State Control of Charities and Corrections 41 



LIMITS ARISING FROM PREJUDICES AGAINST STATE CONTROL 

 AND SUPERVISION 



Many private charities are controlled by religious societies and 

 they strenuously oppose state interference. Even in cases where 

 the state appropriates funds to the private charities, this opposi- 

 tion to state supervision has manifested itself. In New York 

 City the appropriation for the aid of the poor cared for in private 

 institutions in 1900 was $3,079,259. Outside of the city, for the 

 rest of New York, the appropriation of public funds to private 

 charities amounted to $3,750,000, of which over $2,000,000 was 

 for the support of dependent children. The legislature of Penn- 

 sylvania for the same year appropriated $1,200,000 to semi-state 

 institutions and about $3,500,000 to private institutions. Until 

 recently these subsidized institutions have fought state supervi- 

 sion at every step of progress. Now, state supervision is generally 

 recognized to be right and is demanded. The leaders admit that 

 the state has the right to "look after the expenditure of state 

 funds according to contract," but afifirm that "the state has no 

 right to go behind the boards." It is evident that much of this 

 opposition has grown out of religious prejudices. The state has 

 by this been hindered and limited in its operations, but is gradu- 

 ally gaining control. 



Private societies which receive no state aid are still more pro- 

 nounced in their opposition to state supervision. This is espe- 

 cially true of societies for homeless children. A fundamental 

 principle with most of these societies is that a Christian home 

 shall be found for every homeless child. They urge that the state 

 can not for one moment take into account the question of a 

 Christian home for a child. Is this not an a priori assumption? 

 What shall be the definition of a Christian home? Membership 

 in a particular church does not always insure that the home is a 

 Christian home. We believe the state can and will secure the 

 services of the highest types of Christian men and women to 

 place and supervise homeless children. This has been done, as 

 is well known, in Michigan, Minnesota, and Canada. It can be 

 done in all the states. The drift of events is in the direction of 



397 



