New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-15
MUNICIPAL POLICY.

We deprecate all picayune criticism on the
very full expose of our Municipal affairs now
passing through our columns. Give our rulers
fair consideration. and Judge them by their
works.
Our objection to the policy outlined in Mayor
Halls Message is fundamental. We hold 1t
impracticable to abide by that policy without
swapping its hackers and seriously damaging
the City. 1t clearly involves an increase OF
| taxation and an augmentation of debt. Ii will
drive capitalists out of our City, TO evade our
OneTous Municipal burdens In time, 1T will
drive away Manufactures and even Commerce.
A trihe often decides the location of an indus
trial enterprise like the Waltham Watch fac
tory. We cannot afford to warn all such OIL
of this island. Some ought to go; others to
stay; the Mayor would not discriminate, but
! hunt them all out. He must reconsider or be
! Overruled.
| Our City embos0ms great wealth. The ten
dency to locate here is very strong. Two per
cent. here is equal to three per cent. i'll Brook
Ign and to four in Albany, Rochester and Buff
falo. To tax people away is killing the goose
that lays golden eggs.
We might levy taxes that would work Incl
were required for selling Alcoholic Liquors in
our City, it would greatly reduce the number
of sellers while increasing the City's income
from their business. And there might be other
benefcent changes of like nature.
But miH there be7 No; for that might
diminish the Democratic vote, and this catas
trODhe must, at all events, be averted. SO a
heavier hand laid on our Criminal class would
reduce the City's expenses, but it would dimin-
ish that Sixty Thousand majority. Hence it
may not be.
And here is the real obstacle to the reforms
we especially commend. Heavy as our City
Debt is, and slender AZ is the chance that any
one now living will ever see it less, it might
be half paid off within the present year by
simply selling property not needed for NUM-
cipal purposes Let the City sell her Docks
severally as they stand, binding each buyer
to conform in all things to the plans matured
by the Commissioners of Docks and let every
Public Market be sold at auction to the highest
bidder who makes the required deposit, and
we shall claw off lee shore directly. Our
new Consol may be hoated on our own terms,
provided we first convert into City Bonds all
the property that our Municipality would be
better without. And the Markets will be more
commodious and better kept from the hour
wherein the City firsts lets them alone for ali
other than sanitary purposes
Our counsel will probably be disregarded,
not because it is deemed injudicious, but be-
cause too many persons will insist on having
the City run for their special benefit. No one
supposes that the Municipality ought to con-
tinue in the Market business, but good
many believe that their personal interest will
be subserved by her doing 50, and they are
in the main most assiduous and effective
Ward politicians wherefore, she will. Thus
the City is less economically ruled than it
might and should be, in obedience to SEEM
ing party necessity. Let us hope that our
children will see the end of this conflict Of
party necessity with Municipal well-beng.