The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-23

are of great interest to our people, they have
very small import to those of England. This
is the ground of our position, advocating that
the government of the United States shall take
the lead in the policy to be pursued toward the
petty Central American States by the leading
, Powers of the world; and the sooner British
statesmen come to recognise this fact the more
will it satisfy the people of both countries, and
conduce to harmony between us.
| The City Finances-Extravagant Expendi-
lures by the Governors OF the Aimshouse.
| We publish elsewhere a detailed statement of
the expenditures of the Governors of the Aims
house since the Board was constituted. We have
given the statistics for the past nine years, COM
piled from official sources, and we recommend
the document to the careful perusal of every
tax payer in the city. The issue that is made
by the opponents of the present chief magistrate
| of the city is founded upon statements that he
| is responsible for the heavy and constantly in
creasing burden of taxation under which we
labor. They promise, if Mr.. Wood is beaten and
Mr.. Tiemann elected, sort of political and So
cial millennium, when the Comptroller shall have
plenty of money, while the taxes are to be ma
terially lessened They have gathered together
the odds and ends Of all parties, and the hybrid
| organization is led and engineered by
number Of old political hacks, who
have always worked with the spoilsmen of Al
bany in their laudable endeavors to deplete the
city treasury. All the measures adopted by the
Legislature have had only this reult-to in
crease our taxes, and give places to broken
down politicians who have been repudiated by
the public voice over and over again. The last
Legislature cut out jobs to the amount of over
two millions, and now the originators of these
schemes coolly turn about and tell the people
that it is Mayor Wood who is responsible for
all. Each of these jobs has been placed in the
hands of a commission appointed by the central
power, and each commission is entirely ire
sponsible to any authority in the city.
Let us take, for example the case of the Ten
Governors of the Almshouse, who have the care
of all the city institutions, and may cxpend
as much money as they choose, without being
called to account for it by the representatives
of the people-the Mayor and the Common
Council. 1t will be seen by the figures that in
eight years, when there has been only three per
cent increase of pauperism, the expenditures
have increased from S403,307 SO per year to
S7ls, s00-which, with an old debt Of 1925, 1000
which il charged upon this years expenditure
make an increase of one hundred per cent
This bids fair to be still further increased by
extra appropriations, ostcnsibly for the relief
of the outdoor poor and we thall not get of
this year for any sum much below million.
This increase il partially the fault of the sys-
tenn by which the Board was constituted, but
the Governors are still very much TO be blamed |;
and although they render no account of their
stewardship to the Corporation, they have
long one to settle with the people. They have
made all sorts of building jobs for their friends
and WASTED the public money in the most shame
full manner. What possible excuse can they
make for a leak through which nearly half a
million Of dollars runs through their hands
every year? How can they defend their private
junketings, which cost ten thousand dollars per
annumg Were they placed in their positions to
become elegant paupors and feed at the public
EXPENSE For paupers they are when they eat
the bread Of the destitute, and that bread bought
with the public money.
These facts being we'll understood, mark the
inconsistency of the so-caled reform party who
put up as a candidate for the Mayoralty one Of
these very Governors of the Aims House. Mr..
| Tiemann has been for three years member of
this precious Board and during those three
years the expenditures have been Increasing
| in far greater ratio than the increase of pau.
| perism. If he honestly desired to reform the
| government and reduce the taxation-if be pos
scssed the ability and integrity claimed for him
by his supporters did he not display those
qualities in this very inviting field! The lead.
ing journals have frequently called attention to
the enormous increase in the expenditures of
this Board as well a. the Board of Education.
| which will cost US. twelve hundred thousand
dollars this year. The philosophers and re-
I formers Of Wall street caused these irresponsi-
bic bodies to be crcated-why do they not con-
troll them for the public good Their caEdi-
date for Mayor has been in position TO resist
the increase in the expenses on account of the
public institution, but he has never done 30. Is
IL likely that such man will use the little pow.
or tin, isleft TO the Mayor to the advantage of
the public
Mr. Wood certainly cannot be held response
bic for the increase in the tax levy; the reform
legislators have left him no power whatever
over the matter Mr.. Tiemann, however, had
the power, and did not see ft to exercise It. The
unblushing impudencc Of the men who really
brought all this load Of taxation upon us, and
now desire to shift the infamy Of their acts from