The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-08
COLER AND THE CHARITIES.
FhroRs NEW SYSTEM OF PuBLIC AID
TO PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS.

Suggests That Appropriations he Made on
Uniform Pro Rata Basis-No Lump Sums
Also Advocates Keeping Separate Ac-
counts of Expenditures OF City Money.
At yesterdays meeting OF tho Board OF Esti-
mate Comptroller Coler presented report
iavoring several important changes in tho dis
pursement OF city funds among private chari-
table institutions. The Stranahan amendment
TO the charter. he points out. Ia destined to
reyolutonize the relations existing between
the city treasury and private eleemosynary
institutions. IL authorizes the Board OF Esti-
mate to appropriate money for tho aid OF pri-
vate charitable organizations and to increase
or diminish the amounts OF such aid regardless
Of the recognition which any institution may.
or may not have obtained from the Legislature
and OF the amounts ixed In prior budgets
The report also refersto the passage. in 1885,
OF a constitutional amendment providing that
the Legislature might authorize. but not COM
pei public support for private institutions.
This amendment was intended to stop the
CUSTOM which had obtained among private
charitable institutions OF going directly to the
Legislature instead OF to the Board OF Estimate
for public help. 1t was not. however. retro
active.
Since the passage OF tho Stranahan amend
ment to tho charter, the report continues. the
Comptroller had been investiga ting the su bIect
OF TuuulCipbl pIlNutv chhil'iSS' .Sopies
OF letters OF suggestion and advice from the
State Board Of Charities. the New York Medical
League. the Charity Organization Society, the
State Charities Aid Association. ana extracts
from various other reports. are appended to
the report together with tabuiated statements
from the institutions themselves. the whole
making pamphlet OF one hundred pages.
In 1893. it is shown. the city expended
81. 1874. 456. 40 for prisoners and public paupers.
and SO. 1880 81 for paupers in private insti-
tutions. As compared with the latter figures.
Chicago expsnds 81. 795: Philadelphia. $751;
o2O; st. Louis. $22.579.30; Boston. nothing;
Baltimore. S227.350; Cincinnati. nothing;
Cleveland. nothing: New Orleans. S30.110:
Washington. nothing; Detroit S194. 800; Mil
waukse. nothing; Newark. $500: Jersey
City. nothing. and Minneapolis. $4,000. About
81 per cant. OF the cost Of the maintenance Of
depen dent children Is borne by private benevo-
lense In New York. while 81 per cent. 10 SO
borne In Philadelphia.
The Comptroller suggests that all appropria-
tons OF public funds for charitable purposes
should be made only from the budget. instead
OF. as now. from the Excise Tax Fund and the
Theatrical and Concert License Fund. He
suggests that the appropriations be made upon
auniform pro rata basis. all accounts Of the
institutions receiving aid to be kept so as to
show the receipts and disbursements Of public
money separately. the disbursements being
solely for annually recurring expenses Of
care. support and maintenance"
There 10 no such basis at present for appro-
priations. The report states:
Eighteen institutions caring for dependent
children are paid per capita So per week: six
teen are paid 25 cents per day: one is paid
$lU4 per annum. and three $40 per annum
Four medical charities receive for infants SO
cents per day Der capita two receive SO per
month. Three lying-in hospitals receive
for mothers. $18 per month two receive So q
week and one receives $12 a month. One re-
ceivss SIS for each obstetrical case. and five
receive $25. Three hospitals receive 81 por
day for each patient while three receive that
amount only for surgical cases. obtaining only
20 cents per day for medical cases. Three re-
forhatories receive $11o per annum one $3.50
per annum. and one 50 per week. Seventy in
situations receive appropriations aggregating
t35OOO In bulk. l. O.. upon no basis OF pay
mont for actual service performed 1t may be
doubted whether the spirit OF tho constitu-
tonal provision prohibiting the donating OF
public money in aid OF private individuals
and corporations with an exception in
favor OF the support OF the poor is
complied with in the case OF the appropria-
tions made In bulk to institutions, regardless
OF the quality or extent Of the services rend-
cred in consideration thereof. Furthermore.
II tho charitable work performed by an insti-
tuition 10 OF such a character as to make it
impossible to measure the value OF the services
rendered to the city. 1t may we'll be doubted
whether that work can be Of such character
as to warrant the donating Of pu bile funds.
An examination OF the returns made by
Institutions receiving appropriations in
bulk from the city treasury shows that
many Of them are using the pub
izaI
by tho Constitution. The Constitution autho-
rizes payments to be made for care. support
and maintenance The reports OF large
number OF institutions show the money an
nually obtained from the city carried forward
wholly or in part as surplus. Different uses
are made OF this surplus. none OF them. how
ever. authorized by law. or warranted by a
proper regard OF the interests OF the taxpayers.
In some cases this surplus is used to pay
OF mortgage indebtedness. in others for per-
manent additions to buildings or for increase
OF investments and endowment. In ono case
the manager OF an institution frankly explained
remarkable falling off In disbursements $50
great that its charitable activities were almost
suspended by stating that 1t was proposed by
exercising great economy for a number OF
years to let the city's annual appropriations
accumulate into a respectable building fund.
The fragrant nature OF this abuse Is so appar-
emit that argument is unnecessary"
The resolution appended to the report pro-
vides that all Institutions receiving pu bile
money shall at oil reasonable times be open to
the visitation and inspection by representa-
tives Of the Public Charities and Finance De-
partments. and that payments OF appropria-
tons may be Withheld by the Comptroller II 1t
appears to his satisfaction to DO to the public
interests that II be done.
Appropriations for dependent children re-
ceivO special attention In the report. 1t is
stated that 90 per cent. OF the money approp-
rated for private charity in 1893 was for chill
dren. There are 5O.63s children. or one for
every sixty eight Of the city's population. Cared
for In private institutions at the public eI.
pense. The report quotes at some length pas.
sAges from American Charities" by Amos q
Warner, pointing out the evils OF Institutions
life for young children. and emphasizing the
necessity Of the most careful administration
of any institution caring for any considerable,
number OF children OF one age.