The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-12
NY rREpEpIC j. HAsK1N.

by FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.
When Mrs. Russell Sage, year ago
to-day. gave s10.oOO,o0O for the better
ment OF social conditions, she added a
rather large widows mite" to the
immense stream OF gold that has flow
ed for many years increasingly into the
Golfers Of charity. 1t Is impossible to
estimate how much the American peo-
pie spend for Others In the course Of
a year. Gifts range from the one
penny Of the poor mans child to the
Sage.
Leaving out of consideration all
gifts of under $1,000; leaving out those
private benefactions of which the world
hears nothing; emitting the untold mil
lions which the people voluntarily tax
themselves for the pauper and the
feeble-minded, there still Is left tho
wonderful sum of $100,000,000 a year
1893 to 1904, Inclusive. these larger
benefactions reached the enormous
total of ss95.A1o.o0O. In 1905 and
again in 1905, sl00,o00000 was added
to this amount
ut 1907 did not yield such remark
able results in the philanthropic world.
The panic which began in October
caused the strong boxes OF the wealthy
to be kept closed. In fact, in many
cases the rich were little better off
than tho poor, so far as the amount
of actual cash on hand was concerned.
AS result of the panic. 1t is estimated
that the total amount Of benefactions
of $4,000 or moro each last year did
not exceed $50 100000. The most no.
table example of philanthropy during
the year was the gift of Mrs. Russell
Sage. widow OF the famous financer.
She gave $10.0Oo.o00 for the establish
ment of social conditions" The late
Mr.. Sage did not agree with Andrew
Carnegie that 1t is disgrace to die
rich. for he left a huge fortune to his
widow. She Is now proceeding to be-
stow 1t upon worthy charitable enter
prises. In addition to the Foundation"
lust mentioned, Mrs. Sage last year
gave in benevolent work several mil
lion more.
The Sage Foundation" marks. in the
opinion OF sociological students. an
important step in the direction of In
creasing the efficiency of philanthropc
have surrounded their benefactions
with so many restrictions that they
L did not accomplish nearly so much good
| as would otherwise have been possible.
Mrs Sage took just the opposite course.
The foundation is administered by a
board of trustees. which Is self-perpet-
luating and /. which Is not hampered in
| Its work by any restrictions attached
to the gift except the broad stipula
tion that it shall be used for the bet
terment of social conditions!
With that basis to work on. the
| trustees may erect model dwellings
for the poor insure toilers to receive
! living wages even in time of Illness.
| establish parks and Fairgrounds pro-
! vide amusement for the denizens of
crowded tenement districts and do
| hundreds of other things for those
| who are not able or do not know how
/ to take care of themselves. The an
nual income of the Sage gift is esti-
mated at 100000. 'trhc Sage founda-
| ton Is och-nlaking" said an author
! ity recently. "It means that we are
! to have no more dead giving"
| Whether or not this statement is justi-
| fed by the facts. there has been a
| tendency in recent years TO give dur
| Ing life and increase the efficiency of
benefactions by exercising greater in
Intelligence in making them and by re-
moving restrictions from their use.
| Nearly twenty years ago, Andrew
Carnegie made the statement in an
| out of every thousand dollars spent In
! philanthropy, nine hundred and fifty
We're unw'sely spent.
many millions for the construction of
! the 200 Libraries which bear his name:
/ s1O.O00,00O for the establishment OF a
| fund to pension teachers: s5.000,oo0 for
the creation of hero fund" from
which damages are to he paid to per-
sons, or to the heirs of persons. who
risk life In endeavoring to save the
lives OF others: s10.ooo.OO0 for the crea-
| ton Of the Carnegie Institution for
| Scientific Research; many millions for
| the endowment of colleges, museums
and similar institutions. and millions
more to the hundreds of private char
\ tiles which are investigated by his sec
4 rotary. Mr.. Carnegie's maxim and that
i of the many modern philanthropists is
I Help those who help themselves"
OF similar character are the gifts
of Henry Phpps. George Peabody. Johr
i f. Slater. Peter Cooper, Samuel j. TIL
j den. ,Enoch Pratt Leland Stanford
i Stephen Girard, George W. Chlds
4 Helen Gould. John D., Rockefeller and
others Mr.. Rockefeller has giver
many millions to the cause of educa-
} ton and philanthropy. His fad Is
} higher education and to promote this
he has given upwards of s60,O00,0ot
I during the past several years. his CHIEF
!. beneficiaries being Chicago University
and the General Education Board.
) The Peabody fund for education II
:, the South was founded in 1867. Since
!, that time its income, to the amount
of S2.500.o00 has been spent in tell
ing way, and recently the principa
,, has been divided John f. Slater, o
!, Massachusetts. in 1852. established
! million dollar fund for the education
! of the freedsslaves. and, it now has
. surplus Of $1,000, 900. Enoch Pratt ant
Samuel j. Tildem We're pioneer librar!
; founders In this country, their activ