Guild: State Supervision of Charities 41 



or else checking off objectionable items, and returning the 

 estimate to -the superintendent for explanation or further re- 

 vision. It is at this point that the centralized administrative 

 system has been most sharply attacked. The report of Mr. 

 Wright, to which reference has already been made, shows 

 clearly that where the relations between the central con- 

 trolling agency and the heads of institutions is marked by co- 

 operation the estimate system works well, but that there is 

 grave danger that the central board will misunderstand the 

 situation, miss the point of view of the professional attitude, 

 and fall into a policy of false economy. As the secretary of 

 the State Charities Aid Association of New York puts it, 

 the report shows **how a so-called business arrangement may 

 subject the decisions of competent superintendents of wide 

 experience, and whom the State thinks it worth while to pay 

 large salaries, to revision by clerks sitting in offices at 

 Albany, who have had no experience in institutional manage- 

 ment and have little knowledge of the actual working or needs 

 of the institutions. Such a situation is more likely to arise 

 in a large State where the institutions are at a considerable 

 distance from the central office, where the amount of busi- 

 ness is so great that the officials of the administrative board 

 find it necessary to leave many of the important details to 

 their small-salaried clerks, but it is certainly a very present 

 danger in any system of centralized control. No general rule 

 can be laid down, but in the main it would seem that the fault 

 does not lie altogether with the system. Where the members 

 and officials of the administrative board are fair-minded and 

 sympathetic in their attitude, there is little danger of such 

 misunderstandings, altho there will always be conflict in 

 authority. Where the members of the board of control are 

 indifferent or officious, or where they fail to make due allow- 

 ance for the experience and knowledge of the superintendent 

 in his special field, or where from their exalted position, con- 

 trolling all State charities, the members fall into the delusion 

 that they are all-wise on that subject, there is certainly grave 

 danger of such occurrences. 



The method of contracting for supplies has also come in 

 for criticism. Under some laws boards of control are re- 

 quired to purchase all supplies by contract. It is evident, as 



Discussion of Mr. Wright's report by Homer Folks in the Survey, 26 :314, 315. 



