New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-07
TIE LABOR QUESTION.
NEED OF REDUCING CITY EXPENDITURE

REPORM-EXPEysEs OF THE C0URTs-UNEQUA
| OUTLAWS FOR CLERK HIRE AND OTHER sALA-
RIEs IN THE DEPARTMENTs-TnE DECREASE or
TIE LABORERs' WAGES.
paper on the need Of retrcnchmcnt in city
expenditures and themes suggested by the recent re-
duction Of the OF city WORK was submitted
by the Executive Committee the Council OF Political
Reform and approved and adopted by that body at
the last meeting OF the The report is prcaced
follows:
The change recently made in the adjustment Of wages
pad to the laborrs employed by the city has attracted
nch attention, and has been used by professional poll
ticiahs to serve their purposes by creating dssas
faction among the laboring classes and emberng them
trOdlce retrenchment In some branches of the public
service 1t seems therefore proper that organization
form and To arouse sound public opinion should take
notice OF this question, and with this view the Executive
committee submit the following statements and recon-
nchdaOns Tor the consideration and approval OF the
| Council
TIE FINANCIAL CONDITION or THE CITY.
paper recently published under the auspices OF the
Council has shown the financial condition OF city and
has stated the following facts, which may well starte
every Taxpayer:
In 1854 our municipal debt was s33,769,Gol Ga, and
the annual expense Of our city government $500 o93
OF debt, and $50 3l2.s16 49, annual expenditure.
rms debt Is equivalent TO mortgage upon every piece
the annual interest alone this debt greater than the
whole tax levy of twenty years ago.
!
TINES what It was 30 years ago! Yet instead Of falling
on as should the tax rate is now six times what it was
in this city now as it was 80 Years ago. While the tax per
mead OF inhabitants has risen in this period from ~ 80
as high now as then This is ono Of the reasons why
T n ana other expenses Of living in are nEn
! ana why commerce languishes
oar municipal expenditure WI! this year reach
on our debt and for the citys share OF the State taxes
leaving $1GOO0,0OO for current expenses, -
sary or mat the credit OF city, which Ia now mostly
sustained by the laws which allow savings banks to in
must be utterly destroyed These nchents be
nad' II the affairs Of our city managed upon correct
business principles.
REVISION OF SALARIES AND WAGES.
To introduce them, there should thorough revision
OF salaries and wages in every department of City
Government, and u material reduction made IN many
OF public Offices there is great want Of such rcy
sion and equalization. In departments
boolkcepcrs and clerks receiving salaries OF
! formed in other departments for $1,000 aud
grade vary for the same class of work Iom 81 900 up to
! 5000 There few who do not receive more
With these exceptions tic entire clerical force are recrv-
ing from 20 mp to 100 per cent higher than are
while Il Is almost needless to al that the services Of
large Number could b. entirely dispensed with.
EXPENSE or THE COURTS.
Our courts rcudcr good service but carried on at
fearful pens.
The Supreme Court has five judges at $1,000 each
and 1G attaches with salaries ranging from 800 to
! $500
The Court Of Common Pleas has six judges at $4,000
each, and 81 attaches with salaries ranging nom S-Oo
The superior Court has six judges ~ 5000 each and
40 attaches with salaries 1ng from 81 ZOO To TOolo
The Marine Court has six judges at $4,000 each and
IS attaches at salaries ranging from Loo u Si,uO
The Court Of General sessions has two lulys al H.,
600 and A. attaches with salaries from $1,000 to 900
The surrosaes Cont has one Jaisr at fi2'ooo' ana
There ten district tolrS win one Judge 10 eacn
a salary OF j. 900, and go attaches with s'ai les from
81 200 t. - 800. There arc ecy Police Court ju'ig
at 5000 eacl aud IL attaches, with salaiei iiom
fir salaries Of tie judges elected by the people cannot
he reduced during ne term Tor when lhey ntlt pr"
l,rte srd those Of appointed JUDGES without less-
least one; uild uunbcr might b" 'pehSed WIN,
and the balance would not tn'n nave Ia LABOR hedfy rs
hard hong tIey would nave To "o Ill Utmost any
Tne members OF the Board OF Aldermen, who are in
tlirt hours per week, receive ToOo per
nurIIin vh n,,ilbis of the legislature receive but
ri 500 per and are In SESSION. upon AN average
100 days.
CHANGES IL III III SALARIES NEEDED
Tn fine opinion Of your Committee, reduction and
EQUALIZATION of salaries can be made, together with re-
duction the nulOcr persons employed, which woulh
rc,;uca on current expenses from SlG,OOoOoo down 70
40 900 900 the first year. AMI doubtless iurtner reuuc-
lion can he made from time 10 time. THESE chanses
shnud beeiu among highs aIcd oIlcilH, 10 Wholi
n REDUCTION in salaries would be less embarrassing, aud
vet save "A large amount 10 the Guy. ,c.,. an,
our rulers, however, have thousht uil'ioh.y' ~
have beuu their lctrcichnen by Changing me WAGES o.
,hnrrrs eluploved by the city from ~ per day Oh clshI
h,mrs 10 20 cents per hour OF work This mode OF pay
noun noun ,res eht hours work - to $ Co., but, As
thc men are liberty 10 wOrK more tuu ciSn, l'a,
they can the amount aS ptIuIc' Win wv ''''
will receive - per cent more WORK ior 'ne sho "'Ho
xo INJUSTICE IN THE DECREASE or WokNMEN > PAf'
That there is no injustice undue hardship 10 inc
ahorer in this change be best shown by comparing
thor preent pay with the wages paid for sinar services
| ny some large private employers OF LABOR
ON Feb the Hudson River and Harlem railroads re-
d1ed the WAGES OF tracm,n below Harlem B1"se 10
81 20 per day of ten hours, and also redca anc N"
her of men in repair gangs from s'',h 10 NV
v,rs Iild.ts i'm III fr,iit parts OF Tire citY Tor worn
in rearing down oil bdloIgs and eAcaNhuhg lor Ne
n.. MAJ ,ri ii 80 To Il per day ol ~ HOURS 'I"'i
il laborinIs and Ia degree skilled rVu'Nc ~
- uer ,ly 10 hours 81 "a crl,- lc I'u ~ ,,'s
| cn tne Last River Brdg' receive To- l'2 Ill" ~ '
! and work 10 hours pr day ,i,o rov.
The eIty a'mrcrs receive therefore under thc new
rc,,l,tiun, on the average higher wages lot ING SIN
hours OF work than they could earn II clhPoy'u 49,
sin,,tar work nv private corpuiatiols or liNlu'iI >,
Vile IL il undoubtedly that our public WORKS
frequently two men are rmihog c,a , 10 uo - ny an
While Your COMMIT tee regret tiia the authorities nay
thought proper 10 coinncice ihls he's>Ni9 1.
menf from below place Ot ftOlh ABOVE 5ct INC
Itself deserves our hearty support ain hppI",,
laborin GLASSES much lnterrSc, III an 's"io'.
management ~ our city affairs a. tHc i-N'
Their savings slt ia the cat! pVilur' anu win
he In,n,ir,.d by IA lowering OF the credit Oi tue clla
They hnve To b,ar large proportion 81 our hea'! ,aH
i'm having high rents and Ia aynS higher prices loi .n'
n,rrstis of lie than wOld have Ia pay IL III.
faxes were 1t Therefore, tLelr l4tcis. ai
NJ of ri other Soo ctleis I" sui', NV md
firm which has been attempted III the cnll'oyn'ht ah
n,,,urnt OF abur.rs on our public works and 10 iiiss'
init if STALL not stop here, but snail be extended 10 every
! department OF our city government
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