The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-08


York. We need not fear that any new facilities
which may be afforded to transportation to and
pair any existing line OF communication. The
rapid growth OF the Western States and the con-
of agricultural products on the one hand and manu-
features on the other will tax to their utmost Ca
pacity all the channels which can be opened Tor
All these considerations address themselves to us
with great force in favor Of giving to the Erie Canal
the direct channel OF communication ron the great
lakes to tidewater, It's prescribed dimensions, ana
to the transport OF the products OF the West the
greatest attainable celebrity.
The suggestions l have made In regard to the
preservation OF the Erie Canal apply to the Oswego
and Champlain canals, which are indispensable
parts oil our system OF internal navigation.
FUNDING TIE STATE DEBT.
lions is the question which has largely occupied,
during the last two years, the attention OF the
public and Of the classes concerned IN commerciai
debts and providing Tor an issue OF five per cent
stock, redeemable at the end OF forty years with
provision for the payment of the annual interest,"
and the creation OF q sinking fund out of the sur
plus revenues OF the canals fer the redemption Of
to have met with general acceptance, and re-
spectfuly ask for 1t your favorable consideration
with view to present lt to the people for their
decision under the form OF an amendment OF the
constitution II it is adopted the general fund debt,
be- paid BY the canal revenues and in this pons o.
view it win commend itself to Ito approval o. the
nication with tho canals. AnS only an indirect In
terest ~ main tanning them.
There is one consideration connected with the
creation OF the sinking fund.- in case this issue OF
stock is submitted to the people and favorably con-
sidered, which desire to press with more than
funds are in their nature, a solemn pledge Of faith
to creditors for the payment OF the debts due to
them TO borrow money on their credit Ior other
| tect Of any other pledge or 70 make even tenn
| porary use Of the moneys or securities Of which
naly given. 1t appears to me that this deduction
OF common sense cannot be invalidated or 0bscured
IN
ing funds have been invaded and consumed but
hays been very
| the temptation Of resorting to these funds In
emergencies instead of meeting the public
money provided Tor their increase should, instead
of being deposited in banks be invested in perma-
States The best OF all investments is the purchase
| OF the certificates OF stock which they are set
70 ana s1ese sa be
Stale, instead of having on hand for series Of
years large fund exposed to the hazard Of ban, bank
latOn, will gradually extinguish its debts and have
no money to provide for the purpose when they
fall due. II at times 1t be necessary to purchase
these certificates at premium the small advance
is repaid by having the sinking fund free from the
against the necessity Of providing by taxation or
by o new loan for the loss and the payment Of tue
| debts at their maturity. SC
the organized system OF financial depreciation
! which was discovered In 1871, and OF which some of
the prinS. .ra municipal officers were the authors
and chief participant. has not only cast upon the
taxpayers an enormous buravG, but has brought
upon the character of the city stigma only tG be
the guilty parties as have net elnded the pursuit
Of justice, and BY the recovery; II practicable, OF
may be safely said that there never has been
In the IN history tory Of popular government and
U w 50 sG@
naence Is in Its tendency to impair confidence in
the institutions under which 1t was perpetrated
longs, in great part, to the faithiesS agents by
whom they were administered. The authors or
cipled Judicial functionaries by whom they were
abetted and upheld, have been ANONYMOUSLY ex-
PEELED from the trusts they have betrayed; and it
ments to the charter Of the city such safeguards as
may be necessary to prevent the recurrence OF
abuses SO oppressive to Its Inhabitants and SO inu
In the progress Of this scheme OF depreciation,
ofiices have been maintained and enormous sala.
RES anne xed to them either as rewards to the
attention from the frauds they were perpetrating
by the exhibition OF kindred extravagancies in the
chief departments OF the municipal government,
and TO silence, by exOrbitant stipends, those who
rom close connection with them, could scarcely
fail to be cognzant Of their guilt Nor Is this ali
paid employees performing no services whatever
Some Of the largest salaries are bestowed upon
officers of inferior grades, holding offices which re-
quire, by comparison with higher official stations,
but a moderate capacity. Thus the Police Justices,
judicial knowledge and Intellectual ability, have
received and still claim salaries Of $40 900 per
mum, when half Of that sum would be an ample
compensation for the services they render.
The organization of most Of the departments Is
according to the same scale OF extravaganza.
There are four commissioners OF Police, each with
q salary Of $4,000, five Commissioners OF Public
Charities, five Commissioners Of the Fire Depart
with salaries OF $4,000 each / believe that in
most, II not all of these cases, the organizations
would be far more effective If there were in each
department one Commissioner, . responsible
head, to perform most OF the labor, with the high
est salary now paid, and the others with onefourth
deed, no departments have been more eco.
nomical!y or eniclently administered than those
which have been connded to Commissioners
without compensation: There are m,n OF
character, wealth and leisure, in New YORK, who
Ss interests Of
the city are deeply concerned; Their own inter-
snS nsf In It's gSa always
tive and faithful service When the city has such
resource, 1t Is not only needless expense but q
prodigal waste OF Its means to crowd the depart
ments with supernuous officials, and bestow upon
them exorbitant gratuties.
Coroners are paid by fees and their compensation
amounts to an enormous sum, altogether dspro-
fees OF their offices be paid into the city treasury
and that they be compensated by fixed salaries.
Unless provision is made by law for uprooting the
doubt whether the evils which have grown up with
1t, and some Of which cling to it STILL can be efYec-
tually eradicated without giving the Mayor the
power Of removing municipal Officers and appoint
ing others In their place whenever he may think 1t
necessary for the purpose of carrying out the re-
form SO distinctly demanded by the public voice.
In this case the whole responsibility OF seeing that
the affairs OF the city are honestly and efficiently
administered Will rest with him, and failure In
either respect Will make him justly amenable to
public condemnation. The well-knOwn integrity
1rmness and experience of the present incumbent
of the Office OF Mayor, give the strongest assurance
that the power referred to may be safely entrusted
to him, and that 1t will be exercised solely in the
interests of the CITY, Should this suggestion meet
your approval, all the other needed measures OF re-
form may be provided for by few wel-considered
amendments OF the existing charter.
Enlightened statesman Ship In the eager pursuit OF
remedies for political abuse and for the arbitrary
control of maIOrttea ia IN plo for