ELEVENTH ORDINARY MEETING. 105 
ask it or not, and registration of those who ought not, no matter how 
or where they apply for relief. 
The other features of the American, or as it might be called, 
“The Buffalo Plan” of Organizing Charities, do not need especial 
mention. No good would be done by attempting to interfere with 
the existing charities, and every one would deprecate any attempt at 
proselytism. Charity, in this human aspect of it, as well as on the 
Divine side, should exclude no person, or body of persons, on account 
of religious creed, politics or nationality. Such an organization 
requires but little funds, as the rule is to give no alms. If it can 
direct where alms should be given and where withheld, a great good 
will have been accomplished. Its funds are intended to be used 
‘solely in payment of such paid officials as may be necessary. In 
Boston, with a population of about half a million, the expenses of 
the associated charities are in the neighbourhood of $13,000, but 
they have 25,000 people on their books, and received reports from 
47 charitable societies and 571 private individuals, and employ 
~ about 600 paid agents. Last year the central office received over 
30,000 reports, and sent out about half that number. In Philadel- 
phia, with a larger population, about 1,000 or over are employed, 
and the expenses are very much less, only about $4,000. In Buffalo 
the expenses of the first year were $6,700, and it is claimed that 
there was a saving to the ratepayers in that year of the sum of 
$48,000. 
The task of seeing that all deserving cases of destitution are 
properly relieved is, of course, one of the greatest aims of these 
associated charities. This is effected by a network of agencies 
throughout the city, at the headquarters of which the chief officer 
has a list of charities and a report of the person to be relieved. The 
visitors make a recommendation to the proper charity in order to 
obtain relief. This is not a thing to be done in a day or a year, and 
I notice that while the early reports recommend that all officers of 
the organizations be paid—that there be no sentiment but all busi- 
ness in the matter—some of them now admit that to have been an 
error ; that volunteer charity is, when it can be got, the right sort of 
charity. This would not, however, apply to the central office, which 
is open all day, and where a complete register of every case of relief 
is to be had. In communication with this central office, and revolv- 
ing around it, as it were, are the district committees, and with these 
