO So
cia and industrial democracy
PRESIDENT KELLER'S ADDRESS.
John w Keller. president of the Department OF
Public Charities. was introduced next. and In tho
course OF his remarks said
To me the care OF the sick. the pauper and the |
idiot is more OF duty than a charity. Ii Is as |
much our duty to care for the unfortunate as 10 |
educate the children. II Is rsgre,tapis that me
this city has been badly done In the past Either |
there was not enough money given from the public |
funds FOR the Department or else not enough has |
was the Gaze People must have thought that !
because the Department was that OF charities II |
ought itself TO be pauperized - a.. ,.,
tutions under my care, / found that the flooring |
had not been repaired for years The plumbing
nngh, 10 have interiered. The reason was that |
the department OF Public Charities has been neg |
iected In the appropriation OF public moneys; Ihat
into Office / only knew that the things saw |
should not be. and was bound 20 ee' ria OF 'he"'
Mr. Keller then went to describe the conditions |
that he said existed In the Home for Foundlings |
ard other institutions four months ago and the !
s,sns tim, he had taken remedy them. He closed |
by saying
1t is system that does the work properly. II the
Department be run on business principles, u |
can yet DO q credit TO this city. The time VIII ,