The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-19
NOTED CITIZENS
. BACK MAYOR IN
CHARITIES ROW
Letter Sent to Mitchell Re-
garded as Pledge Of
Moral Support.
MICKERSHAM, CHOATE,
GARY. AMONG SIGNERS

-[AMOANO SlNA> LINZ
Mayor Mitchell has received a letter
from forty prominent professional and
business men OF the city. headed by
George W. wickersham. Ebert II. Gary.
Jacob II. schin. John q. Milburn and
other men Of their standing in the COM
munity, commencing him for the
courageous stand he has taken in the
charities controversy. and ~condemning
whatever attempt has been made to in
5ect religious Interference into the
Mayors policy toward private charita-
Bile institutions. The letter Is regarded
Is "A pledge TO the Mayor OF the moral
support OF the sieners. Mr.. Wicker
sham. who was one of Its originators.
Oaid last night that such was the let
ter's intention.
The letter Is as follows:
The reports which from time to time
you have made OF your administration OF
the city government have shown that
sou rave been striving to improve the
conditions OF the $4,000 dependent child
wards OF the city committed to the
care OF private charitable Institutions. by
insisting that as a condition 10 the re-
Ceipt OF public funds these institutions
shall maintain a proper and decent
standard of physical care and mainte-
nance Of these wards.
Opposition Recalled.
I'm the testimony recently given by
you before the Thompson legislative
committee you set forth with some
detail the opposition encountered by your
administration In the effort 10 compel
all private charitable institutions re-
ceiving money from the city treasury.
irrespective OF religious creed. to comply
with these requirements. The extent OF
the existing neglect OF this duty IS. we
understand. involved in the pending In
S~estigation before the Governors COM
missioner. Charles II. Strong, and aues-
tions relating 10 alleged Interference with
that investigation and the use OF the
telephone service In connection there
win are the subject OF pending criminal
proceedings.
we think'it important to express our
neI IN inc principle that the city gov
eihneht Is charged with the duty of in.
sistihg that all private charitable institu-
uons to which public moneys are paid IA
ueiray the expense of caring for the
CITY $ child wards he required to conform
u proper standards of cleanliness. nour-
ashment and care of those children pre-
scrioed by the public authorities, and We
you for the courageous stand
you nave taken In the maintenance OF
this principle.
we condemn the attempt Of any and
al representatives of such private ,ns,i.
buttons. OF any religious denomination
WnaDoever. TO interfere with the i'm.
eafual and thorough application OF tina,
principle, and we especially deplore the
ARHA~nf ~ n aartas.
vo1eeteo In some of those Institutions "a
tofce the appearance of an issue on this
subject between the Catholic Church as
. whole and the civil government of the
city.
The subject has no proper relation
TO religious matters. but properly In.
wolves merely the performance OF II civic
duty. and in our opinion the attempt oi
any one claiming To- represent, a religious
organization to obscure The issue by al
appeal to sectaridn prcjudices deserves
emphatic condemnation"
Some Of the ~
These are the men who signed the let.
ter: l.. II. Gary, George W. Wicker,
sham. Jacob ~. Schiff. John -. Mlpurn
Victor Morawetz, James VI. Beck. Bron,
son Winthrop, Joseph II Choa,e. Georg;
w. Perkins. Herbert G. Croly. Eugene II
u ~ - " 'f'A WI II ls f.l
ward NJ. Bassett, Ludwig Nissen. r. Full
ton Cutting, J. -. White, Irving T. Bush
Cleveland ~ Dodge. +. w. Whitridge
Amory g. Hodges. Alfred T.. Marling
Albert Strauss. Adolph Lewiston, vii
lard p. Straight, Judge Learned Hand
Walter Iippmarn. William NJ Chad
bourne, Elmer q. Salnmls, Fra, x Har
vey Field, Felix ADLER. william r. Har
mon. G. q. Birmingham. Albert Shaw
Prof. Franklin II, Giddinrs, Haley Fiske
Oscar $, Straus. Mark Sullivan. Georg'
Haven Putnam. Hamilton Holt and A. 5
Frissell.
The letter. which was dated June 6
was made public from the Mayors ofiic
on Saturday night for publication TIN
morning, u has been n process % com
pletion since shortly after the Gran,
Jury In Brooklyn began an investigation
of wire tapping in connection with tn,
charities in,estigatlon by the Stron.
commission. The idea originated in
group of several of the signers ant
spread rapidly until the above list o
men had acquiesced IN the sentiment
expressed in the writing, And its ef
feet will not have ceased with the publ
cation Of the letter itself. according L
statement Of Mr.. Wickcrsham to
reporter for THr u last night.
The siglers of the letter did not hol'
any formal meeting, II seems, but me
IN SINAI groups as ln' lt'd SllT'tn' Mf
wickersham described It's growth as
spontaneous sentiment among the me'
that the Mayor was deserving OF tn
moral support Of citizens Of standing II
the community in the stand that he ha,
taken on the charities question. II
entirely probable, however, that thu
signers will get together ~ "A committe
in the near future IL the present inv"sti
cations and the new re that the Dis
trict Attorney has r/tnued develop
situation where the, Mayor MAJ nee
more than moral export.
HoNf II started.
ut would be difficult TO state" Mr.
wickcrsham said last night. "jus' VIII
started the letter. was one Of tn
originator. but am not AT liberty I,
tell without consulting tho other gentle
mon who first talked n over with me
The letter az YOU have II before YOU I
largely my haudiwork, Several draft
were made and mad" corrections an
changes, acting on ny own and the sug
R%estlous OF others. Tho idea began 500
uH,nr ,I. r,1pJ Inv In E,n,irly,