The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-16

Council.
The communication of Mayor Hall to the
Common Council, transmitting the department
reports required by the charter, is concise,
| practical document, which, while it modestly
processes to be only Sin the nature of preface
and index" to the said reports, affords piano.
ramic view of the business of the city govern
ment for the past twelve months. Its infor-
nation is valuable at the present moment in
asmuch as it explains the exact position of our
municipal affairs, hitherto befogged by the
rascalities of the deposed rings the mystifca-
tions Of bogus reformers, and the intrigues OF
| legislative adventures, and furnishes some
useful hints to guide us in our future policy.
The subjects Of which it treats are all so valua-
BILE as to warrant separate notice, each in
its turn, and we can now do no more than
glance at the general features of the message.
The condition of the city finances receives first
the attention of the Mayor, and we are told
that the Comptroller has withheld for later
day in the campaign ''an exhaustive report
of his department., and has confined hispresent
official communication to tabular statements
This is probably accounted for by the enor-
nous demand upon the time of the Finance
Department. which will be understood from
the fact that, in addition to the other business
of the office, such as examinations audits, ne
gotiations, compromises, leases sales, collec-
tons, hourly interviews and arrangements for
loans and floating debt, over ten thousand
warrants and twenty-four thousand bond or
stock certificates have been issued by the
Comptroller and countersigned by the Mayor
in the last six months.
The total city and county debt on December
81, 1871, was, in round numbers, lightweight
million dollars it is now about one hundred
and twenty-seven millions; but after deduct
ing the means available for its decrease it
ought, says the Mayor, to stand about eighty
six millions in January next. The real estate
owned by the city, and which may be regarded
as substantially mortgaged to secure this debt,
is by o recent valuation found to be worth just
upon two hundred and forty-four million dol
lars. The tax levy for the current year, in
GLIDING street cleaning, is between thirty-one
and thirty-two million dollars, with two million
appropriated from the general fund; and the
rate of taxation will be about two dollars and
seventy-eight cents: This exhibit will prob
ably astonish those who have been led to an
ticipate that an enormous reduction Of
our current expenses would follow
the overthrow of the late municipal rings;
but it must be remembered, first, that
heavy deficiency was left by the city plumber
70 he 1u thair
that reformers out Of Office are apt to make
more economical estimates than they are
enabled to carry out in practice The Mayor
graphically describes the ever-multiplying
cost of the municipal government, and reminds
us that in great and rapidly growing
metropolis like New York promises that the
expenses will diminish and not increase must
necessarily prove delusive. 1.-THE reformer is
not yet born" be declares, ''who can here
after even keep them under three per cent,
and in five years hence taxpayers will
look back and wonder at the present
complaints" The complaints of intel
ligent men are not made against
the expenses of the city government,
but against the dishonest use of the public
treasure. Outside the politicians who raise the
cry of reform for their own selfish purposes
and foreign journalists, who display ignorance
on all subjects relating to America, there is a
general desire among the people Of New York
to foster every great work of public improve
ment regardless of the legitimate expense, in
the knowledge that money honestly expended
in the development and progress Of the city, is
simply On investment that will reimburse the
taxpayers hundredfold in the not far distant
future. Our best citizens would decry par
smonious, narrow-minded financial policy in
our city government whether dictated by mis-
taken economy or personal motives, as de-
cisively as they would condemn dishonest
application of the public funds.
The insufficient strength of the police force
of the city is a subject that has long claimed
the notice of the people and of the press, and
that is of grave importance to oil reputable
citizens The Mayor states the singular fact
that in the last six years the number of police
men in the metropolis has only been increased
three hundred When the growth of the city,
both in population and settled territory, is
considered, the statement appears startling,
and impresses us strongly with sense Of
the insufiiciency of the present force. The
Mayor recommends an application to the
Legislature for an increase to twenty-five hun
bred men; but even this would be inadequate
to the thorough protection of life and
property In another portion of his
communication he tells us that the city con-
tributed last year to the support of nearly fifty
two thousand criminals. How much better to
use, for the prevention of crime, the money
thus expended on its punishment Yet hear
of attempts to cut down the estimates of the
Police Commissioners and TO compel q de-
| crease in the present insufficient force Ms a