The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-13
PUBLIC AID FOR The POOR
An Interesting Session Of the Char
tiles Conference.

The most important days work Of the
National Conference Of Charities and
Corrections, now in session here, began
this morning with the general meeting.
which was attended by q large number Of
persons Interested in the Iabors Of the or
ganization and The capacity Of the main
hall of Columbian University was taxed
TO the limit. Bird S Colcr. Comptroller
OF New York city, delivered an interesting
address dealing with the attitude OF the
government of Greater New York toward
private charities
In addition 10 this there were two sec
ton meetings At the joint meeting Of
the sections on Destitute and Neglected
Children and Juvenile Reformatories,
Thomas s. Osborne. the President Of the
George Junior Republic. at FTeeville. n
Y talked OF the working of that unique
community
DR.. Lee FrankeI, Superintendent of the
United Hebrew Charities of New York.
read paper before the section on Needy
Families in Their homes"
The general meeting at which MI COler
spoke this morning was presided over by
Prof. Frank A Fetter, of Cornell Univer-
s;ty, chairman of the section on division
OF work between public and private char
ity- His report was the first thing on
the programme. The report began with
general statement Of the extent to which
the policy of susidizing private eharita-
BILE enterprises was followed in the vaTi-
Gus states. 1t appears from the report
that the policy Is firmly established, for
there the amounts annually granted by
the Legislature are greater than in any
other State of the Union The total feots
up about 3 800 800. in addition to subsidies
granted by city and county governments.
Prof. Fetter said that the New England
States were generally set against the pol
icy and that this was especially true OF
Massachusetts, The Western States, he
said, did not follow the policy to any
great extent. but that California was
startling example of the abuse of the
system There in d few years the amour
annually appropriated has grown from
$4,000 10 more than twelve times that
amount.
The points generally brought forth in
justification Of the policy are. according
To Prof Fetter's report, the matter Of
ease and economy TO the public, where
the plan has been adopted as a tempo
Tary expedisnt TO help out private in
stitutions. the work OF which has grown
beyond their means. Another point in
favor OF the public subsidy scheme, he
said was the idea that If the institution
vas public one the stigma Of paUper
would be removed from the inmates
Against these and other points uphoIding
the policy. Prof Fetter had ranged a large
number Of potent objections One Of these
was that when an appropriation was made
70 a private enterprise the individuals who
had previously contributed TO 1t were in
cliued to withdraw their support under
the idea that the Government would take
Up the burden. Another objection was
that public institutions We're weakened by
the diversion OF funds they would other
wise gain This, Prof Fetter said. was
shown in the case Of Pennsylvania. which
appropriation so much for subsidies that
there was not enough left fer the proper
accommodation Of the insane. thu feeble
minded, and other public wards. Other
points of objection made were that it pre-
vents the UninCaIion Of State institutions
because The subsidized interests remained
partly private in nature. and that It pro-
NOTED lobbying and wire-pulIiug IN State
legislation Probably the strongest argu-
EeHt against the policy was its conflict
with sound American principals IN that
the public was taxed for the support Of
private institutions which might be secta-
TiaE in their character and the teachings
o. which they did not approve
Prof Fstter advised that the abolition
Of the subsidy policy where it had gain
cd an entrance was to be iabOred for
Mir CGler in his address The Subsidy
Problem IN New York City showed the
wisdom NJ the policy under proper rules
Last year Greater New York appropriated
10 private charitable enterprises over
three million dollars. The distribution Of
this fund IS much more equally made
and more evenly distributed than before
the passage OF the s0-caIIcd Stranahau
act in 1898.
Prlor 10 this time the city had aBpro-
F,fIaIed various sums TO private iEstitu-
tons. When no uniform policy was fol
lowed different rates We're paid for the
same service and the Institutions were not
required 20 account TO the city for the
funds Entire lack Of system character
iZed int IQInIFtlS'r ton Of the institutions
me eject OF llc SrrauaIlau act was 10
grant local authorities power and discre-
non IN the matter Of making apDrODTia-
lions ana threw upon the city govern
Tnent the responsibility for such expeHdi-
lures In rearranging appropriations for
private charities in 1900 the board Of es-
Inmates and aPPoTtioament stipulated
That all appropriations were to be incIfd-
ed in the annual budget. raised by direct
taxation, and thus come under the scru-
tiny OF the taxpayer All payments TO
1HSItulons were to be measured at a per
capita rate.
The city has ceased to appropriate mon
- for the support OF homes for the aged.
because II was felt that that work belong
ID more TO private bemevolence. The CITY
Ct New York has also withdrawn liuan-
clai ara from works Of outdoor relief
because this charity. publicly conducted.
tended too much to foster pauperism and
dependence DiSDenSaTies have also been
cut out Of the budget
Mr.. COler closed by saving that he did
not believe children could ever be proper
l. cared for in public Institutions
Ia the discussion which followed a num-
Der Of suggestions were made both for
and against public subsidy Those who
spoke were Z T. Bevine. Of New York
city. Mrs LeoHtiDe Lincoln. Of Boston.
Hugh II. Fox. OF New Jersey. Louis Alb
Tahams. OF Washington. J. H Harris Of
the nited States jail in this CITY : /
STOnakrT. Of Colorado. and the Rev D.
j McMahon- OF New ork CITY.
he meeting % the section on NEEDY
Families in Their Homes was devoted 10
a consideration OF unusual form Of relief
and q paper on this subject was read by
Toy Lee Fr+Hlg+l. Superintendent Of IN.
ulted Hebrew Charities Of New York
lie spoke principally Of the methods
Ehieh Were necessary in the case Of car
ing Tor ignorant immigrants who land
r. inls country with little money or
cha3ce OF support DR.. FrankeI said that
. clear insight into the cases was ueces-
S'tf} ana that unusual forms of relief
Were needed only in unusual instances
lie said that immigrants who came 10
ms country We're frequently destitute
through q lack of knowledge Of the Ian
Eu"Ge and customs. ignorance Of any def
mt tfssc- or occupation. while on the al h
- hand the deStiJCtiGu generally eFscoflF,-
tered among natives of this country v-as
ITssceable to some other "a uses such -
c"s-ner1cy- DR. FTankeI said that m
prime object OF work among the ir7v,f-
% g.f. T..--