live. She had a grown-up daughter and a young son in school. The father had recently died and left no money with which to pay interest on a house he had bought-no money even for food. A second mortgage was given; the mother was made comfortable while she lived, and at her death the estate was settled, the house brought a good price, and the children had a few hundred dollars to live on until the daughter could fit herself to become a trained nurse, and the boy could find a place to support himself.

Mr. E. C. Howland contributes to the Mail and Express of May 14 and 23, two articles on charitable methods and results in Porto Rico. He commends most highly the work of the Woman's Aid Society, a movement originated by Mrs. Guy V. Henry. The society begun its work by providing garments for twenty destitute persons released from quarantine after an epidemic of smallpox. A dispensary was then opened; and since the work of the society has grown rapidly. It has been particularly successful in aiding the women. of the island to work for themselves, giving them garments to be made, redeeming their sewing machines. when in pawn, and helping them in all possible ways to help themselves. A complete system of relief was instituted after the hurricane of August, 1899, and provisions and clothing distributed all through the island. Of all the money loaned by the society to poor women not a penny has been lost.

Mr. Howland thinks the condition following upon the hurricane has been most sad in that the action of the government, though only praiseworthy, was taken by the people to mean that when nature refused to feed them generously the government would supply the deficiency. The millions of pounds of food that were distributed from public and private sources were to the native a sort of inmense overhanging tree, from which he could pluck, not bananas, but codfish and beans and other food more nutritious than bananas. The whole social condition of the island has been hurt, and only a merciful sternness which demands a quid pro quo of labor for reward can overcome the condition.

For a pension of $6.00 a month to supplement the little that a couple, both over 70 years old, can earn towards their support. They have no children and no relatives able to help them, but they are respectable people, and the man has until recently earned good wages. The wife is crippled by rheumatism:

For $175.00 to keep a consumptive man in the country place where he has been boarding for a year, and has improved somewhat. His wife is having a hard struggle to support herself and two children in the city, but she has succeeded in doing so.

Contributions for any of the above cases sent to the Charity Organization Society, 105 East 22d Street, will be duly and publicly acknowledged.

CHARITIES

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NEW YORK, JUNE 9, 1900.

Mr. Homer Folks has returned from Cuba after spending six weeks there at the invitation of Governor General Wood, to advise and assist in organizing the public charitable work of the island. The conditions found upon the island were not without encouragement. With the With the cessation of rations from the government throughout the island, and with the fertility of the soil, families. whose members are able bodied quickly recover from a condition of dependence. The most serious problem is what to do with the large number of widows and dependent and orphan children, whose support has been removed by protracted war. Many of these have been gathered in temporary asylums, which might easily become permanent institutions supported at general expenses. The method pointed out by Mr. Folks of placing out these

children or returning them to relatives whose condition has greatly improved during the past year has already been carried out in many instances, and several of the orphan asylums have been closed. When it was learned that the children in these institutions might be removed to a central state institution in Havana, relatives claimed large numbers of them, and the remainder were placed out under wise state supervision.

The island had been provided before the war with no poorhouses, and with only a few orphan asylums. There is a fairly satisfactory system of local hospitals which should be retained.

This visit of Mr. Folks to the Island of Cuba at this time will undoubtedly produce most important results upon the philanthropic work of the island in the future years, especially if it remain for some time under the supervision of such an energetic man as Major E. St. John Grebel, who now directs the philanthropic work of the island, and is a

member of Governor Wood's staff.

Governor Roosevelt seems to have spent a successful day in his tour of inspection of the sweatshops of the city. That sort of personal knowledge, on the part of the executive, of the lack of enforcement of law is the best possible means of getting it enforced; and judging from the reports of the governor's observations and instructions to the deputy factory inspector we may expect an im

mediate improvement in the conditions of some of the tenement houses.

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In the list of members of committees appointed at the recent conference at Topeka are the names of the following gentlemen from New York: Mr. Thomas M. Mulry, on the executive committee; William P. Letchworth and William P. Spratling, on the committee on care of feeble-minded and epileptics; R. Fulton Cutting, on the committee on care and treatment of needy families; R. W. Hebberd, on the committee on legislation concerning charities; Homer Folks and the Rev. T. L. Kinkead, on the committee on division of work between public and private charities; and Lawrence Veiller and the Rev. W. S. Rainsford, on the committee on constructive social work.

a

At the National Conference, Mr. W. L. A. Johnson, Commissioner of Labor of Topeka, read paper on poor farms and pauperism in Kansas, in which he called espcial attention to the unfortunate fact that the care of the farms seems to take precedence of the care of inmates entrusted to the keepers. Judging from nearly a hundred copies of contracts between county commissioners and superintendents of poor farms in Kansas, commercialism overshadows humanitarianism to such an extent that in many instances no reference whatever is made to the welfare of the inmates. One document was cited

of which six pages were devoted to specifications concerning the care of the property, and two lines to specifications concerning the inmates. One superintendent adds to his official letter head the proud legend that he is a breeder of Poland China hogs, short-horned cattle, and poultry.

The total outdoor and farm relief of the poor in 100 counties in Kansas was $346,771.04, for a population of 1,435,119.

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con

Bishop Potter at a firmation service recently began his remarks by referring to an institution existing nominally for the care of foundlings, which received in a given year 127. During the year one was adopted the day after its admission, four were reclaimed by their parents, and the rest died. The next year 131 were admitted, of which number six were given homes in families, one was transferred to another institution, and the rest died. Of 191 admitted a third year, two were reclaimed, eight adopted, 177 died. The work of reform in charitable endeavor seems to go slow, but such figures as those are surely impossible now in this city.

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The report of the Industrial Commission on Prison Labor contains. an interesting recommendation, the adoption of which may go far toward a solution of the vexed question of prison labor. It is in short that prisoners be used in road making.

The objections as to familiarity, with the sight of convicts, and as to resemblance to the ball-and-chain gang, are duly considered; but the committee evidently think that the wholesome work in sunlight and air, the absence of competition with free labor, and other advantages outweigh any disadvantages.

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According to the report of Dr. Gould, president of the City and Suburban Homes Company, all of the two and three-room apartments in the city buildings of the company are rented before they are ready for occupancy. Six of the company's houses at Homewood have been sold this spring, and it is confidently

believed that the balance of twentynine will be disposed of during the current season. The purchasers represent seventy-one occupationsfifteen letter-carriers, six policemen, four clerks, four bookkeepers; artists, editors, stenographers, plumbers, pilots, reporters, and waiters, one each. An interesting fact concerning the Manhattan properties is that out of a total collection of over

there has not been a single penny of irrecoverable arrears.

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As a result of the tenement-house exhibition in Chicago there is a pronounced movement in that city in the direction of reform. A local paper says that "the condemning of unsanitary and unsafe dwellings, and subsequent tearing down or destruction of them is now a matter of everyday occurrence in this city.

relief work. Plans have been submitted by the general secretary for the care of those prisoners who have been released, and are so situated that their only resource for bread and lodging is again to commit some crime similar to that for which they were incarcerated. Ten days before a prisoner's release the general secretary is to see him, and if he seems sincere in a desire to reform, is to give him work in the labor-yard at a

living wage, until permanent work can be secured. If his family are in If his family are in need they are to be helped by loan or otherwise. In short, every effort possible is to be made to help men to reform and to become useful and independent.

Chicago Charities calls attention to a suggestive feature in the report of the Illinois Free Employment Bureau. The figures indicate a general disposition on the part of applicants to regard common labor as something less than honorable. The report says that the tendency was to apply for places involving the least physical exertion. From

the class of common laborers there were 2,471 applicants, and 2,170 were supplied with places. During the year more applications for help of this character were filed than could be supplied.

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The Brooklyn Eagle comments on the conference of local charities recently held under the auspices of the Charity Organization Society as follows: "The conference of charities held in Manhattan on Wednesday developed the fact that the public charities of this city are in good hands. Here in Brooklyn we have recently prided ourselves on the fact that our public charges were better cared for than those in Manhattan, and that, if the condition of our county institutions was not ideal, it was improving and was something of which we need not be ashamed. There were indications in the speech

of Charities Commissioner John W. Keller, that the superiority which we have so long maintained over Manhattan will not long continue if Mr. Keller remains in his department. The advantage of having a man of education and of breadth of view as well as of executive ability at the head of the city charities has been apparent for some time to people intimately acquainted with the institutions in Manhattan."

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At the annual meeting of the Orange Bureau of Associated Charities, reports were made of the work done during the year. The treasurer's report showed receipts of $12,748.35, of which $5,113.27 was from the sale of wood, and $218.50 from sale of soap. The number of applicants at the office during the year was 3,246. The particular items of work during the year have been the conducting of the woodyard and lodging-house, the securing of work for men and women, and the friendly visiting and care of families needing permanent advice. and help.

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The New Jersey State Board of Children's Guardians is preparing to take complete charge of the 225 pauper children who are in the Hudson County Almshouse. They have for a year had control of all other pauper children in the state, and now, the law having been amended to the satisfaction of the freeholders of Hudson County, the Board of Children's Guardians are