CHARITY— THEORY AND PRACTICE 9 



both special commercial and public interests require represen- 

 tation and hearing, how much more true is this of wards of 

 charity, the insane, the imbecile, the homeless child, who are 

 incompetent to plead for themselves. 



The direct and measurable effects of simple supervision 

 and pubUcity, without legal control, are seen in the statistics 

 of outdoor relief by the township trustees of Indiana. There 

 the local officials are required to send to the state board of 

 charities a report of every family which receives aid. These 

 reports are tabulated, set in contrast and published. The 

 cost to the public has been diminished, the poorhouses have 

 not been crowded, and the more carefid scrutiny of individual 

 cases has unquestionaV:)ly led to an improvement of their moral 

 habits on which permanent welfare depends. 



First of all we need to make clear to ourselves the dis- 

 tinction between state control of direct administration and or- 

 ganization of public opinion as to policies and results. In the 

 controversy much confusion has been introduced into papers 

 and hot speeches by failure to note the difference between 

 these aims of constitutional and popular governments. Dr. 

 F. H. Wines brought out the point at Detroit and it ought 

 to be insisted on to the end. Public control of administration 

 must be in the hands of salaried experts ; agencies of public opin- 

 ion should not be paid, unless for actual expenses, and they 

 need not be professionals. In our jucUcial experience we 

 recognize the difference between the judge and the ordinary 

 juryman. In municipal administration we have salaried 

 engineers and expert accountants on one side, and representa- 

 tives of citizens on the other. In most state and national 

 affairs the same distinction is familiar. A democracy is com- 

 petent to judge of poHcies and results, if it has means of in- 

 formation; and it will not long tolerate gross evils if they are 

 simply brought to light. But in the work of actual admin- 

 istration a body of professional salaried men is required, men 

 who specialize their work and give themselves wholly to it. 

 In the social enterprises of pubhc relief, indoor and outdoor, 

 the same distinction should be clearly and frankly admitted. 



If we consider the reasons for pro^^ding a legal means 

 of educating and expressing public sentiment about policies 



