New-York daily tribune., 1842-11-02
THE pax of Watehn,en.

| We have more than once exPfesseN
fully our conviction that the reduction OF ~.
of Watcbnen 10 81 per night was a just ana pro-
per measure, in view of the accumulation o' oI',
,heno r,Jer which our City now groans ana the
general cheapness of Labor, Goods, rFoSisio"s'
e. s,c No one will rejoice more heartily thah
40 - hail restoration Of state OF things IN
which the payment of higher price viii be al
once Just and expedient. The following hePo''
e,or ,be Committee of the Board of Assistants
presents very forcbly the other side OF the qhes-
tioo from tina, which we have felt It our duty to
take. We invite dispassionate consideration OF
the subject:
9e1ort of The Select CommiHee IN favor Of
restoring the pay Of the W'atchmen. Pre-
sented by Assistant Alderman Scoles, October
5M, 1912.
The specia Commiuee which referred the peii-
,on praying restoration OF the former wage@ OF the
Watchmen OF the city -
pecuniary pressure the times requires that
every proper effort should be made By the Representatives
Of The People to dimhish The burden ot iaaao your M
the introduction a spirit OF economy INTO every depart
ment of the City Government, by holding every person
who receives or disbures the public moneys strict
eountabiy, and by endeavorng 10 punsh and prevent
those deacaon which impair the MOI al lone OF CON-
of the ordinance (reducng The salaries II the city ocers
farther reflection and inquiry have satisfied your Commit
tee tha, better opinion that the former wages the
wachmen were Ho more than lar equivalent or Their
services The Watchmen OF our city hold very response
bic position To them is entrusted the protection OF the
lives and property OF citizens from the midnight burglar
and incendiary they do their duty faithfully often
involves ordinary degree OF danger and suffering While
others sleep they muSm and endure with patience wind
and sormihe summers heat and winer's colo and IN
their lonely round" their persons and their lives not
unrequenly endangered by the assaults OF rufan and
progacs, with whom they obliged 10 in contact.
Keep strict supervision over hem-punish them should
hey neglect their duiyb compensate them fully for The
important services they render.
Ii II be true the sum OF one dollar viii 90 far
towards The support of family one dollar and
yve in times of greater prosperity II Is also
That many, perhaps majority OF the Wachnen have
other means OF supporting themselves and families than
their wages earned every alternate night Formerly,
the Wachnen bad their daily occupations 10 tho income OF
which their wages addition In many instances at
the present time it your Committee have been rightly III
formed, Of industrious habits and respectable charac
have gone upon lie Watch as tho ony mode BY which
they could give bread 10 large and helpless family
Your Committee have not discovered that the a1payers
generally in favor this reduction OF the Wacbmens
wage They know the importance Gee OF II ayng honest st. qe
,iucenent for them 10 be otherwise
Reduce the pay below reasonable compensation and
you deter many worthy citizens who would otherwise
themselves with the department You also subject
those whose necessities lnpe toem 10 become Watcnnen TO
strong temptations if not TO act dishonesty at least to relax
their vigilance and remit their exertons This is far
from being The interest Of the owners M OF proper'y.
polite species OF economy Your Committee cannot be
iieve that majority of the taxpayers desire H. On The
contrary YOUR Committee believe that they wish the Watch
men to be faithful and are willing TO pay them we'll
Viewing the whole matter candidly and dspassonatey
weighing The arguments on both sides and endeavorng
much as possible draw their conclusions from acealned
lacs-ynur Committee must be permitted 10 draw their
conviction, that the of 81 25Per night is not an unica
sonable compensation for the services OF Wachman and
tba, the reduction OF the WacImens wages from that
10 81 90 per night will have necessary tendency 10 diminish
the respectabty of The department and impair lis useful
ness.
Under these circumstances, your Committee hspe that
the pravet OF the petitioners iii granted
the passage OF the annexed Ordinance and Resolution:
(Sjpned) JOHN q. SCOLES,
WALTER MEAD.