New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-04
PROBLEMS OF CITY CHARITY.
TIES DEPARTMENT on REFORMS
MADE AND NEEDED
From The Arena OuarterIv.

From The Arena Quarterly
The great obstacle 70 the development OF tbs
pubic charities OF the city OF New York has al.
the proper treatment OF me Door The au+horities
in wnom the right 70 appropriate money has been
ties as the one department Of the city sOverument
without protest The theory appeared 70 Be that
anything was good enough Cor The pauper The
Charities OF the City Of New-York has led ragged
and hungry existence until within the last few
IN the beginning the Department OF Public Chari-
for the destitute The assumption was that
these three classes were equal Not only were they
under one department, but they were literally sand
wicned in their local habirations- On Blacl0weils
Workhouse ana -5e1 fbe 1o,fi19lse --71 '-7
The general demoraIiza.ion that ensued from this
admixture Of classes thar should have been segre-
gated from the beginning was shown, not only in
the insufnclency Of The appropriation properly to
are aqr the poor put IN tne PRACTICE or having al
me 1aoor OF me Department or Public CHARITIES
Bellevue Hospital when the first raining school
1or nurses was established in America Prior 70
that event any sort OF person might nurse in the
pubic hospitals; and to Is a part OF the history OF
Bellevue Hospital that prisoners wearing stripes
did nurse there.
The second great reform was the segregation Of
But ii until 1886 thar this was erTecred
department of the city government. and within a
- w S- hereafter the insane were turned over
OF me cry IN the care OF the Department. OF Pubic
Another development OF the charity system thar
mas ora"n and must continue 10 draw the atIer-
Charities Is the attitude taken for the year 800
ard private charities raceving bt5ji roonevs TT2Ht1
this year it the for these private charf-
treasury. 70 be expended without other accounting
partment OF the city; and many private instirli-
lions receiving moneys in this way not even
study OF this question disclosed the fact that the
same service X was s'3seS P2yns TiGe for the
vafa irs,itT,io %te % me poor anu was paying pr-
institutions We're practically empty
close INVESTIGATION OF This condition and others
ton that It render in its own INSTITUTIONS
except in emergency cases. This Proposition waz
Iaid before the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
Finance Department Of all The private Charities
receiving public moneys. The result was that SOM.
.ou IN 1Ilat could not account for the public
IIioleys they had received Not only had they not
charftabIe work ~ 80 1ii Arnlvu "a any
rhay Ss5 -s,1 ma t Lney could snow the moneys
Me- Cut on oy The Board OF Estimate and
Lso private institutions receiving moneys from me
CITY treasury tnat were approved by the Board OF
the budget for 1870 With the new apDropriar lions
however. were new conditions The private char
i Ge ~ sel no money from the CRY treasury
R 5l {haL nad been approved by the Department
The men and women who ought not 70 be ssut
Co Sle aInsnouse at all even though they should
have worked all their lives honestly ana sar9esrI|
ana IN the end. through fault OF theirs hays
oscOIne Ies(Jute- mat 20 do with such people IS
one or the hardest problems OF sociology IN Ger
many the experiment has been 0T
/ SoT- OF insurance Man. controlled the
WHEREBY the individual depositing certain moneys
al stared intervals shall receive AT A certain age
a stated sum This plan has been found 70 work
so Wen Tor those VINO remain in II the end that
4 the dividends have been increased Bur an io-
suraIlce methods email sae hardship Of giving ur
1 part OF Ihe wage at times when most
needed or OF losing standing altogether in the in
surance scheme and thereby fOrfeItng the moneys
already paid in. ORhfhis account The Insurance
IDEA does not solve the problem Satisfactorily In
NeW-ZeaIand the scheme of old age pensions has
been tried with considerable satisfaction 70 that
community but the trouble with old
IS that II disCOurages frugality and encourages
paternalsm There ought b. a better answer 70,
TINS prooleIn or caring Tor the able destitute
scneme or the old age pension scheme.
intelligent study of the question OF pataruaIfsr1
mas resulted IN careful investigation and iudicfO11s
commitment that protect the City's interest bur
the CANCER IN nghtlus paternalism IS thar the
tenn OF investigation carried srtE
the line Of refusal may be drawn TOO fine
Another important development in the public
cnarirleS or the city OF New-YOrk relates 70 ~.
n1eChou OF the commitment or children Tersto-
Tore II mas been practice IS --fv-
the practice % take children
power IN company with adult criminals and nan
pers so Tar as the Department OF Pubifc CHARITIES
Is concerned the children have been separated from
the adult paupers. and no longer come n contact
ton with the adult criminal and the adult Daunar
continues, and II must continue until there -
separate court Tor the commitment OF Children
where adult pauper adult criminal bsV ~.
requires the appointment OF another CITY MarTS-
trate and the occupancy OF separate court bufid-
ing. in which each OF the City Magistrates snail
sit IN turn 20 commit children