The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-25
Undeserving Claimants Upon
Public Charity
METHOD USED IN CHICAGO
Council OF Missions Co-operates
and Less Than Half OF Clam
ants Pass Muster
(By The Religious Rambler.)

(By Ihe Religious Rambler.)
Chicago is the first city to put into
operation a courageous and systematic
plan for eliminating the pious CRATER
from the communicative man or
woman who maintains an alleged mis-
sion or home or other charity, which
whether Intentionally or not, exists
chiefly for the support of the persons
behind it,
h sort Of graft is a crying scanda
to every large city. It is known by all
church and charitable workers. Yet
so long as operations are kept within
the limits Of very lax civil laws it has
been difficult to deal with them.
Not all of these money-raising or
CARNATIONS are sheer and Intentional
frauds, although some are. A certain
! proportion are merely unfit. They are
well-meant efforts of incompetent and
unframed persons to do good. They
are commendable only for their i'm
pulse. They have no system n there
is no attempt to keep the carrying
charges in anything like a proportion
ate ratio to the output. The problem
which has confronted the religious
community and the allied philanthropy
ic workers is how to protect the pub
lie without seeming to attack religion
or charity.
How the Graft Works.
Few giverS ever investigate. Prob
ably a factor in much giving is the de-
sire to get rid of the ~canVasser with
as little inconvenience as possible. To
prey upon good people in the name Of
religion is probably the easiest and
most widely worked graft in the world.
A notable example is that of what is
called the Christmas dinner graft, with
public appeals for money on the street
corners. There could in the nature Of
the case be no auditing Of accounts,
although criminal trials have devel-
oped That at least one of these organi-
cations a hundred per cent Of the days
collections was paid to the collectors
ana out or n remainder the admin
lStratlVe expenses had to come. Nat
! uraiiy only a few pennies out of every
dollar given got beneath the belts Of
: the poor in the form of food.
+ Another similar fraud is the main
tehance OF rescue missions" and
homes. 1t is easy to get a few Well
meaning clergymen to lend thei,
names, without the slightest inyestiea.
uon. TO a project that processes to b,
plous. mus authenticated, the man.
y ayers are free to sail all seas in search
s OF FUNDS. NO books are kept. and ne
l reports are made.
these petty schemes are not All n
: the "pIous graft" hat exists in III,
s land. There are certain national co
h cletles, whom it would be mpiOus r.
call DV the Grass name Of grafters
VINO nave an expense budget out Of al
proportion to the work done. Man,
or these have outlived their usefulnes
and are simply subsisting on the in
come from tat endOWments. The,
nave unlntentionally and impercenti
bly, come to their present condition. h,
;. the passage Of time. The Federa
Council OF Churches promised to dea
, with these, but it has not vet been All
| to do so.
:. The Chicago Way.
. That the task of RESTRICTING n,bIi
70 beneficences to really deserving cause
is no slight one, may be seen from tn
simple statement that a committee =
e the Chicago Association Of cOmmarc
spent two years on the task and ha
- Just issued its report Of the inyestioa
IA ton which it made. Under the dire
N ton Of the Association of Commerce
- committee of experts. which had ~
~ assistance Of an advisory counci1 :
thirty-six specialists in social and 70
ligiOus work. has been making q foo,
less investigation of nearly three b1,
dred alleged phi%lanthropic apancil
which solicit public support.
The result of the investigation
n "Chicaso's first handbook for ;.
an guidance of citizens desiring standaril
Is, ization in the business manaaa%l
Of privately supported c haritissu m-
nd hundred and ninety-one organizatior
al sought the approval Of the oomma.ioi
he -! inns number only one hundraa g
aig nfty-hve were able to nc an
is and of this latter nunhar ,noste
eff a their audited hv ,ts sao
is ted accountant for the 60 cert
ays rms simple statement throws , n amnl
oG,hiagne on the conditions existin noe
ced other cities "upllcated
Pubticitx
Since the issuanc. - strings