Some figures from the budget for 1899 will show the relative cost of caring for the poor. The city will pay for public education $13,040,052; for police, $11,797,596; for the fire department, $4,443,664; for the health department, $1,110,538; for lighting, $2,000,000; for water, $1,450,817; for cleaning the streets, $4,575,800; for parks, $1,729,235; for paving and repaving streets, $2,520,099; and for charity direct and indirect, $7,000,000. The chief abuses of the present system of public charity are the extravagant expenditures for salaries and the steady and rapid increase of pauperism due to the misdirected efforts of the inexperienced persons who control so many of the smaller societies that receive city money. One of the oldest and most important charitable organizations in the city is the Children's Aid Society. The report of the treasurer for 1898 shows the following expenditures: Industrial schools-- Salaries of superintendent and teachers $106,265.71 Rent of schoolrooms 5,119.26 Books and school supplies 5,178.54 Provisions 8,509.70 Clothing and special relief 5,512.56 Fuel, gas, repairs, etc. 20,497.88 --------- Sick Children's Mission $655.48 Children's Summer Home 9,405.37 Health Home 8,307.45 Farm for Boys--Summer Charities 2,719.59 Brace Memorial Lodging House 12,914.13 Elizabeth Home for Girls 10,366.33 Tompkins Square Lodging House 7,546.38 West Side Lodging House 9,079.26 East Side Lodging House 1,848.06 Forty fourth Street Lodging House 7,948.56 Fogg Lodging House 1,942.26 Brace Farm School 12,150.64 Reading rooms 402.96 Medical examinations 312.00 Salaries, executive officers 8,659.92 Immigration, fares, food, clothing, etc. 30,162.69 Reinvestment, bonds sold 29,902.50 Amount due treasurer, November 1, 1898 435.71 Printing, stationery, car fares, and incidental expenses 3,551.85 -------- $309,394.79