right down to the solid work of the Conference we will accomplish a great deal of good. For instance, we know a large number of our families are suffering from want and sickness, let us find out what the cause is. It may be caused by drink, it may be due to insufficient wages, or some other cause. The way for us to do is to take up this question and try to draw some practical result from our consideration of it. We see our prisons filled with young men. Frequently it may be our fault that these prisons are so filled because if we had some organization, some associations, more settlements or boys' clubs, or something of the kind to gather these boys in, we might save many from a like fate. The ounce of prevention should be considered.

If each one engaged in the work could impress upon his mind the fact that he is responsible for a certain amount of this crime, of this poverty, as the case may be, because of his neglect of opportunities placed in his way and that upon him devolves the duty of doing whatever there is in his power to do; if this body of people gathered here to-night were to work earnestly, unselfishly and unitedly, the results would be wonderful beyond our greatest expectations. The great trouble in this charitable work is that we are so much for records that we become selfish, may I say somewhat jealous of each other. Our society wants to receive a certain amount of credit for the work and another society having helped materially thinks it should have half the credit. Each wishes to make a good showing to its contributors, and this feeling occasionally destroys that unanimity of thought and unity of action so necessarily to obtain the best results. Now the important point that we want to get at is this, to feel that if we accomplish the objects for which we are working, if we succeed in what we are trying to do, this is reward sufficient, let the credit for the good work go to whomsoever it will. What we should do is to look for results more than records.

If the spirit of charity guides our discussions, as I am sure it will, this State Conference cannot help opening up new methods and new fields for the improvement and advancement of methods

in dealing with God's poor. Let each of us do his share to bring about the best results.

By MR. DE FOREST-I think we can say to Mr. Mulry in behalf of the Conference that we hope the accident will happen. Now you may have noticed a certain amount of byplay on the platform, which perhaps may not have been quite becoming. It has prevented such close attention to the speakers perhaps as was their due. It has been incidental to an endeavor to get several gentlemen here to do their duty, and Mr. Mulry is the only one who has really risen to the occasion. General Rosendale is like Mr. Mulry; he expects to take advantage of an accident hereafter. There is, however, one gentleman here who has absolutely declined to say anything, from whom words on this occasion would be singularly appropriate. That is the Hon. William P. Letchworth, President of the First New York State Conference, long President of the State Board of Charities, and still longer one of the most useful and earnest members of that Board, and though I shall not ask him to speak, because I have promised that I will not, I shall ask him to rise so that this audience can greet him.

ADDRESS OF HON. WILLIAM P. LETCHWORTH, LL.D. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:

While feeling honored, I cannot say that I am gratified in being called out by our President on this occasion; for those familiar with my public life are aware that I rarely if ever speak extemporaneously. The words uttered upon the important subjects that we are considering should be more carefully weighed and more thoughtfully adjusted for utterance than they can be by me in an offhand speech. Moreover, after what has been so well said by the Governor of the State, the Archbishop of New York and our President, it would be in vain for me to attempt to add anything to the interest of these opening exercises.

I will, however, give expression to a single thought. We come here to confer with each other and to discuss the varied and often perplexing problems of charity. Let us do our work in the spirit

of charity; let us have charity for those whose views differ from our own. We are not inclined, I fear, to do this to the extent that we should. If we would put ourselves in the position of those who hold different views from ours and look at the subjects from their standpoint, we might perhaps find different shades of thought and sometimes reach different conclusions from those formed. It has been my experience during many years that charity work above all others should be conducted in a spirit of charity.

We are fortunate in having for our presiding officer a gentleman of known ability and broad-mindedness, and I look for a very successful Conference. The program includes the names of many, distinguished persons-men and women of large experience-who are wise in the subjects upon which they are to speak. I myself expect to be largely profited by this occasion.

By MR. DE FOREST-There has been a strong effort on the part of those in charge of this Conference to make the exercises of this opening meeting short. I have frequently heard of efforts of that kind being made, but I have seldom found that they were really successful in their execution. I think you will agree with me that on this evening we have carried out our promise. The formal exercises of the opening are now concluded.

Adjourned at 10 o'clock.

SECOND SESSION.

Wednesday, November 20, 1901, Assembly Hall.

The session was called to order by the President, Mr. Robert W. de Forest, at 10.15 a. m. In accordance with the provisions of the by-laws, the President appointed the following committee:

Committee on Resolutions - Hon. William Pryor Letchworth, LL. D., of Portage; Mr. Edmond J. Butler, of New York; and the Rev. Dr. Max Landsberg, of Rochester.

Mr. Clarence V. Lodge, of Rochester, presided throughout this session.

Mr. Lodge presented the report of the Committee on the Institutional Care of Destitute Adults, as follows:

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTIONAL CARE OF DESTITUTE ADULTS.

At the First New York State Conference of Charities and Correction, held in Albany one year ago, Mr. Byron M. Child, Chairman of the Committee on Institutional Care of Destitute Adults, gave such a comprehensive and characteristically thorough statistical report of what had been accomplished in the matter of institutional care of adults up to that date that it would seem to be of small interest to this Conference to present subject-matter that can so easily be referred to in the proceedings of last year.

Institutional care of adult dependents should begin before admission to an institution through the careful examination, by an expert, of every applicant. Indiscriminate and free admission to the almshouse must be to a large extent demoralizing.

The exigency of the situation confronting a superintendent of the poor, commissioner of charities, or overseer of the poor, when a political leader insists that an unworthy person, or one who is perfectly able to care for himself, be admitted to an institution, demands a strenuous nature and a rigidity of backbone that the average official, working with an eye on the contingency of his reëlection seldom possesses. Political influence in the administration of our charities should be eliminated, just as the school boards in our cities are, in a large measure, being taken out of politics.

We are pleased to report a decided decrease in the population of our almshouses during the past year. Inquiry as to the cause points to the general prosperity of the country as one factor, but we believe that much greater and more intelligent care in the admission of patients to almshouses and hospitals has had a large effect on the result. The test of a medical examination by the city or county physician before an order for admission to the alms

house is given by the commissioner of charities or superintendent of the poor has been tried in some localities and with excellent results, as evinced by the indignant hostility of the inebriate and the lazy to the examination, and the decreased population of the almshouse.

The history of the almshouse has been one of constant progression. Frequently long periods of inaction in some locality would seem to indicate that advancement had ceased, but it is only temporary, and measured by decades instead of years the improvement is manifest.

Within the recollection of those present at this Conference the intolerable conditions arising from the intermingling of men, women and children in our almshouses have given place to the universal and satisfactory separation of the sexes, and the removal of all children over the age of two years.

The grounds and immediate surroundings of our almshouses are constantly being beautified and made more cheerful for the occupants. Steam laundry machinery has superseded the tedious hand labor, making frequent cleansing of bedding and clothing practicable. Buildings are quite generally lighted by electricity or acetylene gas and heated by steam, greatly decreasing the danger from fire and adding largely to the comfort of the inmates. Intelligent effort is being made to improve the dietary, varying its composition to meet the needs of the sick and infirm as well as the workers, and kitchens are being equipped with modern steam cooking utensils. It may seem superfluous to mention these facts, but only six years ago a superintendent of the poor reported at a convention of superintendents of the poor that the almshouse in his county was heated by thirty-nine stoves; of course, the stoves have since disappeared.

We note with satisfaction a strong growing disposition on the part of superintendents of the poor and commissioners of charity to employ paid, responsible persons instead of depending almost