The times., 1899-01-12
The pi.trEct Chnrit, niu.

The District Charity Bill.
In his report from The Senate Commit
tee on the District Of Columbia on the bill
g. 4l4SI TO establish board of charities
for the District of Columbia Senator Nc
MILAN made one statement which will not
be gansaid by any resident of Washington
at all familiar with the facts. He said:
Ii there is a State in the Union that has
a more wasteful and inefficient system OF
public charity than has the District of Co
lumbia such State has not been found
after . protracted search"
1t is fair TO presume that after thus
scoring system OF which Lewis. the pres
ent superintendent OF charities. is about
the most obnoxious illustration conceiva-
bic. the purpose OF the committee in sub
hitting hill for its reorganization would
attempt to provide against the possibility
Of placing the charitable work OF the COM
munity at the mercy OF such people. We
are unable TO find that the bill which has
been favorably reported, is calculated
either 10 protect the District against Off
GERS like Lewis. or perhaps against even
graveT scandals which have been charge
able TO the organization known as the As
sociated Charities.
The strong and unanswerable objection
10 the measure now before Congress is
thai. while it is oslcnsibly- one Of reform.
in effect it proposes system even worse
in principle than the one now in vogue
and which has been completely discredited
by all classes of citizens. Il provides that
a board consisting Of FIVE members shall
be appointed BY the President, each for
term Of three years. but in such manner
that the terms of not more than two OF
them shall expire in any one or the same
year. During his term OF Office no member
shall serve as trustee o. other administra-
tive officer of any institution subject TO the
visitation of said board This is good
as far as il goes. and there is no particu-
lar objection 10 be offered to the power
conferred on the board TO appoint neces-
sarg- clerks and inspectors and TO fix their
compensation, although it may he said that
people who are habituaIly liberal to the
cause OF charity would he better pleased to
have legal limit placed upon the amount
or proportion Of their money to be held up
On IFS way to tEa poor and needy for ex-
peusrs. Generous Americans have never
missed the God penny for the heather, but
have always shown 4 disposition to act
rusty about the dollar il often takes to get
it to him. But. whatever is to be said on
that score. the next provision OF the bill
is Enthusiastically danua,ory
The superintendent OF charities shall act
as secretary of said board, and hereafter
he shall only discharge such duties as may
be imposed on him by the board Of chart
ties. and shall receive only such salary
as may be fixed 10y the said board, sub
ject 10 appropriations OF Congress" The
net and inevitable result Of this arrange
ment would be 10 put The entire machinery
Of District charity for ali practical pur-
poses. irresponsib!y in the hands of The
very official against whom there is uniger-
sal protest. It would h, ;ae yeriest non
SENSE to suppose that any FIVE busy, uH-
paid men. acting HominalIy in control Of
the subject. Would- or perhaps could. give
il anything more thaa The most perfume
tory attention and experience tells US
plainly enough that they would not 10 so.
The paid secretary Of the board would un-
questionably be left run the service,
and his opportunities under the proposed
organization would enable him TO do it
10 please himself lie has liycn the hest
evidence that h. would not attempt to
satisfy the public.
Bad as the present conditions are. the
| superintendent Of charities is stin, after
a sort. under the eye Of the District Com
missioners, who if they chose, could re-
| port any fragrant action 20 the President
Under the system proposed ne would be
relieved OF even that loose supervision
and would be responsible only to u board
composed OF gentlemen who would not in
the least bother themselves about the
business.
We are. therefore. convinced that while
Senate bill No. 4l4S is a most admirable
measure if the proper object of the COM
mittee is to turn over very fat Job and
a most gorgeous mass OF temptation 10
Lewis in perpetuity. it il. very bad and
dangerous proposition Otherwise. The first
thing the people Of the District want is
TO have Lewis reformed ont OF Office and
the second is the adoption of some safe
provision against he future incumbency
| OF anyone like him.