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be placed in workhouses, and all classes of insane should be cared for by the State Commission in Lunacy. A Model Institution" was the was the title of the next paper, presented by Mr. Daniel Delehanty, Governor of Sailors' Snug Harbor, West New Brighton.

Mr. Delehanty spoke in part as follows:

On June 1, 1801, Mr. Robert Richard Randall executed his last will

and testament, drawn by Alexander Hamilton, bequeathing practically his entire estate for the establishment and maintenance of a home

for aged, decrepit and worn-out sailors to be known as the Sailors' Snug Harbor. The first building was erected in 1831-3, and in the year following fifty sailors were admitted.

On November 1, 1900, the number of inmates was 887. An applicant for admission to be eligible must be a sailor physically disqualified for self-support, and he must have sailed at least five years under our flag. Many enter the institution as phys. ical wrecks, who, in the course of time, regain health and strength enabling them to return to their sea life and to follow it, in some cases, for many additional years, and this result is due chiefly to the wholesome food, excellent clothing, cheerful, well ventilated rooms, and delightful environment which is the patrimony of our disabled sailors. A further proof of these advantages is shown in the great number of our inmates who have been in the institution from ten to forty-five years, and that the average age of deceased inmates is over three score and ten. The institution is beautifully is beautifully located on Staten Island on the banks of the Kill Von Kull, a part of New York Harbor. The grounds comprise about two hundred acres. The buildings, of which there are

more than thirty, are the chief feature of the institution. Each house has its inspector or captain who is responsible for its good order and cleanliness and its adjacent grounds as well.

The fullest liberty is allowed the inmates consistent with good order and a due regard for the peace and comfort of the community. Every provision is made to agreeably promote the passage of time. It is seldom necessary to exercise disciplinarian measures except for intemperance, and the usual punishment awarded is restriction to the harbor grounds proper, with light pendent upon the gravity of the extra duties for stated periods deoffense. As a body they are clean, orderly and well behaved. Many of them have been permanent masters and officers of our finest ships whose close of life, and they have turned affairs have gone awry towards the to this home for rest and comfort, and by their dignified, gentlemanly bearing and intercourse they exert a maintaining a high standard of depotent silent influence in raising and portment in this noble, honored institution.

The first paper presented at the Thursday morning session, "The Duty of the State Toward Its Idiotic and Feeble-Minded," was read by Dr. John F. FitzGerald, Superintendent of the Rome State Custodial Asylum, Rome. Dr. FitzGerald's paper may be briefly summarized as follows:

In the month of July, 1851, an act was passed by the legislature establishing the New York State Asylum for Idiots. The belief that idiots were capable of being im proved was then officially recognized for the first time in this state.

Many changes have occurred since

those days. Instead of the New York State Idiot Asylum we have the Syracuse State Institution for Feeble-Minded Children, with its large corps of teachers; the New York State Custodial Asylum for Feeble-Minded Women at Newark, and the Rome State Custodial Asylum and the Craig Colony for Epileptics, so that much progress has been made in securing enlightened treatment and care for these defective classes.

Now the county authorities are anxious to be relieved of the feebleminded, the idiotic, the insane feebleminded and idiotic, the epileptic feeble-minded and idiotic. On October 1, 1899, there were, including men, women and children, 1,154 idiotic and feeble-minded people confined in the city, town and almshouse institutions. Very few county and city institutions are properly equipped to care for them, and little or no effort is made in such institutions to improve them or utilize their abilities in occupation which produces any remuneration for their maintenance.

When the feeble-minded child has received the training of the educational institution, he should be transferred to a custodial institution, for it is rarely that such a person is capable of maintaining himself or herself in competition with normal humanity, while in the state custodial institution, under suitable management and supervision, he or she becomes self-supporting, or at least is able to contribute something towards that support.

Dr. FitzGerald spoke of the impossibility of carrying out such a system of transfer at present, due to the fact that the institutions at Newark and Rome are already filled to their capacity. He said that this condition would be rectified when our legislators appreciate the econ

omy of lessening the sources of degeneracy.

None of us should cease Our efforts in this campaign of education until every moral imbecile, every feeble-minded and idiotic person is provided with a home at the expense of the state. Then only can we hope to see a lessening in their number, and true economy initiated.

The next paper, read by Hon. State Peter M. Wise, President Commission in Lunacy, was entitled, "Five Years'Co-operative Experience of the State Hospitals for the Insane: Can It be Extended to Other Charitable Institutions?" Mr. Wise spoke in part as follows:

It is now five years since the state, transferring the asylums of New York and Kings Counties to the lunacy system, under the provisions of the "State Care Act,' gathered under its care and support all the institutions maintained for the dependent insane. This law provided for the association of executive officers, and for monthly, now bi-monthly, conferences of medical superintendents and managers with the Commission. These conferences are really experience meetings, and have been productive of much good.

As it is customary to spell the success of an undertaking with dollars and cents, it is gratifying to report that the per capita cost for the insane in the state institutions has been reduced under state care more than $50.00 a year.

If computation is extended to the aggregate saving which has been largely effected by the present well developed system of New York's lunacy department, based upon cooperation, and the number of insane now under care and treatment is taken into account-approximately 22,000 the annual difference be

tween the first and the last of the five years just completed, amounts to $663,520.

To secure economies as well as improvement in quality of supplies and service, the commission, early adopted the communistic plan of

division of labor. At one of the state hospitals there were established a coffee plant for roasting and grinding and a spice grinding plant. Coffee is now purchased and imported and ground and distributed to all the hospitals from this central plant. In this direction alone a saving of $24,000 per annum in expenditure has been effected. With the exception of one employed person supervising the process, the labor is performed by patients. The printing for the entire system is done at two hospitals, with well-equipped offices, using patients as compositors. An advantage almost equal to reduced cost and improved quality, is the employment which these various industries provide for patients. Perhaps the feature of the co-operative system which has given the best economic results has been the joint contracts for standard supplies. Before the iuauguration of this system the per capita cost for tea was fortyfive cents and for the past year it was thirty-nine cents. Similar economies have been effected in other lines.

Mr. Wise then referred to the food studies which have engaged the department and the state hospitals for the past few years under the guidance of Prof. W. O. Atwater.

A higher standard of treatment for the insane has been reached in the past five years, coincident with a decreased force of employés.

Perhaps the richest fruit of mutual labor in this department has grown from co-operative efforts to improve the service, and more especially that of personal attendance upon the insane. The scientific work of the

hospitals has felt the impetus of this co-operative effort, and is practically united by a central institute which guides and directs scientific inquiry to a common and united purpose.

And why can not co-operation be extended to all other institutions

maintained for the defective and the wayward? As far as the institutions maintained by the state are concerned, the extension of the system is simple and practical. The experience of the state's lunacy department shows beyond question the value of co-operative effort.

The final session of the conference,

Thursday afternoon, was devoted to

the consideration of "The Treatment of the Criminal."

The report of the committee on this subject, presented by the chairman of the committee, Mr. Thomas

Sturgis, of New York city, president board of managers New York State Reformatory, Elmira, was in part as follows:

The treatment of the criminal should begin with the obliterating or at least the ameliorating of those conditions from which criminality springs and of which it is born.

But turning to those phases of the subject whose factors are more definitely known, and with which we are familiar, your committee recommend that the range of our discussion of the treatment of the criminal shall begin with the time when the boy or girl, man or woman, steps beyond the pale of personal liberty of action and in the eye of the law becomes a criminal, and shall follow such a life through the many phases which are presented as object lessons by the widely differentiated classes in our penal institutions. By thus taking up at these meetings the situation and the needs of each of the varied classes of criminals with

which the state has to deal, in due time our work will bear its fruit in wiser legislation and more intelligent local administration.

Speaking of prisons, Mr. Sturgis said:

In a general way it is recognized that each class of prisons is intended for a distinct class of offenders; that the industrial schools are for vicious boys, and the state prisons for matured felons. But as we study the facts closely, we find that the supposed distinction in gradation of crime is more in name than in fact, and that other distinctions even more important are not regarded at all.

Our object is to point out the precedent conditions. which are essential, in our judgment, to the adoption of a true system of treatment in any and all penal institutions. These conditions are:

1. Centralization of prisons of every kind, other than those of temporary detention only, under state control.

2. That all prisons shall be taken out of politics, and that they shall be administered by men who are making this profession a scientific study and a life work.

3. A classification of all criminals and a division of them among institutions according to such analysis.

4. The specializing of such institutions to the end that each may receive only that class or classes to the treatment of which its situation, its staff, and its system are deliberately adapted.

5. That as experience shows that such classification can be but inadequately made by the courts, from lack of time and absence of expert testimony, that provision should be made for such analysis by the head of the institution to which the prisoner is first sent, and that subsequent transfer in accordance with

such analysis shall be legalized both as to the power of the transferring officer and that of the prison to which the transfer is made.

6. The adoption of the principle that reformation (formation of character) and not punishment is the end. sought by imprisonment, with such application of the indeterminate sentence and the parole system as the [Continued on page 14.]

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ISS M. C MCNEILL, READINGS; RECITATIONS; Literary Classes, conducted in clubs or private houses. 34 W. 18th street, city.

HE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY

THEppeals for TY ORGANIZ Apassage of a West

Indian who desires to return to his home. He has been in the United States for six years and has meantime been able to send for his family and establish them here, but he has been ill with rheumatism for two years, and hopes that a winter in the West Indies would enable him to return to work. He cannot bear the hardship of a steerage passage, and therefore a large sum is asked.

The Society renews its appeal for the following:

For $55 towards the purchase of an artificial leg for a Scotchman who came to this country only five months ago and soon obtained work as a machinist. After two months his leg was so injured that amputation was necessary. He feels sure of obtaining work if a leg is provided for him, and he will be asked to repay the amount advanced.

For $75 to pay rent for one year for an American widow who has an aged mother to support and no relatives who can help. They have supported themselves for the past twenty-two years and can do so no longer. There are no children.

For $5 a month to help in the care of two aged women (both over 80 years old) living with a nephew and his wife, who also have charge of two orphan girls, children of a sister. The old ladies supported themselves until incapacitated for work and then lived on their savings for some years.

For $5 a month to help pay the rent for two women who have lived together and supported themselves for twenty-five years. Now one is almost helpless from an accident and the other being over sixty-seven years old is unable to earn much and her savings are exhausted. Unavailing efforts have been made to obtain a place in a Home for the disabled, and besides this they of course prefer to remain together.

For $150 to help a lady who has charge of her father (nearly ninety-six years old) and of an invalid_brother, neither of whom can be placed in Homes. The lady herself is a teacher and does all she can for the support of the family, and is also helped by friends.

For $10 a month to pay rent for a woman whose husband has deserted her and who is trying to support her six young children (all under eight) with the help of a mother who lives with her and has been very generous to her.

For $too to help a widow with six children, all under thirteen years, whom she has done her best to support for the past two years. She has lived twelve years at her present address.

Any money for these cases sent to the Charity Organization Society, 105 East 22d street, will be duly and publicly acknowledged.

The Society acknowledges the following contributions for cases recently appealed for: "A" $50; "I. M. B." $25; Cash" $2.50; "1. J." and J. Gould's Son & Co., $2 each.

CHARITIES

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THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

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NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 24, 1900.

The Albany conference has justified the expectations of its friends. and added another annual meeting to the number of such gatherings which no one interested in charitable or correctional work can afford not to attend. The session on Wednesday morning, which dealt with questions affecting the care of the poor in their homes, and that on Wednesday evening, which dealt with the care of dependent children, were especially stirring and profitable. The .conference of 1901 is to be held in November in New York city.

* *

The annual meeting of the Charity Organization Society, on Nov. 16, filled the assembly hall of the United Charities Building with members and friends of the society. The presence of the comptroller and of the president of the Department of Public Mr. Charities was appreciated. Keller's assertion that "we have worked well in double harness since

we have become acquainted" was a accurate description of satisfactory relations with public authorities, while Dr. Pryor's address on tuberculosis and tenements contained many suggestions of work still to be done by the community. The annual report of the society, from which extracts were read, is now ready for distribution.

**

*

Hon. Samuel J. Barrows, of Boston, has succeeded Mr. W. M. F. Round as secretary of the New York Prison Association. Dr. Barrows had been for four years the commissioner for the United States on the International Prison Commission, which position he still retains. He was one of the founders and is at present one of the directors of the Massachusetts Prison Association; is a member of the International Society of Comparative Criminal Law, and the author of various reports on penology. The three latest are: "The Prison Systems of the United States," "The Reformatory System of the United States," and "Crimes, Penalties, and Misdemeanors," all of them published by Congress. The national and international work in penology, in which Dr. Barrows has been engaged, will be combined with the work of the New York society. Dr. Barrows will be no stranger in New York, as he was born, brought up, and married in this city.