New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-07
OUR MUNICIPAL PIPER.

The Finance Committee Of the Common
Council, in their report published in THE
TRIBUNE some weeks ago, while tacitly
acknowledging the fact Of the immense increase
in taxation, favor the public with several
columns of special pleading, in which they
endeayor TO shift the responsibility TO the
shoulders Of the Board Of Supervisors. The
chief purpose of the document, and the greoter
part Of its space, are TO show that this Board,
with the Especial Commissions" and the
interference of the Legislature with city affairs,
have caused the evil. Yet it is noticeable
that they do not deny that the City Government
has plundered, but only claim that the County
Administration has plundered more, and for this
purpose they submit, in contrasted tables, a
statement Of the respective city and county
expenses since 1857. Thus tho total expendi-
lures for both accounts, in lS5S, were
$s,62l ,O9l 30, and for 1863 Sl2,620,574 20,
being an increase in the six years of a fraction
over 40 per cent. The city account, in 1853,
was Sc, 1863 81, and IL 1863, S7,235, ,OOl So.
The county account was in 1855, ~, 2,5l5, 1858 90;
and in 1863, 81, ,355 ,5G2 2G. Now, to make the
most favorable statement for the business of this
laborious report (Which We do not now criticise),
is simply to say that in those six years the city
account increased sixteen per cent, while the
county account outran il and reached IN incre-
ment Of hundred aud thirteen per cent. But
the Common Council Committee do not quite
clear the skirts Of that body, as the following
statement shows: TriumphGnuy separating all
along, the appropriations which are and are
not under the control Of the Common Coun-
ell, they show us that the county expenditures
of 1853 were SO, 5l5 ,S03 90, and the estimates
for 1864, So, ,s54,9O7 65, an increase Of hund-
red and thirty-two per cent, which is sufG-
ciently startling; but the appropriations of the
Common Council in 1858 were $500, 1868 81,
and the estimates for 1864 are Sl,25O,96S o..
Thus an increase Of hundred per cent in six
years is the cleanest record they can present.
But Just now let this stand as al undecided
question which Of the two parties is the guiltier.
We oil know-and the public are coming in
some degree not only to know it, but to realize
it--tndJ iOi tho SoLnIhb gN"i %i'i"N't""" ~
demanded Of New-York, or simply subsidy Of
SIS for every inhabitant The Finance Com
mittee want $s,O75,7o3 % for le6l. For the
conveniently vague purpose Of contingencies"
they ask Sl590O0 for salaries, they ask
$744, 1893; for Common Council printing,
$4,000. But a word concerning these items:
" Contingencies" cover every form of robbery,
though not every case OF it, they range from a
bill at Delmonico's to the kids which the Com
mon Council wear when they appear at ca
rousal from which the Mayor, to his honor,
withholds himself. "Salaries" are paid to
scores of nominal clerks whose services are only
political; and the $4,000 for the Common
Council printing alone buys not sheet Of paper
for other uses, nor is it sufficient to prepare for
publication the Corporation Manual. The slime
which clogs our feet on rainy days, and whirls
down our throats in the sunshine, shows how
the streets arc cleaned; yet the Finance Com
mittee designate $3.50, 900 for that object. We
have already stated the cost Of this work in
European cities, and Mr.. Carr says that while
$l33, 600 are paid for salaries and contingencies
of the sanitary department, 100000 would be q
liberal estimate. From one, judge of all.
1t may be useful to make comparison be.
tween the cost Of the police in New.York and in