The New York herald., 1873-09-10

pay by taxation. 1t is the unworthy trick of
making false exhibit of economy by hiding
away in the body of the debt amounts which
ought not to be there, and thus increasing the
permanent burden and the heavy interest de-
mand upon the taxpayers. Yet, despite this
singular financial policy, the taxes are as
heavy or heavier than ever before.
We have shown how largely the expenditures
OF the most costly of the departments, that
OF Public Works, have been decreased
nevertheless we find Mr.. Green spending more
money on the city government than
was spent by Connolly and Tweed in
their most riotous and reckless wears.
The total expenditure in 1868, under the
Connolly regime amounted to $40, 700, 900 in
round figures. In 1870, when Connolly and
Tweed were in the zenith of their power and
license, the total expenditure was s61, 400, 900.
In 1873, under the reform rule of Comptroller
Green, the total expenditure is $64, 600 600,
being nearly thirty-fve million dollars more
than in 1868 and upwards of three millions in
excess Of 1870, the most corrupt year Of Tam
troller's reports we find ample ground for
charging the responsibility OF this increase to
MIR. Green. This remarkable fnancier has
been in the habit of keeping an enormous
balance lying uselessly and needlessly in the
city treasury balance that has averaged over
all the year round. Upon this sum,
borrowed in anticipation of taxes and
assessments, and borrowed when it was
not needed, we have been paying, for
nine months out of the twelve, seven per cent
interest Mr.. Green's financial genius has
told him that large balance in the Treasury
looks like prosperous and mastery fnancier-
ing, and SO he has filed up the strong box,
placed his paddock upon it and INDUCED in
the extraordinary economy of paying some
four hundred thousand dollars year for the
luxury of looking at his sham of solvency. In
deed, Mr.. Green's interest account is a curious
study throughout. In 1868 the interest on
the city debt is reported in the Comptrollers
annual statement as $1,000, 600, and in 1870
as So, 100, 600. Under Mr. Green's remarkable
fnanciering the interest on the city debt for
1878 is $5,S00,000, or nearly three millions
and half larger than in 1865 and over three
millions more than in 1S70 two model years
of the old Ring rule.
The item of salaries furnishes equal evi-
dence of Mr.. Green's curious notions of re-
form economy In 1873 the salaries in the
Department of Public Works for the year
ending September / were 1892, 400, against
the sum OF $233, 900 for salaries in the same
department as then represented by the Street
and Croton Aqueduct departments in 1864
saving of $41 500. The contingencies in the
same department for 1873 were only $4,000,
while in 1868 they were $21, ZOO, decrease in
favor of this year of $19, 400. When we look
into reformer Green's department we find
everywhere an extravagant and wilful increase
of expense, instead of retrenchment. The
Comptroller salary account under Connolly,
in 1868. was $229,300 The salaries of MIR.
Green's department in 1873 amounted to
$268, 600-an increase of nearly $40, 900. The
same with contingencies. Under this con-
venient head Mr.. Connolly took from the
city in 1868 $21, 500. Mr.. Green takes
out of the Treasury for contingencies in 1873,
$4,000, or $500 more than Connolly's
amount In addition to this we find crowded
away and covered up under the head of
miscellaneous" in Mr.. Green's report, the
following suspicious item:-"Extra contin-
gencies, $39, ,942 61." These extra contingent
cies crowd themselves in among such items as
''Mrs Wyatts claim" ''Mrs. Cornelia Town
sends claim" National Rife Association"
and the like. They need investigation and
examination; but, as there are many other
singular specimens of the fruits of reform in
the Comptroller's budget, we must defer the
task until another opportunity. The people
will at last understand the necessity of placing
the finances of the city in the hands of a COM
petent officer.