752 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



also from an insufficient inspection by public officers for the pur- 

 pose of ascertaining whether children are the proper subjects of 

 commitment and detention. In the city of New York 50,638 chil- 

 dren in private institutions are cared for at the public expense. 

 This is one to every sixty-eight of the estimated population of 

 the city. 



So much for the abuse and extent of public charity. Now for 

 the reforming of the system that was fast approaching the condi- 

 tion of a grave scandal. The last Legislature passed a bill placing 

 in the hands of the local Board of Estimate absolute power over 

 all appropriations for charitable purposes, and for the first time 

 in many years reform is possible. The discretion conferred by 

 this act upon the Board of Estimate and Apportionment carries 

 with it a large responsibility. If hereafter the city, in its rela- 

 tion to private charitable institutions, should either, on the one 

 hand, be wasteful of public funds, or, on the other hand, should 

 fail to perform the duties owed by the community to the dependent 

 classes, the blame can not be shifted to the Legislature, but will 

 rest squarely upon the shoulders of the local authorities. 



In treating a condition which has been allowed to exist for 

 many years almost without challenge from the local authorities, 

 and which has gi-own upon the passive or indifferent attitude of 

 the public, sweeping and immediate reforms can be instituted only 

 at the cost of serious temporary injury to certain charitable work 

 of a necessary character. I believe that the best results will be 

 obtained if the city authorities first decide clearly the relations 

 to be established between the city treasury and private charitable 

 institutions, and then move toward that end by gradually conform- 

 ing the appropriations in the budget to that idea, in such a manner 

 that progress shall be made as rapidly as may be consistent with 

 the desire to avoid crippling excellent charities wliicli liave been 

 led to depend for many years upon public assistance. By this, of 

 course, I do not mean to suggest that we should approach the 

 subject with excessive timidity, for the (nils that exist have as- 

 sumed such proportions that a more or less severe use of the prun- 

 ing knife must be made in dealing with appropriations, else the 

 effect will be scarcely perceptible. I am convinced that ultimately 

 the cause of charity will benefit rather than suffer from this course, 

 for it is a serious objection to the whole subsidy system that it 

 tends to dry up the sources of private benevolence. 



In making up the budget for 1900 I shall urge my associates 

 in the Board of Estimate to agree with me to limit the appropria- 

 tions for charity to actual relief work accomplished. The giving 

 of public money in lump sums to private societies and institutions 



