The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-13
mitchell ATTACKS
PRIVATE CHARITIES
Says They DO Harm When They
Try to Control Public
Institutions.
HE CITES THE CASE HERE

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12-"Pubiic opln-
ion and the government Of American
cities are opposed to the domination or
control OF their public charities admin
istration by private charities. AS long as
I am Mayor OF New York city private
charities will not dictate the administra-
ton OF public charities in that city," de-
clared Mayor Mitchell OF New York In an
address on The Relation OF Private Char
table Institutions to City Government"
before the Society for Organizing Charity
OF Philadelphia to-day.
Mayor Mitchell paid high tribute TO
the valuable service which ls rendered
by private charities In "a large city. which,
he said, are usually pioneers for more
efficient methods and largely supplement
the work OF the public institutions OF a
similar nature The private charities.
however. he explained. become a source
OF harm as soon as they attempt TO dom
mate and control the administration OF
the municipal Institutions.
This is the case In New York city. ac-
cording TO the Mayor, where he and Com
missioner OF Charities kingsbury have
been waging fight for the last ten
months against the combined attack OF
the Grand Jury, the new associated char
tiles and the State civil service In an eff
fort to secure modern scientific ad-
ministrat!on OF charities IN New YORK
city.
To-day New York" continued Mayor
Mitchell. has no sufficient programme or
policy 10 deal with the problem of de-
pendence and relief For the past ten
months Commissioner Kingsbury has been
making the first attempt to break the
hard shell OF New York's complacent
benevolence which has conducted chart
table work since IL started. The moment
~. al
duty In administering the law he found
erree attacks concentrated on him In such
a way as to admit suggestion of con-
spiracy."
The fret OF these attacks. the Mayor
explained, was directed by three anti
quated gentlemen on the State Civil Ser
vice Commission at Albany" who are
holding up Mr.. Kingsbury's attempts to
get forty-thre skilled assistants to In
ves,igate the causes and conditions of
poverty in the city with view OF ultl-
mate amelloration and prevention.
These gentlemen" he declared, "prosti-
tuted the civil service In New York city
In the interests OF Tammany, Just as they
have done In the State, to help their
friends"
The second attack came from new
formation OF private charities whose sec
Rotary, according to Mayor Mitchell is
AN unfrocked minister and city employee
named Potter Mt salary Of $4,000 a
year"
The Grand Jury is the third attacking
agency, which n few days ago, the Mayor
asserted. filed "A presentment against the
public charities.
The Grand Jury" he declared, "in Its
trip to BlaclSwelrs Island was so anxious
to damage the citys charities that II
plagiarlzed report made by the State
Board OF Charities months before of con-
dltions which the State board showed TO
be later corrected In another report is
sued at the time of the presentment OF
the jury.
1T Is shortsighted." he concluded. ION
the part OF good men and women In pri-
waite charitable work to expect to limit
or to destroy confidence in public institu-
tons"