Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-12

lAZ IL M Ml year ago Iouny, gave SlU,
III FL IS 81 100000 for the bctterment of
u social conditions she added
ia = 1Al rather large widows
l.z7zzz1zz1l mite" to the immense
stream of gold that has
flowed for many years increasingly into
the Golfers of charity. 1t is impossible
to estimate how much the American
people spend for others In the course
of year. Gifts range from the one
penny of the poor mans child to the
S10,0OO,000 of a Carnegie or a Mrs. Sage.
Leaving out of consideration all gifts
of under $4,000; leaving out those pri-
vate benefactions of which the world
hears nothing: emitting the untold mill
lions which the people voluntarily tax
themselves for the pauper and the
feeble minded there still is left the
wonderful sum of $100,000,000 a year
spent in philanthropic work. From 1893
to 1904 inclusive these larger benefac
tions reached the enormous total of
1896, 900. In 1909, and again in 1906,
S100, 200, 600 was added to this amount.
But 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 the poor so far as the amount of
tCludl cash On manu- WAS CO1CeTneu.
AS result of the panic, 1t is estimated
that the total amount of benefactions
of $4,000 or more each last year did not
exceed $50,000,000. The most notable
example of philanthropy during the
year was the gift of Mrs. Russell Sage.
widow of the famous financier. She
gave $10000.000 for the establishment of
social conditions" The late Mr.. Sage
did not agree with Andrew Carnegi >
that 1t is disgrace to die rich, for he
left huge fortune to his widow. She
is now proceeding to bestow ii upon
worthy charitable enterprises. In addi-
ton to the foundation" just men,
toned Mrs. Sage last year gave in
benevolent work several million more.
The Sage Foundation" marks, in the
opinion of sociological students, an inn
portant step in the direction of increas-
ing the efficiency of philanthropic be
quests. In the past, many givers have
surrounded their benefactions with SO
many restrictions that they 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 Z
board of trustees. which is self-perpet-
uating and which is not hampered in
its work by any restrictions attached
to the gift, except the broad stipula
ton that 1t shall be used for the better
ment of social conditions.
With that basis to work on, the trus-
tees may erects model dwellings for the
poor. insure toilers to receive living
wages even in time of Illness, establish
parks and Fairgrounds, provide amuse-
ment for the deniZenS of crowded tene-
rent districts and do hundreds of other
things for those who are not able, or
l. fnIy rlff fbn.f
selves. The annual income of the Sage
gift is estimated at half million dol
lars. "The Sage foundation is epoch
making" said an authority recently.
'1t means that we are to have no more
dead giving" Whether or not this
statement is justified by the facts,
there has been a tendency in recent
years to give during life and Increase
the efficiency of benefactlons by exer-
cising greater intelligence in making
them and by removing restrictions from
their use.
Nearly twenty years ago Andrew Car
negie made the statement in an essay
on the Gospel of Wealth" that out
of every $1,000 spent il. philanthropy
$3.50 was unwiseiy spent. Since then
Mr.. Carnegie has given many millions
for the construction of 100 libraries
which bear his name; s10,000,000 for the
establishment of a fund to pension.
teachers; $5,000,000 for the creation OF
"hero fund from which damages
are to be paid to persons, or to the
heirs of persons. who risk life in en-
deavoring to save the lives of others;
$40 O0O. 900 for the creation of the Car
negie Institute for Scientific Research:
many millions for the endowment OF
colleges, museums and similar tnstitu'
tions, and millions more to the nun
dreds of private charities which are
investigated by his secretary. Mr.. Car
negies maxim and that OF the many