New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02

for several years; but his interest in II was manly
Unitarian. This practice has worked 70 Orins a'"ut a
complete separation Of mother and child.
\ grotesque commentary on the lack OF system N
this now dscreded method the fact that the Board
Of Estimate Of New York City found 10 be paying
one hundred and seventeen dollars year widow
for taking OF another bereaved mothers boy Ap
parenlv the only condition exacted was that paymen;
Of public relief in such must be tor caring ior
strangers child.
No wonder these revelations helped to bring about
the formation OF the Widowed Mothers Fund Asocia
ton for the double purpose Of attracting women 20 ii1
generously with money and personal service % widows
whose homes danger OF dissolution. ILe lrst
year S2l 900 was raised and by conscientious effort
pension Of SIS month provided for 10 families
with $50 children. Out Of these grants the ASSOCIATION
directly dispersed S9,307 for rent, 81 1888 for res
SS05 for clothing 500 for coal 1917 for shoes So Tor
furniture S2l5 for milk. SlS2 for board, Sl26 ior ply
sicians and SIP to set widows up in bushes where
they could support themselves. Only Sl,l36 |as eX
pended for administration.
With this excellent work under way, the asso .a'on
began an agitation for State pensions 70 widow and
many prominent citizens indorsed the project. Ex
President Theodore Roosevelt Said 81 believe THAI the
widow left by the death OF her husband with dependent
children must receive from the State what IS ncci 50
that she may live and bring up her little ones.
Another enthusiastic supporter Is the well known
authority defective children, DR. Max G.. Sce.app
who declared III the breadwinner OF family di ne
breadwinners Of the State ought to provide for the
widow
In announcing his advocacy OF the measure. Gorge
McAncny president OF the borough Of Manhatt-.. re-
lated the following anecdOe as having bearing or me
matter:
Sometime ago | visited the almShouse on Baok-
wells Island, and noticed young woman sitting W her
bed apparently waiting only TO fall into II and dc be-
cause there nothing else for her 20 wait Tor she
was blind and from her face the last vestge % ope
had fled On inquiry found that she had lost her us
band and gone blind within the year. and that her our
children were scattered in various institutions On
finding that il would cost only five dollars a NOM 70
have her visit these children month CAV ne
superintendent OF the home my personal Chez Tor
sixty dollars that she could have year OF VISIT 70
her little That was my luxury And the last ume
| saw her she was different woman.
WITH the backing OF the ST. Vincent de Paul Soci-
w ETY., the United Hebrew Charities, the As ia
ton for Improving the Condition OF the Poor, he
Nurses Settlement and every other progressive iu-
in the realm OF metropolitan philanthropy tn ID
vocates of pensions to widows have made a repor 70
the State Board of Charities, recommending the ,O-
ishment of Departments of Home Assistance Tor oe.
reaved mothers. These will be provided for in IN, oil
to be introduced in the Legislature at Albany this year,
and localities throughout the State will be author
lied to grant to dependent widows Of good character
with two or more children under school age adequate
public relief that will enable them TO keep their homes
together and bring up their little Their husbands
at the time OF their death must have been citHen> ~
the United States and residents Of New York.
II is proposed to take the relief thus granted out %
the annual city budget, and the publics money IS 20
be paid through the private charitable societies IN e
form of monthly allowances Each family is to receive
its grant in full with deduction OF any sort. The ~
tire expenditure will be under the general supervisor
of the State Board of Charities which shall require that
every private society taking part in the Distribute u
relief must first be certified competent These p"
vatc organizations make all necessary inveSga
tons to the eligibility pensions of the families p
plying for help and also TO maintain necessary super
vision them The entire cost of this end OF the work
is to be borne by these societies out of their funds
1t may be conceded that hitherto governmental all
of families has unfortunately not worked uniformly Wei
and however excellent III prncp pie its practical apphcl
ton thirty years ago abused both by the politicians
administering it AL by unworthy applicants. When
New York and other cities in the '70s gave public re-
lief failed and this account perhaps there has been