New-York tribune., 1875-11-18
CITY FINANCES.

There are number of important truths
about the finances OF the City OF New-lork
which are not affected one way or the other
nv any of the characteristics Of Controller
Green. No matter what sort OF man Con-
troler Green is. the things we speak OF are
facts For four years past Controller Green
has given the public more information about
municipal affairs than any half dozen Ol the
other officials connected with the city govern
ment. This information in most cases, has
not been about the Finance Department;
but under the circumstances the public
care much less whether it was Mr.
Green's business to give the Information
than whether the information he does give Is
true. That is the main point to be considered
In Mr. Green's latest structures on the manage
mcnt of the Department of Public Works
The operations under the successive heads OF
that Department have been on "a vast scale,
and have left their monument, more enduring
than brass in the everlasting pyramid of the
City Debt Extravaganza is visible in the
character of the improvements made and pro-
jccted north of Fifty-ninth-st., and is no less
visible to the eye Of those who are skilled In
such matters in the enormous bills which the
city has been compelled to pay for the work.
These are facts which no person OF sound mind
will dispute.
1t is charged that Controller Green projected
a number OF these improvements. He very
forcibly replies that he is not responsible for
carving them out utterly regardless OF cx-
pense q score of years before they are needed.
1t seems TO us that this is a very unpTohtable
subject for discussion. The settlement OF the
point 10y an infallible tribunal would make
good no past losses and save nothing to the
Taxpayers in future Expenditures for boule-
wards, streets, and parks must be cut down IN
future or the bankruptcy of the city is merely
a question of time. This conclusion has had
for us all the force of mathematical PROPOSE
ton since the adjournment of the Legislature
of 1871. To cut down taxes and provide
resources by marketing fresh issues of bonds,
is TO load the safety valve and heap tar and
rosin under the boilers. This reckless policy,
we regret to add, still prevails and still is
popular.
The honest man. poor or rich, does not live
in this city who does not pay fine Tor the
neglect of the duties of citizenship which has
long been characteristic of our voters. 1T Is
palpable that we have 10 efficient organization
of government by which we can secure either
economical or honest administration Even
Gov. Tiden's veto cannot secure us any posi-
tive relief. We have a many headed monster
set over IA. some Of the heads deriving their
powers OF mischief from the people
some from the Legislature, and some
from various appointing powers. Consequently
we have discord where there should be hai-
mony Elections have become mere contests
between various tribes of politicians, and the
difficulty which proves insuImountable 10 The
citizen is to find one candidate out OF ten OF
all stripes who is fit to hold the Office to
which he aspircs. As one means OF arriving
at better state of things, all abuses of ad-
ministiation, such as those alleged by Con-
trolcr Green to exist in the Department OF
Public Works, should be exposed, for they
certainly are not likely to be reformed so long
as the public is ignorant Of their existence.