For the ninth year in a row, the Salvation Army has topped The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of the nation’s leading charities. The Salvation Army raised $1.44 billion in 2000, an increase of 3.1 percent since 1999, the independent national newspaper reported. Overall, the top U.S. charities saw donations increase 13 percent from 1999 to 2000. The Philanthropy 400 survey…