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 ai-e in the neighbourhood of $13,000, but 

 they have 25,000 people on their books, a.nd 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 i-ight 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 i-elief 

 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 



