PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FIFTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF CHARITIES,

HELD AT CINCINNATI, MAY 21-23, 1878.

THE new and spacious Music Hall of Cincinnati was placed at the disposal of the American Social Science Association, and the sessions of the Conference opened there. The first session began at ten A.M., on the 21st of May.

The Conference was called to order by one of the Secretaries, Mr. H. W. Lord, of Michigan, who announced that Gov. Bishop of Ohio was present, and would preside. Hon. R. M. BISHOP then took the chair, and spoke as follows: :

OPENING ADDRESS OF GOV. BISHOP.

As chief magistrate of the State of Ohio, it affords me great pleasure, gentlemen, to welcome you to our chief city, a city noted for the hospitality of its citizens, for the enterprise of its business men, and for the broad and generous culture which makes its intellectual, social, and religious progress. I bid you doubly welcome to this city, because you will find here a warm and hearty sympathy with the purposes of your Conference, and also a liberal understanding of the subjects which will come before your body for discussion; and this fact, I trust, will contribute something towards making your meeting here a pleasure to you, as well as profitable to the people whose honored guests you are.

And what I have said of Cincinnati, I can, I think, with equal propriety, say of the whole Commonwealth which I have the honor to represent. I am proud to know that Ohio is justly distinguished for her public charities and for her earnest efforts to deal wisely

Hence her

with the evils of pauperism, crime, and insanity. hearty greeting to you, on this occasion, is only an expression of interest in what, with her people, is already a profound conviction.

It is not necessary, nor will it be expected of me, that I should go into a detailed account of our State work. For such information as you may desire in reference to this matter, I would respectfully refer you to the very able Report of the Board of State Charities, which was made to the General Assembly of Ohio for the year 1877. This Report abundantly shows that our State is fully alive to the importance of the great questions which you have convened to consider. With an annual expenditure of two millions of dollars in support of public charities, and bearing the burdens which this expenditure imposes without complaint, our people have a right to be heard on the matters you represent; and, when I tell you that they bid you a hearty welcome to their State, it is but a feeble expression of their interest in a conference which promises so much for the cause of humanity.

Hence this kindly greeting does not arise simply from the generous disposition and cordial hospitality of our citizens, but largely from the character of the mission you represent. You are here not only in the interest of charity, the noblest of all virtues,— but you are here also in the interest of a wise, discriminating policy in the bestowal of charity. Your purpose is to unite science with love; to vindicate human sympathy at the bar of educated reason; to make religion and political economy co-operants in the alleviation of human suffering. In other words, it is your aim to do more than simply stimulate charity on behalf of those who are already in distress. You strike at the root of the matter, and seek to devise ways and means by which many of the causes of suffering may be removed, and thus practically illustrate the old proverb, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."

And when was there ever a more propitious time than the present for pushing vigorously the objects of your respective organizations? I need not tell you that ours is a remarkable age. What would have been regarded as an extravagant characterization of aný past epoch, would, when applied to the present, be little more than a stale platitude. In fact, language can no longer express the marvellous achievements of the human intellect in exploring the great realms of nature. Within the last hundred years the most wonderful progress has been made in what are called the physical sciences. Discovery has followed discovery with such

astonishing rapidity, that even the telephone and phonograph have already largely ceased to command special attention, while the public mind is anxiously waiting for the announcement of the next wonder in the order of scientific progress.

At such a time it seems to me eminently proper that a Conference of State charities should be held in connection with the meeting of the American Social Science Association. One of these suggests a grand purpose, while the other seeks, by the application of scientific analysis and scientific methods to the problems of human society, to so systematize and formulate educational, moral, political, and religious forces, as to be able to calculate with reasonable certainty what will likely be the result in any given case. Of course we cannot hope for very rapid progress in a field of study so complex. And yet it is difficult to see why sociology may not be reduced to a science as readily as meteorology, a science which, a few years ago, was scarcely dreamed of as a possible realization. But now no one doubts that a little more experience in gathering facts in this important field of investigation will more than double the practical results already attained. And may we not hope that similar success will follow patient labor in your department of work? Already your associations have accomplished much good; but what has been done is only a promise of what is to follow. When definite and trustworthy statistics can be had from all our social, political, and religious movements, from all our institutions of learning, and from all our public charities and prisons, it seems to me that it will then be altogether within the range of possibility to construct a social science which cannot fail to be of incalculable benefit to the suffering world.

Doubtless all these matters will receive earnest and intelligent consideration during your present meeting. And should your deliberations lead to a better understanding of our relations to one another, and especially our relations to the poor and unfortunate, surely then your work should receive the hearty commendation of every good citizen, and your Conference be numbered among the beneficent agencies for the amelioration of the condition of mankind.

Were it not that I do not wish to trespass upon your time and patience, I would like to make a few suggestions as to some features of your work. But I can claim your indulgence only while I refer to one or two matters which seem to me of the very greatest importance.

First, Let all your conclusions be based upon the general fact, that, when wisely managed, public charities are a benefit to the people who contribute to them; that they are educators of the public conscience and heart; and that, therefore, their maintenance at the public expense exemplifies the highest statesmanship and most commendable prudence, as well as the noblest and most consecrated benevolence. Hence, in the construction of a policy for the formation and management of charitable institutions, we should never lose sight of the fact that "it is more blessed to give than to receive," and that therefore all our benefactions will return with blessings on our own heads.

Second, Be careful in all that you do to provide for cultivating self-respect in those who are the recipients of your charity. In reformatories it may not be possible always to restore lost manhood. But this cannot be even partially done except by developing in the criminal or beneficiary the consciousness that somebody cares for him, and that your charity is not a thing to degrade, but to elevate him, and teach him how to again feel strong in a conscious self-respect; this I regard as a vital matter. The inmates of charitable institutions are too frequently imposed upon in this respect, and the consequence is, the very charity that helps often becomes a heavy burden for them to bear. As the highest art is to conceal art, so is the noblest charity that which conceals the hand that bestows it.

But I must not detain you longer. You are here for practical purposes, and, as I have confidence in your ability to meet all those matters wisely, I will close what I have to say by heartily wishing you great success in your noble and benevolent work.

On motion of Dr. Hoyt, an invitation was extended to delegates from all kindred boards and associations, including the officers charged with the duty of caring for the poor, and the officers of institutions for the care of the insane, who might be present, to take part in the deliberations of the Conference, and to give their names to the Secretaries for publication in the Proceedings.

On motion, Rev. A. G. Byers of Ohio, Rev. J. L. Milligan of Pennsylvania, and F. B. Sanborn of Massachusetts, were appointed Secretaries.

The following Business Committee was then appointed to report

the attendance on this Conference, the order of business, and the Standing Committees for next year: Dr. C. S. Hoyt of New York, F. B. Sanborn of Massachusetts, Dr. Job Kenyon of Rhode Island, Uzziel Putnam of Michigan, George S. Robinson of Illinois, and Gen. R. Brinkerhoff of Ohio. This Committee, after due deliberation, made the following report:

REPORT OF BUSINESS COMMITTEE.

There are at present in the United States nine State boards or commissions charged with the general oversight of charitable work in the States where they exist. These boards, named in the order of seniority, are, 1. The Massachusetts Board of State Charities, established in 1863. 2. The New York State Board of Charities, established in 1867. 3. The Ohio Board of State Charities, established in 1867; re-organized in 1876.

4. The Rhode Island Board of State Charities and Corrections, established in 1869.

5. The Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners of Public Charities, established in 1869.

6. The Illinois Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities, established in 1869.

7. The Wisconsin State Board of Charities and Reform, established in 1871.

8. The Michigan Board of State Commissioners for the Supervision of the Penal, Pauper, and Reformatory Institutions, established in 1871.

9. The Connecticut State Board of Charities, established in 1873.

A special organization has existed as a State Board in New York since 1847, the Commissioners of Emigration.

The present officers and members of the State boards are as follows:

MASSACHUSETTS. (Term of Office, Five Years.)

Nathan Allen, M.D., Lowell, Chairman; Charles F. Donnelly, Boston; Moses Kimball, Boston; S. C. Wrightington, Fall River, General Agent; Sidney Andrews, Boston, Secretary. (Two vacancies exist in this Board, by the retirement of Mr. F. B. Sanborn and the death of Mr. Edward Earle.1)

NEW YORK. (Term of Office, Eight Years.)

William P. Letchworth, Buffalo, President; Mrs. C. R. Lowell, No. 120 East Thirtieth Street, New York; Edward C. Donnelly, Manhattanville, New York; Ripley Ropes, No. 40 Pierrepont [Street, Brooklyn; Harvey G. Eastman, Poughkeepsie; Samuel F. Miller, Franklin, Delaware County; Edward W. Foster, Potsdam, St. Lawrence County; Martin B. Anderson, Rochester; John C. Devereux, Utica, Vice-President. Ex-officio members: The Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and AttorneyGeneral. Dr. Charles S. Hoyt, Albany, Secretary; James O. Fanning, Albany, Assistant Secretary.

1 These vacancies were filled in June, 1878, by the appointment of Hamilton A. Hill of Boston, and Charles F. Coffin of Lynn.