The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-26
resident Calls White House
Conference to Consider
Dependents.
3OME Is BEST ASYLUM.
n HIS RESPONSE TO CHARITY
WORKERS. APPEAL, ROOSE-
WELT ISSUES VERY INTEREST
ING AND POINTED LETTER.

Washington, d. c.. Dec. 26.-"The
best way to care for dependent children
is in the family home,'' says President
Roosevelt in a letter just made public
calling a conference to be held in this
city on Jan. % next for the discussion
Cf the problem.
With approximately 10000 young
sters coming within the classification
of dependents in the United States the
.uestion has awakened prominent in
crest throughout the country.
The conference was suggested in a
letter submitted to the president by
Secretary Homer Folke of the New
York State Charities Aid association;
Supt. Hastings H. Hart of the Illinois
Children's Aid society, who is also
chairman of the study of child plac-
ing Russell Sage foundation: Judge
Julian W. Mack of the United States
circuit court at Chicago and many
others.
The president sent this letter to
about 100 prominent men. The estab-
lishment of bureau to gather infor-
other subjects will be considered.
Letter of the President.
The president in his letter says: Il
am confident that you will be impress
ed with the great Importance of the
subject touched on in this letter, and
the desirability that there should be
the fullest discussion of the PROPOSE
tions, a memorandum of which l in
close. Surely nothing ought to inter-
est our people more than the care of
the children who are destitute and
neglected. but not delinquent.
Personally, l earnestly believe that
the best way in which to care for de-
pendent children is in the family
home. In Massachusetts many Or
phan asylums have been discontinued
and thousands of the children who for
merly have gone to the orphan asy-
lums are now kept in private homes,
either on board with payment from the
public or private treasures, or in
adopted homes provided by the gener-
osity of foster parents
Il am. accordingly, inviting a mum.
ber of men and women, a list of whom
| will announce to a conference to be
held in Washington Jan. % and %
The conference will open by my receiv.
ing the members at the White House
Jan. 25. at 2:3o p. M
What Charity Workers Write.
The letter of the charity workers
suggesting the conference says:
The state has dealt generously with
her troublesome children, but what is
she doing for those who make no trou-
BILE, but are simply unfortunate? Des.
titute children certainly deserve as
much consideration and help as those
who, by reason of some alleged delfn-
quency, enforce the attention of the
state and become objects of its care
but only a few states have defined re-
sponsibility for this class of children.
Their care and protection is left in
many localities 10 the fidelity of vol
untary agencies without requiring
proper standards of method or eff
cheney and without definite RESPONSE.
bilities to the state or the community.
There were in orphan asylums and
kindred institutions on Dec. 81. 1904
not less than a9.901 children. In ad-
dition 10 these there were probably
some 5o.000 dependent children in
family homes. under supervision"