New-York tribune., 1912-12-29
CONDITIONS in New


pcX in the domain Of charity that there formal fed
Grafton Of effort Cooperation does exist TO considerable
degree although most OF 1t Is along religious or racial
lines Thus denomination claims total OF seventy
two charities hospitals kndcrgarens, day nurseries, and
other associations, each of which collects five thousand
dollars a year or more The cost Of raising the three
million six hundred thousand dollars constituting this
total is four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. it
will be- no breach Of confidence 10 say here that steps
under way looking to a federation Of this particular
group Of phlanthropiC institutions. Nor would It be
surprising hear Of the formal announcement Of gitt
Of ten million dollars by leading citizen for the purpose
In other respects there is unparalleled state Of con
fusion and lack Of coordination in the metropolitan field
Of philanthropy. Shortly after the disaster % the /
tanc less than three committees came into beng Tor
the purpose Of collecting funds IN aid Of the survivors
and their relatives. This condition OF affairs Is not al
together novel and finds that there IS no limit
apparently TO the number of associations that can be
and are engaged in doing practically identical forms OF
good work book OF eight hundred and fifty pages Is
not big enough to describe except IN the brce, fashion
the thousands OF local and county charities and agencies
for social bctcrmcnt. For fresh air district nursing,
and relief alone there seven hundred and cightywo
societies in New York. each OF which bombards the
public with appeals for money Is 1t any wonder that an
amount Of charitable machinery has been created which
as conusngto the public as It IS dcmorazlng to the
needy,
The serious consideration is that all Of these societies
not only attempt to deal with problems essentially pub
lie I'm their nature and therefore Of real 20 the
State but that they tend more and more TO absorb
undue amount Of the funds donated by a generous
citizenship. There is efficient check on them, as the
Cour, Of Appeals IN 1900 handed down decision IN the
Gerry case DESTROYING the system Heretofore prevailing
Of State inspection Of all private charitable institutions
As a result someone organizes private society for the
declared purpose Of supprc-%lng charitable imposurc.
whether practi,cd by other societies or by individuals
Previously this work had been attempted by Of the
bureaus Of the Charity Organization Society, another
private association.
It is related Of this society that 4 representative was
sent 'o report the Blind Babies Home and that he
was unable understand the the books were kept.
Vet the president Of the home said that the Charity
Organization Society advised lis members among them
a large number Of wealthy philanthrOplstS 10 withhold
donation, because the home was not run on business
principles Later the representative ot the Charity
Organization Society was put IN charge Of the work Of
the Park, and Fairgrounds Association and u is sad
that after he had contracted about two thousand dollars
worth o debts IN It's name for which there was no means
Of payment he resigned.
No doubt situations like these responsible for the
opinions. privately expressed, Of men like William
RhnclIndcr Stewart, president Of the New lork State
Board of Charities that the time has for An
plo-ion IN the charitable field The fact that another
bureau Of the Charity Organization Society devoted
TO the giving Of material relief practically duplicating
the work Of its ncIghAor the New York Association for
Improving the Condition Of the Poor lend, point % The
threatened legislative Investigation Of the way the
cctv Is CARRYING it, charter requirements ot organ
ling l other charities into economical and efficient
machine. President Stewart well may ask the question
whether the other organization shall not be abo
ishcd or both consolidated into a single instrument for
making more effective the philanthropic work Of the
community.
XIGI\TEVER may be the outcome Of charitable
rcorganizations in New FORK. there is everything
to be said for the efficient in which money is raised
10y the Association for Improving the Condition Of the
Poor BY means Of paid advertisement, in the principal
dac~ as much as eleven thousand dollars has been en-
listed m prosperous years. There twelve hum
s.f.r