Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-16

to distrust unselfsh charity unless based
on some religious feeling 1 would rather
put poor, fatherless, motherless boy at
Dotheboys Hall under Mr.. Squeers than to
put him out on poor farm with strangers
to have his soul worked out of his body in
order that they can get back the cost Of his
clothing and food. 1 do not believe that
you can have unadulterated and honest
charity toward these poor little friendless
creatures unless the higher instinct OIL re-
ligious duty Is found as the incentive to
that charitable action.
Mr.. Lewis reports that the average cost
In every one of the institutions where there
are contracts to board his wards is SIP
year, and he says that there Is saving of
at least $I5 by putting them in what he
calls free home. What does he mean by a
Tree nome? Does he mean home that is
free from restraint? Does he mean a home
where there is personal liberty? He uses
the phrase "a free home" and says there
is saving Of SIS by putting one of these
poor children out on poor farm where he
Is worked by people who have possibly
children of their own, and who naturally
and inevitably will discriminate between
this motherless and fatherless boy and their
own offspring.
Let any senator-it is not far from here
go down to st. Joseph's Asylum and look
at those hundred little boys, we'll fed. well
clothed. we'll educated, happy and content
ed. Mr.. Lewis says that after the appro-
priation was taken away they were not
turned into the street. No; they were not
turned into the street; but no thanks to
him and the people who agree with him
They were not turned into the street be-
cause charitable people in this District
came forward and donated enough to keep
them where they are. l know one lady
here who gives every year to these hundred
little boys a suit Of clothes apiece besides
other donations. l know a gentleman here
VINO gives certain portion of his income
divided among these charities. And they
are not politicians; they are not pamnerinp
to votes. they do II &c
and right, and they look for their reward in
the approval Of their own consclences.
Does the fact that these charitable per
sons literally donate to these institutions
absolve the government from its duty to
pay part at least of the expenses of cloth
Ing, feeding and educating these children?
Mr. Vest said that in St. AIMS Infant
Asylum children are clothed, educated and
fed for S1S a year each. while under the
method adopted by the board Of children's
guardians it costs s112 a year for each of
these children. He said that he believed
that If the people who had advocated this
change of system were sincere, he woui1
rot open his mouth in regard to the bill
AS 1t was. he wanted to know how it was
that st. AIMS Infant Asylum received
SO 400, while the item OF 81 800 for St. 10.
seph's Orphan Asylum had been taken out
of the bill by the conferees.
MIR. President" said Mr.. Vest II chal-
lenge any senator to take the report Of
Mr. Lewis as superintendent Of charities
dren's guardians-and he is at the head Of
both institutions and draws a salary for
both-I challenge any senator to take his
own arithmetical statement and disproye
my assertion as to the St. Joseph's Asylum
where 100 of these little boys are clothed,
educated and fed for SO apiece each year
when he. under his contracts made with
other institutions, pays out SIP for each
one Of these children, difference of $685."
Senator Allison said that the appropria-
ton for ST. AIMS ASylm had come TO
the Senate from the House of Representa-
tives, where 1t had been inserted by a
vote of the House. This had been done, he
said, because it was understood that at the
time there was no suitable place in which
to care for these children elsewhere lie
said that the Senate had inserted two items,
one for st. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, and
one for the Church Orphanage Association
OF st. Johns Parish, the latter being an
Episcopal Church. The House conferees
preparations on the ground that there were
other places where these children could be
cared for. He said that it was a mistake
t. suppose that these charities are support
ell wholly, or even partially, by appropria-
tons made by Congress. There are many
such charities, he said. of different denom-
nations that are supported wholly by be-
nevolent people. The Methodists have
great many such institutions, and one OF
the best charities he knew of was that of
the Little Sisters of the Poor, Catholic
institution, in which there are more than
two hundred white and colored inmates, it
being supported entirely by voluntary con-
tr;butiOnS.
Public School System.
Mr. Mason began commenting on the ac-
ton of the conferees in agreeing upon the
provision of the appropriation BILL which
provides for a change in the system Of
governing the public schools. He said he