Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-13
COMMUNICATED.
Retreuchment versus Economy.

There seems to be "a great awakening just
now, 10 certain quarters, about our city hnan'
ces, and, once more, "Retrenchment' is the
cry. 1t is sus piciously near the municipal cleo
ton, but We will dismiss the thought that some
badly has az axe to grod, and grant that some.
thing must be done ut once TO put our money
affairs Oh better footing. What is proposed
The Finance Committee Of the City Council
introduces bill to reduce the numerical force
of the police, aud tells US that this is the pre-
lude to other measures for reducing expenses ;
Xxx suggests having but Que collector Of taxes,
aud wants general decrease Of salaries, and
AZ investigation iuto affairs at the Aims House.
The first is an experiment Which can do us no
harm to try, for il we 6nd ourselves lu>utilce nt
y protected by sixteen ueu, We can easily en-
gage sixteen more; but the matter Of the col
ector is one about which more caution Is ueces-
sary The ELECTION Ut taxes constitutes our
income, and if We decrease that income live or
ten thousand dollars, no saving 10 expenditure
we can hope to make will help US. do not
know, exactly, what the present collectors re-
ceive, but will assume that 1t Is ST 200 each,
and that they collect $45 On0 each. Now ii We
have but one collector at 81 200 aud he collects
Tut $4,000, we lose $500. The present col
lectors have raised more money Tor Us han any
OF their predecessors, and is it not best for US to
''let we'll enough alone ?" True, Que collector
night collect more than tWo but is il likely
that he will do 50 is not the Contrary probable?
If all tax payers paid up promptly, there would
be plenty of money in the treasury ii you
make the percentage, for collecting half what
it is you take away half the collectors induce
ments to make them do so. Au investigation
into the management Of the Aims Housc,-or
auy other branch Of the public Servlcc,-can
do 90 harm but the reduction Of the salaries
of our present under paid officials may; we
can, no doubt, get somebody to fill each of our
Offices at any price It may please Us to OTTER, out
eau We re. the capacity and the tntegrity we
have. Three hundred and SteatWgS-nay be
a much greater salary than five hundred or
even a thousand dollars. II there are any
s'necueS, abolish them, by all means, but re-
member that 1.-THE laborer is worthy of his
hire" Small savings on petty salaries won't
save US if we arc iu danger OF financial ruin; 1t
is of no use to ''hold on TO the splgot, while We
''let 60 at the bung hole, by continuing our
present method Of disbursement. lille half
dozen or dozen officials, and as many chair
men Of committees with power to act, can
ulTeCG luC AuultUl W IoeuS hio "e' 'oo. io'
whatever they think proper to expcnd, We have
only their personal honesty between US and
fraudulent expenditure; and we all know there
have been dishonest men elected to office, as
there may be again. Even now, can We be sure
that all these dozen or two OF people expeod
the money judiciously2 If We caD, We have
been Fortunate indeed in our selection OF officers.
| am not much of fnarcier (wcre | such a
one as George Peabody or Rot hschiId | don
think | could understand the 6uances of our
Corporation, but it seems to me that the way
to make proper estimate is to see what money
We have received from a certain tax, on al
average, for several years past, and then APP
portion and appropriate that amount Tor the
several items OF expenditure necessary, letting
no man spend more than is appropriated, eth.
er to make toierable streets mpassable, or to
give jobs to his friends. If We do this. and BY
conforming strictly to the law in our assess
ments and tax bills, put ourselves 10 position to
make every man pay his taxes, we shall soon
be 10 better 6oaucial condition without starry
log our officials. AAA