New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-30

directly 70 the principal members to beg have
been referred by them back to the society, and
have then received most generous relief In
deed, certain notable members use printed forms
OF their own in referring such applications. sG
common nave they become.
That there is graft also In charity Is by no
one more appreciated than by the scientific
the society publishes complete lists Of its con-
trtbutOrs, together with the amounts OF their
contributions. The names and addresses OF such
members become common property ana those
who give most are most tmpOrtuned There Is
constant play OF diplomacy IN an institution
70 have and to hold it's membership. Thus, one
has adopted the Chinese mandarin crystal butt
ton system of Identifying its contributors, all
lOtting to each according to the amount OF the
gift the title OF member" donor patron
founder, etc, and creating IN this way q source
OF generous emulation among those who aspire
after such distinctions. a rivalry which helps to
stimulate the tagged sentiment OF charity. But
besides this gOriOusly heralded. publicly
blazoned benefcence is a kind Of elf-advertts-
ing which is likely to bring results in the form
of business preferenCe-a practical consideration
that must also be taken into account by a con-
IrlDutOr- An absurd instance or this occurred
on a certain occasion when the society had sent
out a special appeal for funds signed by a per-
son prominent socially and financially. Many
of those who received the appeal believed Il to
be a bona hde letter addressed to them by that
gentleman and were very much concerned as 70
what 10 do; they hesitated to refuse to give for
fear Of compromising themselves IN his eyes,
and yet they We're not at all disposed 70 make
any offer. They were greatly relieved finding
out il was nothing but an ordinary circular
OF course. at times a society Is compelled to
exciting the love for social distinction; IL sends
out solicitors on a commission basis to canvass
actual or prospective contributors. IN this way
modern charity is conducted on strictly business
principles and IL is easy 70 cOuntenanc0 these
strictly business methods The only draw back
IN II all is the lack or strictly business results.
at least as far as the poor are concerned. There
is a constant growth In the number OF those
who apply for assistance. and in Individual
cases a steadily increasing dependence, as the
years so by. upon the institution giving the as
SiStance- Indeed. there are records In the tnSti=
tuition Of pauperiSu passing as a heritage
from parents 10 children and to grandchil dren-
and these applicants were being treated all the
time scientifically and with business precision
for that social disease, poverty At any one time
Tecur again and again for help, is tar In excess
Of new" cases, that come up fOr first conSid-
Grafton, and the proportion OF old new 10
always startlinsly great II is rare indeed THAI
at the end of record is to be read the gratify-
ing case closed" Somehow q case almost never
closes. despite all scientific and busineSsIiks
treatment And q charity Institution becomes
like quickSand. into which money and time
and effort and method cast. only to disap-
pear. swallowed up and gone. without leaving
sitiOn which strikes a contributor. and which
makes him pause and reflect as he sees appeal
after appeal pouring in upon him. institutional
expenditures ever increasing, applicants stream
ing TO the doors in ever greater numbers. and
still end Explanations are easy to give:
Ceaseless inflow Of immigrants growth IN tho
population of the city-but the donor points TO
the increase in the amount OF the contributions
10 Offset this. and then peTtinently asks: What
OF all those cases you have had under treat
made final and satisfactory disposition Of them
by MOVE"
The only answer to this would lie IN the 'Syz-
tenn" What is the System?