Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-25
BOARD OF CHARITIES
Annual Report Submitted to
Commissioners.
SUGGESTIONS MADE
DISCoNTINUANCE OF GRATUITY
SYSTEM RECOMMENDED.
New Wing for Workhouse Regarded as
Necessary-The Reform Schools
The Juvenile Court.

| NUMBER OF important cHaHSeS III the ioShA
charity system. 1t is believed by the board
! that any reorganization of the local char
| tiles must follow substantially the lines
| suggested in the report of the congressional
| committee.
| Among other things recommended in the
! report of the board of charities is the dis
| continuance of the subsidy or gratuity sys-
| tenn with respect to private institutions:
| that uniform supervision and control or
the public charities be placed under the
| District Commissioners; the establishment
of a separate juvenile court, and additional
! hospital buildings.
| The board in its annual report urges upon
| Congress the necessity of definite, perml-
nent policy in dealing with the charities ~
| the District. The present arrangement, the
board declares, is lacking in effectiveness,
| and is the result of a growth without any
| definite plan. The annual appropria tons
| for correctional and charitable institutions
| now closely approximate a million dollars,
| and this fact, in the opinion OF the board
| emphasizes the necessity of careful methods
| OF administration
The Subsidy System.
With regard to the subsidy system the re-
| port says:
The experience in the District of Column
bia only tends to corroborate the experience
of other communities, that the policy of
granting appropriations of public moneys in
unwise. The board believes that 1t should
be discontinued here, as it has been in other
progressive communities. We have dwelt
at length on this subject in former reports,
and our experience leads us to believe more
strongly than ever that the tendencies of
this system lead TO inetficiency and waste
fitness; but if it should be determined by
Congress that the system is to continue,
then some effort should be made to render it
as equitable as possible. The present dis
tribution of subsidies is without plan or
justification. the current appropriation be-
ing fixed apparently without regard to the
needs of the institution or the service it is
rendering to the public. Some institutions,
the volume of whose work is large, receive
a comparatively small subsidy; while others,
the volume of whose work is relatively
small, receive a comparatively large sub
sidy
IF the system is to continue consideration
must be given to institutions requesting APP
preparations for the first time. The board
has had numerous such applications, and
thus far has declined to indorse them, be-
lieving that the continuation of the subsidy
system was undesirable, and in the hope
that Congress would take steps looking to
its ultimate elimination. If however, Con-
gress should decide TO perpetuate this sys-
tenn, these new applicants for appropriations
should receive consideration, many of
them have claims upon government sup
port as strong as any that can be urged in
behalf of institutions at present In receipt
of such support. If this course is pursued
there will be practically no limit to the
number of private charities that Will ap-
peal for government aid, and the number in
receipt thereof will continue to increase in
definitely. The evil effects of such course
must be destructive of the modern princi-
plies of charity work and social economics
Contributions Diminishing.
1.-The financial statistics relative to this
subject show that the private contribu-
tons to subsidized institutions are not
being maintained but. on the contrary, are
| gradually diminishing. This has been the
| experience wherever the subsidy system
has been tried. The appropriation of pub
| lie funds to private charities inevitably dis
| courases voluntary benevolence. 1t is sig
nificant that while subsidized institutions
| are losing ground in respect to voluntary
contributions, many important charities IN
| the community dependent solely upon he
| benevolence of citizens for their mainte-
nance continue to flourish and enlarge
| their usefulness
Another important subject dwelt upon
! in former reports is the need of more uni
! fled control of the purely public institu-
tions Largely because of the lack OF
proper organization. the public. as well as
the private charities of Washington, fail
to attain a proper degree of cooperation
and efficiency Some of the public insti
buttons are under the immediate direction
of the Commissioners of the District or
Columbia; others are under the dlrectlon
ers: others are under the direction
of the Department of Justice: while still
others are under the direction OF the In
terror Department. Such a disjOinted ar
rangement necessarily results in loss of
effectiveness and in wastefulness of re-
sources. There is duplication OF dis
bursting officers and expensive lack Of
system in the purchase of supplies. Hard
| ly any two institutions pay the same price
for similar articles They make their own
| purchases, and probably each does the
| best 1t can; but certainly some do much
| better Cor worse) than others. We be-
! lieve that a uniform supervision and con-
| troll of all purely local public charities
| should be placed under the Commissioners
| of the District of Columbia. and recon-
| mend that such a course be adopted"
Work Of the Branches.
In regard to the work of the various
branches under the supervision of the
board the report states that the total num-
Der of commitments to the workhouse dur
ing the year was 1915, as compared with
223 during the preceding year, decrease
of 24S. The daily average number present
In the workhouse was 3o7, as compared
with 295 for the previous year. an increase
of 60. This increase in the daily average
with the decrease In the total number Of
commitments shows that the average
period for which each prisoner was de-
tanned was longer than in the preceding
year. The average time that each prisoner
with 25.5 days during the preceding year.
The board asks for the erection of
another wing to the new workhouse build
ing and suggests that serious effort be
made with a view to reforming the in
mates of the institution.
The Reform Schools.
With regard to the reform school for boys
the board reports:
The daily average number of boys pres
ent in the reform school during the year
was 25T as compared with 234 during the
previous year, an increase OF % in the daily
average No additional appropriation was
found necessary for maintenance on ac-
count of this increase of numbers. The
school having an established plant full
corps of officers and instructors, and being
in position to produce on the farm con-
siderable part of the necessary mainten-
ance. the increase in the population was
not sufficient to demand an increase In the
appropriation. The board again asks for
an appropriation for an additional cottage
building.
1.-The boys at this institution are now
being paroled on probation. when in the
| Judgment OF the board Of trustees such ac-
| ton is desirable. These Daroled bows make