The New York herald., 1875-11-21
BOARD OF APPORTIONMENT.
The Reduction of High OFF,
cial Salaries.
COMPTROLLER GREEN ON THE WARPATH
COMPARATIVE FIGURES OF 1871 AND 1875.

At three O'Clock yesterday afternoon an important
special meeting Of the Board OF Apportionment was
held in the Mayors office Comptroller Green, Mayor
Wckham Tax Commissioner Wheeler and Alderman
Lewis present
A resolution was passed authorizing the Comptroller
to issue judgment bonds the city and county Of New
York to the amount OF $4,000 Several transfers OF
moneys from ono department to another were also au
thorzed
THE SEVENTH REGIMENT ARNoRY.
| Comptroller Green offered preamble and resolution
relative appropriation Of $3.50 600 asked for by
the seventh regiment for the purpose Of erecting an
Grmory the ground leased TO them from the city
The preamble sets forth a condensed history Of the
whole matter, which has already been published
The following is the text OF the resolution
Resolved That this Board hereby expresses It's udg
ment that in the present condition of the monetary
affairs Of the city no burden should be imposed upon
the taxpayers Of this city for the purpose OF erecting
buildings for armory and drill rooms for the use OF
the Seventh or any other regiment and that the
Counsel TO the Corporation be instructed 10 oppose by
all proper means the granting of the mandamus sought
for by the Seventh regiment to compel this Board TO
raise moneys By tax 10 build an armory for the Seventh
regiment
when the Comptroller ceased reading his document
Mayor Wickham moved the preamble be left out and
that part OF the resolution directing the Corporation
Counsel oppose by all possible the granting
OF the mandamus alone be adopted.
Comptroller Green strenuously objected The pre-
amble history Of the case, and would,
doubt be useful Court before which the litigation
was pending
The motion 10 strike out the preamble was then put
and lost, Comptroller Green and Commissioner Wheeler
voting in the negative and Alderman Lewis and Mayor
Wickham in the Affirmative.
Alderman Lewis then moved to lay all the table
except the resolution This was lost by the following
vote-Yeas, Mayor Wckham and Alderman Lewis;
nays Comptroller Green and Tax Commissioner
Wheeler
The original motion OF Mayor Wickham to the
resolution then passed unanimously and tho pre-
amble left out
SALARIES OFFICIALS
At the conclusion of the armory squabbe Comptrol-
Ter Green rose and read the following document
FIsAScR DEPARTMENT CoMrTRoLLERs oYPIcE,
Cry or NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 1875. !
TO the BOARD or ESTIMATE AND APPoRTioEMEST:-
1t IS well known that salaries paid to persons en-
ployed and connected with tho city and county
government Notwithstanding the reductions that
have been made sinco 1911 and prior 70 1901 IA many
instances excessive and unequal employe getting
salary thrice greater than another doing greater and
responsible work by virtue OF some special act OF
the Legislature inspired perhaps by the very member
who himself TO draw IL on MS return from Albany
to New York, or Of some ancient resolution
4 hatched ia former Board Of Supervisors,
\ or Common Council, those whilom breeding grounds
OF snecures, big salaries, profligacy and plumber II
was perhaps TO be expected that during period of de-
precated currency and consequent corruption, when
dollar paper was not worth moro than fty cents IN
gold compensation should have risen dispropor-
tonately tie advance of the prices OF living; but
\ when these prices falling 10 near what they were
before the salaries should come down proportion
a.ly Sundry efforts to reduce salaries have been rem
dered fruiess either by reason OF the nonactlon OF
this Board or by constructions placed by the courts
upon statutes which supposed TO have been drawn
10 give power to make sdch reductions. In the com
petition public Office high salaries do not ensure
high Abilities the larger the salary the greater will be
the efforts get the part Of those who have moth
i ing TO do but 20 seek Office
II submit herewith list showing some OF the reduc
tons ia salares that have already been made since the
reform OF 1871, and nearly all OF tncm before the
year 1875 In certain departments of the public service
the compensation is not greater than the abilities
now employed would command in private business and
Is doubtless that there officials In this city
who would not 1nd II difficult TO obtain even higher
rate OF compensation than that awarded TO them
by the city. A compensation fair and just should bo
paid TO the public Official regulated by the amount and
of the labor and responsibilities discharged;
but IL is due to the taxpayers who are now SO heavily
burdened that the expenses Of the city government
should be essened this end that salaries which
still employed and the gross inequalities still existing
between the labors and responsibilities of various
officers and their compensations should be vigorously
+. abated.
RECOMMEND accordingly that where the Board has
the power proceed promptly TO effect these objects,
and that where the Courts have construed away the
power We 20 straight TO the root from which many Of
these extravagances have sprouted and prepare the
equaZaons OF salaries in all departments, branches
and officers OF the city government connected there
with and that this legislation be carefully framed
that the countless bubbles and baT sptDgs that have
and against the taxpayers shall be brushed away, Re-
spectiully, ANDREW h. GREEN, Conptrohcr
The following interesting statement also sub
mitted.-