New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-04-19
CITY Economy.


source entitled to respect public spirit and energy
The election takes place to-day
City Economy.
The columns Of the NewOrleans press are
largely occupied with subject which is vari-
ously announced under the heading Of "City
Government g City Expenses and Reform, =
e Municipal Economy etc. The design is, d
course, to operate uponthe members of the City
Council, to produce certain convictions, and
thereby, establish certain principles Of action
With some, either openly or covertly, opposed tt
the majority which has control Of Municipal
affairs, there ID another object. They seek to
4 raise undue and unreasonable anticipat;ons in
the public mind, certain that the Council can
not possibly meet them, and will thereby draw
down popular odium.
Wesare largely and earnestly in favor of true
economy in the management Of the affairs of the
4 city; but we are not at all in favor of penny
wise-and- ponnd-foolish economy, which would
prove itself in the end the most wasteful and in
exousable extravaganza
We confess we are not without some apprehen-
sions on this score We believe fully that the
members Of both Boards have gone to work with
jealous and honest good faith to discharge their
duties; and we recognize in them much practi-
cal intelligence. Yet, we must say, we have
some fear that they will too far give way to out
side pressure, and yielding to what they may
consider public sentiment, be committed to o
course Of false economy, which they will here
after have cause seriously to regret.
In fixing the salaries of the Mayor, Treasurer,
Comptroller, Surveyor, and Street Commissioner,
they should establish them at such point as
will justify competent gentlemen in seeking them
hereafter It is true that already gentlemen of
ability and experience hold these posts, and it
is improbable that insufficient compensation
would drive them from them. But the action of
the City Council is to be regarded as precedent,
which will operate hereafter. Two things are
to be held in view ability and responsibility.
1t will not be denied that both are required in
as eminent degree of the Mayor as of the
President of Bank of the Comptroller as of
a Cashier; Of q Treasurer as of Teller In
fact, the business to be conducted by the city
officers named is immensely greater and involv-
ing more responsibility than the affairs of
bank, the chief officers Of which generally re-
ceive $4,000 and $4,000. A gentleman compe-
tent to discharge the important duties Of any of
the five officers named, could easily earn more
than the limit of the annual salaries
There is another point to be properly consid-
cred by the two Boards. The salaries should
not be made SO low as to forbid poor men from
aspiring to them, and to secure them as the
perpetual property of rich men. A contempo-
rary democratic in tone generality has cited
the fact that the Mayor of NewYork receives
only $4,000 per annum. 1t forgot to add, that
hence the Chief Magistrate of Network is
always selected from among the wealthiest citi-
zens 1t adds:
The Mayor Of ST. Louis city Of 10000 inhabitants
whose duties much extensive than those of our
Mayor receives but $1,000 year And yet these gentle
able, of their salaries to live in manner be-
coming the Mayors Of great cities ~
Now, this is really amusing to any one who
knows the facts. Mayor Kenneth, of St. Louis,
with his palatial residence and almost princely
style Of living, cable out of his salary, to liye,
etc. Any st, Louisian would sc guffaw" at the
very idea The Mayor Of ST. Louis is gentle
man Of very large private fortune and SO little
does he care for the Ito him) petty salary of
$1,000. that we have good reason to believe that
he does not trouble himself to draw one dollar
Of it. One year he gave it, every cent, for the
relief Of some sufferers; and it was then lying
untouched and uncalled for in the city treasury.
There are few gentlemen so deservedly wealthy
as Mayor Kenneth, of St. Louis-few as munif-
cent in public and private benefactions Our
contemporaries statement that he is able to live
6 out of salary Of $1,000 per annum, would
be considered g the best joke of the season. in
St. Louis. The late mayors Of NewYork have
all been men Of immense private fortune
It should not be question with the Council,
can we get any one to take Office for this or that
sum? The argument should be, is the salary in
proportion to services and abilities required j;
Will it confne offices to the rich, or render them
accessible to rich and poor' Any salary will
command somebody's services; but what will
somebody g services be worth !! If large mer-
camille house required a cashier, would it ad-
vertise that the salary would be only $500 per
annum? If it did, what kind of man would it
get No salary would still command the SER
vices Of men for some Offices; not the poor, GER
tainly; but the rich Offices would thus be-
come the privilege Of wealth.
The members of the two boards will, we trust
carefully review these considerations. They
have one thing to do--their duty. They have
nothing properly to do with insinuated threats
of future charges of extravaganza. etc. If
they do their duty, their acts will vindicate
them II they go from one extreme to another,
If they adopt system Of false economy, and
thereby make Offices the exclusive property Of
the rich or the special prey of inefficient men.
to nothing, they will be seriously
culnble; they will be held strictly responsible
by public sentiment, and become irredeemably
A bad government, with inefficient
or incompetent agents, is dear at any cost, and
will prove the most unpardonably extravagant
in the end
We have this to say to the majority in the
Council: 1t is idle to expect to escape partisan
attack; it has already opened by insidiously
requiring Of you economical impossibilities and
a false system, which shall involve you. in the
odium Of inefficient employees; your every act