ion of labor, for co-ordination of effort. It is the wise mind and tender heart of a community asking what it may do to cast out the stumbling blocks from the path, to protect the traveler along the Jericho road, to create a moral environment. For that is our problem. This must be now kept in mind — that it seeks to make better conditions of life. It does relieve poverty, but this is not the whole of its great work. Instances of what it has done in this direction are in its lessening the amount of public relief by coin in Buffalo; in its effecting a remedy for abuses in paying elevator men; in its abolishing poor relief in Philadelphia; in its temperance work in Boston; in its coffee houses in Boston; in its abolishing the Vincennes lottery and wine rooms in Indianapolis.

Its education work is of great value. Through tHe medium of the press it warns the public against imposters, it advances new ideas and urges better methods until the city is permeated by a new spirit.

Reports of Societies were presented by the Committee as follows:*

CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY toOF BUFFALO, NEW

YORK.

The Charity Organization Society of this city was the first established in this country. Its success was due largely to the efforts of the Eev. S. Humphreys Gurteen and a few of its leading citizens. It has prospered continually from the beginning, and if it be remembered that each question arising had to be decided without reference to any precedent, at least in this country, perhaps remarkably.

During the five years of the Society's existence its progress has been marked by the steady growth of pub* lie opinion in favor of its principles of rational charity. The effect upon official relief was at once marked. Each year has shown a further decrease of expenditure in that branch of municipal government.

*A portion of the reports consisting of lists of all the Charitable Institutions in the several cities represented, with information respecting each, is omitted f o.r lack of space. The reports presented with this exception were as given. A few reports were presented, in person, by representatives of the Societies, and will be noted in the proper place.— Editor.

The following table shows the amount expended each year since the organization of the Society, showing expenditures of Overseer of Poor from 1877 to 1881 for temporary aid:

"These figures show that as much has been accomplished in the line of reducing official expenditures as can reasonably be expected so long as the present system is continued. The Society maintains the position taken long ago, that all the official out-door relief can properly be dispensed with, and claims that a critical examination of the data afforded by the results of the system here, and of the results effected in other and larger cities which have abandoned it, will demonstrate the correctness of this position."

All cases are now registered and a complete record of the poor of the city kept. All applications for city relief are investigated under the direction of this Society by two officers especially detailed by the Police Department.

The Society has been assisted from the first by the development of co-operative societies, which make employment the basis of relief.

Each year has seen the development of some provident scheme, cln 1880 the "Fitch Creche" was founded. Starting from the smallest of beginnings, it has now a monthly attendance of over 700 children. Mothers appreciate the advantage of leaving children at an institution where they can be well cared for while themselves away at work, and are now contributing one-sixth of all the running expenses.

In 1881 a wood-yard was opened, proving a great success; furnishes employment to all able-bodied male applicants for city relief; is self-supporting.

In 1882 the creation of a coal savings fund filled a place, the need of which had long been felt by the society, inducing as it does the dependent classes to lay up a sum sufficient to purchase the winter's supply of coal, and teaching all the value of prudence and forethought.

During the past two years, through the munificence of Mr. Benjamin Fitch, of New York, the Society has been enabled to build a magnificent structure to be known as the "Fitch Institute." With the completion of this building, many provident schemes long desired will be undertaken, including a Provident Dispensary, Provident Laundry, Penny Bank and Model Coffee Room. Already a library and reading room, under the management of the Mechanics' Institute, has been opened and is doing good work.

The discouragements which the Society have had, have arisen from the ignorance of our citizens as to its objects and aims; to the hostility of the official keepers of the public purse, fearing an interference with their prerogatives; the large expense necessarily attending the maintenance of its existence; but more than all, the difficulty of finding efficient and faithful workers, either as visitors or as members of the district committees. Without such helpers no society can succeed and do the necessary work.

Our past success the'Society believes to have been due

1. To having a cause appealing to the common sense of the people.

2. To interesting the best element of the press in the preparation of our work.

3. To a careful avoidance of anything having a political bias.

4. To a persistent presentation of our views in print.

5. To our having answered no attack but keeping steadily on with our work.

6. To the care taken to keep the expenses as low as possible.

In looking to the future the Society can not but feel encouraged; it has lived down the opposition of the many who looked at first with suspicion at its work, and is now happy to number man^ such as its firm friends; the growth of public opinion is in its favor, and the acknowledged necessity for similar societies in all large cities. With sufficient workers the Society can have no fear for its continued prosperity.

The Society looks with much favor upon the idea of a National Council; we trust it will be the means of drawing all kindred societies into closer relations with each other, and enabling each to do the more effective work through a knowledge of the difficulties and labors of the others, and by the more efficient co-operation resulting from such a movement.

POUGHKEEPSIE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY.

I. The methods and principles of so-called charity organizations are valuable everywhere without regard to the size of the population, but where a city's population is not so large as to develop much street begging or give rise to much hidden and unrelieved suffering or to much complication and duplication in relief-work, or finally to render personal acquaintance with those seeking relief difficult if not impossible — in such a city where the evils of the ordinary methods of relief are not very glaring and the benefits of a more complete system seem not to be made very striking, the maintenance of a special charity organization society will be very difficult, and unless there happen to be a few persons, who have time, means and interest, is hardly to be advised.

II. Our city comes very nearly under the description here given. Still our Society is on the whole a success. Its expense as you see is small, and we have no thought of disbanding, but it does not appeal to the public as a glaring necessity, but mainly to the few thoughtful and appreciative individuals who patiently do its work.

III. I would venture to suggest, finally, what we shall probably ourselves do, and what is desirable in a city so small as ours.

1. That the connection with the city relief be made as intimate as possible, and that the Society itself be organized to some extent directly to administer relief.

2. That the visitation be so organized that it shall be made geographically to cover the city. This, after the model of the Provident Society, of Boston, should constitute a visiting patrol of charity, which should have under its supervising inspection every house where pauperism or suffering could hide, if not weekly at least every month. The districts should be made very small and this visitation can, if necessary for the time of the visitor, be made on Sunday.

I have not thought it necessary to give you the details of the working of our Society, with its set of books, records, etc. They are those of almost all the organizations of the land.

*The managers represent every church and every charitable agency of the city, the city government, through the Mayor, Chief of Police, Alms House Board, and Superintendent of the Poor.

We shall look with great interest to the papers presented at Louisville, and search for such suggestions as may be of use in our work.

For our own work, the Executive Committee regard the method of individual or family visitation as preferable to the territorial method, though possibly the former might be supplemented by more of the latter with good success.

The Executive Committee feel that the past year has been, on the whole, the best in our work, of any hitherto.

The points which most need attention are:

1. The establishing of a labor test, and employment bureau for men.

2. The proper treatment of the children of pauperized and vicious families.

3. The adjustment of some system of relief for needy cases otherwise provided for.

4. A closer connection of our work with the other charitable agencies especially with the City Belief.

For the Executive Committee.

E. A. Lawrence, Jr.,

Chairman. Poughkeepsie, July 11, 1883.

UNION FOR HOME WORK, PITTSFIELD, MASS.

Five years have now passed since this Society was organized, and those most familiar with the details of the work, believe there has been a steady progress toward the point aimed at by its founders. Few tramps now visit our homes, seeking what they may devour; begging from door to door has been so generally discouraged that we see little of the evil resulting from such a practice. Children whose parents were not able to provide for them have been clothed and brought into the day and Sunday schools.

This Society maintains a sewing school for children; a mothers' meeting where women are taught sewing; an employment branch.