CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETIES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—Constant readers of the Spectator, such as I, who realize the wisdom of organized charity, Watch, with wistful interest; the weekly record in the Spectator of the growth of the Spectator Charity Organization Society Fund. I understand that that Fund is intended solely to benefit the particular Charity Organization Society in London. Will you, please, forgive me for pointing out that this faiet is not quite plain to the eye when the weekly record of the Spectator Fund is read? I shall therefore be grateful to you, Sir, if you feel able, to make the fact quite clear in succeedifig records, for I am quite sure that neither you nor What I may, for the purposes of this letter, usefully describe as the London Charity Organization Society would wish any Charity Organization Society operating in the Provinces to suffer loss of much-needed local subscribers through any misapprehension. Each SOciety is one entity; each Society depends for its existence on its own funds.
I could Wish that your benevolent example for London might be followed, without exception, in the Provinces by proprietors of papers published in the Provinces, HO that in whatever city or town a. Charity. Organization Society is trying to exist, wo might find a leading newspaper in such city or town advertising and raising a Fund for its local Society of the kind.
I was startled when I read the disappointing accounts the other day of the Provincial Society which especially interests me; and I was reminded of an incident which occurred "in the 'nineties" in the office Of the Special Commissioners of Income-tax, but before I realized the wisdom of and the benefits conferred by organized charity, I regret to say. A gentleman brought to the office, according to his annual habit, the Income-tax Return " for special assessment " of the profits of a very successful business (his own creation) in which he had by far the largest interest. He casually remarked, " You will notice that the profits in this Return are again greater than those in the preceding year's Return." Ho added, with a sigh, "I am often perplexed, and really anxious, about what to do with my large income, for I always have at my disposal a great deal more money than I know what to do with." He was a very rich man, but he was discreet in the exei•ciso of his many acts of benevolence. I wish that I had sug- gested to that very rich man to subscribe largely to a Charity Organization Society and to endow one handsomely in his own district and in his lifetime by means of a substantial donation. Very often the gift of offices, freehold or rent free, would be a welcome relief of office expenses.—I am, Sir, &c., H. W. PAGE-PHILLIPS.
[Mr. Page-Phillips, who is an old Etonian, was for many years the doyen Of the Special Commissioners of Income-tax. His reminder as to the Provincial Societies is timely and useful.—ED: Spectator.]
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