New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-19
WARDS OF THE STATE.
ANNUAL REPORT REGARDING THEM BY
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.

Of the State Board of Charities which will be pre-
sented TO the Legislature to-day. contains these
recommendations OF legislation at this session;
First-The extension of the territory from which
the New-York Institution for the Blind shall re-
ceve State pupils. 20 relieve the overcrowding at
the State School for the Blind Batavia. without
appropriating money for new buildings and without
overtaxIng the capacity of the other institution
Second-An amendment to Section sos Of the Penal
Code to prevent the sending OF short offenders
to the houses OF refuge and reformatories Tor
women. 1t is suggested that the following pro-
visions be added to this section:
woman between the ages Of fifteen and thirty
been convicted of a crime punishable by imprison..
ment IN state prison may In the G Tefnge or or
reformatory for women, to be there connned unuef
refuge or reformatory
Efforts have been made for several years to secure
the passage of by the Legislature establish
ing State hospital for the treatment OF incipient
tuberculosis. Inquiries having been frequently
made by members of both houses as to the Opinions
OF the Board regard to the necessity OF such an
institution the several bills referred to spe-
cial committee to examine and report. the COM
mittee to the conclusion that, in addluoh 10
the establishment of a State hospital for consump
tives 1t would be good public policy TO secure such
legislation would lead to the creation of large
number of municipal hospitals under the manage
of the local Boards OF Health In the opinion
of the committee, tuberculosis, the most pauPet-
iZing disease in any community, cOuiu Oo 6iO"eiS
diminished IL not altogether exterminated Dy tnls
combined action of State and local authorities III
providing ample hospital accommodations. readly
accessible to the poor of every community.
ACTION IN REGARD TO GERRY SOCIETY.
Several paees OF the report are devoted to his
tory of the Boards legal proceedings against the
New-York Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty 10
Children, beginning with the Boards attempt 10
inspect the work of the society and ending WIN
the recent decision of the Court OF Appeals III
part, the report says
ter of an institution must prevail in determining
its character. The Court, however, seems 70 nave
tuition followed also by the express provisions OF
the state C1ar Rsrd az 69rities PERSPECTIVE Of
whether the institution is incorporates or not so
long as 1t is in fact. charitable: eleemosynary
correctional or reformatory institutions and, there
fore. the question would seem necessarily 10 De
upon the actual character of the institutlons W0rk
rather than upon any expression in its charter Tor
the @ that an o @ e
liable functions or correctional functions. which
would necessarily bring it within the provisions OF
the Constitution though II were an unincor-
FTrthermore. the limitations declared in the pre-
valing opinion will if the state Charities Jaw Is
State charitable institutions, and not to those out
side of that limitation. In respect 10 Wnlcn lnS
ana again hhe he Of the prevn
opinion only takes this society tG and last
ly the Court ignores the police powers OF the state
rcoensed by the Court Of the United
States as powers the state may CONFER o,o of
the State and especially the great number who are
or may he depe9dent upon % o6r Of Ears
to listen to a reargunent of the case and this is
under consideration
NUMBER OF STATE BENEFICIARIEs.
The Board reports the number and classification
of benefciaes in institutions subject to its super
vision October 1. 1899 to be follows: Aged and
frendless persons 1882; almshouse institution IN
mates exclusive of those classified below. l-5l;
blind in almshouses 3d. blind in other institutions,
414 deaf in aImshouses, a. deaf in other institu-
tons 154S; dependent children 2S: disabled sol
ders and sailors. 1611 epileptcs in amshouses $40
epileptics in Craig Colony. S7s; hospital patients
SOB; idiotic and feeble minded in almshouses. 1l03
idotc and feeble minded in State institutions 1903;
Juvenile offenders $500; reformatory inmates twom-
en- and girs) 1858. making total Of N'6H.
Twelve of the States charitable institutions are
subject to the visitation. inspection and super
vision OF the Board The receipts of these insttu-
lions for the fiscal year ending September go 1889,
amounted to 276 O14 Sc. Their expenditures aggre-
gated IS4e47 81 1897 S41 SO being for maintenance
and 1894 973 rs for improvements while S2lS2 q was
returned to State Treasury pursuant 10 the pro-
visions of law. The number OF their benehciaries
was 6,8S5.
Ten schools and institutions under private man
agement but mainly supported by State appropria-
tons are subject to the Boards visitation in
specton and supervision. The receipts of these in
stitutions for the fiscal ending September 30,
1899 were: From cash hand SCI 1892 As; from pub
lie sources $3.50 SAB "a; from private sources. $685.
2S2 q Their expenditures aggregated S91 2s5 S. and
the total number Of their benehciares IDS. In
the last year the State institutions subject to the
Boards supervision have all been visited and in
spected by the president of the Board. well as
by the various committees OF the Board having
Jurisdiction over them.
HUDSON HOUSE OF REFUGE.
In regard to the House of Refuge for Women at
Hudson the report says:
Periodical outbreaks of violence styled smashing
out" by few inmates have been matter of com
paratively frequent occurrence in the past and
tunity for such demonstration seemed favorable A
recent change in the Board of Managers and in the
staff of officers and employees was seized by num-
Der of disorderly characters as favorable time TO
create a disturbance. and this was exaggerated by
Since this Boards last report to the Legislature
Of the ix comprisng the Board thus ing YscaG
cies caused by the expiration of the terms of two
hope that the present Board of Managers. fully
realizing the evils which have so embarrassed the
management In the past, will gradually adopt sue
measures ) shall open a brighter history for the
institution at tucson dnelT task is dieult one
measures to- remedy long existing and recognized
evils as well as TO overcome unsympathetic and
hostile opposition
OF the House of Refuge Randalrs Island the
report says:
The resignation of the late superintendent led to
the appointment as superintendent of Omar V.
conditions which have previously called for severe
criticism. The removal of the House of Refuge
from its present situation at Randars Island to
one in the country and its location upon large
farm has been recommended by the State Board
past Such a change would add greatly to the
educational resources of the institution by the IA.
ment OF instruction and training In agriculture
pursuit for which large number OF the boys are