New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-04
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.

SURPLUS IN IHE SlNhiNp FttND Nii@'+'"'"' -
THE CORPORATION COUNsEBs OFFICE MUS
TIcF AND loss TO THE CITY THROUGH UNEQUAL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF w6GEs--PUBLIC WORK
BY cONTIAcT-TuE FIRE COMMIssIoNERs-THE
PoIlCE DEPARTMENT IN BAD srATE-MoRE
DOCKS NEEDED-FROsPECTs or RAPID TRANSIT
DUTIES or THE COMING WAR.
ExsCUTIvR DEPAaTAnENT, MAyoE's OFFICE
NIw-IO RK, Jan. >, 1876
To the Honorable me Common Council
GENTLEMEN: IN prescribing the duties OF the
the Mayor the City Charter requires him not only 10
recommend to the Common Council, iion time 10 uhie'
oil such he may deem eXpedent buy a'so 10
communicate to yOu at least once year, "A BeDeIh
statement Of Finances Government ana improve
ments Of the City" In compliance with that require
rnt this general statement IS made; and conforming
10 custom it forwarded for your Information at The De-
ginning Of the year. The term OF an Alderman Is
now but year. and begins the first Monday OF Jan
nary This communication Ia addressed therefore 10
a new Board But fortunately fOr tho City,
and IA a guarantee that the duties imposed
upon You win lie discharged with prompncss and nte-
gence. and with proper regard for the interests ~
vowed many Of the members OF the present Board OF
Aldermen have already served with credit In the places
10 which discerning constituency has but recently re-
elected them. and have certain familiarity WIN INC
subjects to which reference must now DC ud'' lHo IT,
ports OF the several Departments mako deiNed STATE
nenseach Of the condition and operations ol the De
parnent from which IL issues; they VIII All reec you III
short time and afford fun information concerning each
Of the matters to which be given here but 6Tie di'
cussOn.
The first communication forwarded by me TO me COM
mon Council January last ended Win the "s7U'ii''
that should cndeayOT 10 perform The hspolSi"io ~"
ties then but Just assumed that, under my adminSao"
"a chief magistrate Improvement in the affairs OF Inc
city might be secured. lam happy TO be able 10 $40"
now that Notwithstanding the difficulties under "hioh 'ne
local government has been carried on during tHe P"S'
year the results attained are IN many respects ana Soiar
orld them. such should G'dluN
all good czans TO that extent, the balcinl uiiences
which controlled the administration OF public anaifs u
ing and for some time after the war have peeh "'e
parled the Government has been conducted upon u7'
ness principles; extravaganza, DECENTRALIZATION anu cor
ruption have checked the standard OF guam anon
for nubliq Office has been made higher; ana puoHo
officers have found who perform th'ir functions
with the fidelity to public trusts While the Sclh'S
of frauds and REGULATIONS committed el'eWItItoF Pu"'
hnctjone1cs are still of shamefdy frequent occurrence
nobody charges That snc things continue here ana II Is
tbo,obt mt nothing ia hazlrdcd in saying that during
the last year. the government of this citycihs as u
does the interests Of the whole country, ANA carried on
with an exuPndture OF millions OF money-nas been al
ministerial with honesty throughout ahd s'ieiiy WIN
economy aaa efficiency.
In Nay lat the Governor special message called
the attention Of the LEGISLATURE 10 the evils arising rom
our present unstable municipal systems and TO the 'x
listing necessity Of adopting permanent ana uhlIoh
Milan for the government OF the cities Of the state Ihtc
ras therruuon adopted q concurrent resolution which
orirnat ID m the Senate and which authorized The Gov
ernor 20 appoint Commission to condef me SUBJECT 10
devise plan, and TO report to the Legislature when
meets tomorrow. A Commission has been appointed
Rccorlinely OF twelve eminent ctzens-chosen nom
various parts Of the state and without distinction as 20
poltcal party. Some Of them have had actual eNpeA
enee Of the difficulties aud defects Of administration in
New-York and Brooklyn, under the various charters
vouchsaf us, nom tire to time, during this genera
ton.
reQaufiv OTr1Uivgl and
exneetcd to proceed with discussions Of the problems
before them SO a. be able to submit the results ofthcr
deliberations to present Legislature If p7Sseo Tor
action A Is no part Of tcF dltss TO devise PROJECT
ofaiaw having special refer nee to The Gay Of N'@lorE
only; but facts from which 10 ach dohGcu0hs 10Y
general law have been hero advertised gn1usy
tan elsewhere in the United States, md have SVEN New
York ar unenviabo notor.ty Throughout tao civilized
world The members OF the Commission may wei
keen rs particularly in mni therefore, a. iy pro- ee
is understood that they VIII couGHc themselves to con-
alteration arst of general scheme 10 secure response
biy in administration in the local government OF cach
Of the many cities OF the State; and second, of measure
OF general application tOI regulating tAe amount ana
character Of municipal debt which may be incurred in
any city While, TIE present state OF knowledge Of the
subject the wiscst and be. informed may doubt the
sucieuoy OF any particular scheme L. secure tHc object
% be aimed in the second inquiry, aad which is re-
Ceivug "a" careful study or cuon'nsi' every"
the difficulties presented uy the first inquiry have been
recently frpqu uty and extensively investigated, and
tae solution has been stated wi,n unauim.ty almost
u1cxampCd.
One Of the most rigorous o, the writers upon he sub
feet Ia, summarized results OF the discussion in an
artlel. published in 1870 leading daily newspaper
withIegarl 90 the charter Of that year, in these words
"TDo principles which any Constitution Of govern
roent for free people must De founded are few simple,
and wei ascegtamcd. They have been fly discussed
and accurately laid down ty eminent pulio5- ard may
be considered as well settled. Among them this: That
there SHAH De single executive head oeatoce The laws,
appantry and removing all his immediate .ujordLates,
tie heads Of departments, who ia u ARC 90 select ana
remove and be responsible 20 Ler chief tleit agents
and sHDJrtiin3tes.'
1ay rc remarked that in addition TO Tic control ex
ercsed over Deal Executive by The observation OF in
telngent citizens to when lie is responsible, ana ~ the
cItclsmS OF enlightened public press, safeguard is
already established aglinst improper exercise Of such
power welc II given him. by the provision Of tie existing
general law which subjects the Mayor himself TO re-
novel ~ tho G0ycruorfOr conduct which is arbitrary
oapFeisus otherwise ObnOSous ~ tie public interests,
or 70 the rights of individuals.
FINANCES.
During the year 1873 there has been . decided inn
provemor VA the finances OF the city as compared with
1874 informed ~ the Controller that during asa
there issued stocks and bonds amounting to 49,,
Oo225S To- and that those falling and paid of in tie
samo time amounted TO but S39,231 I2l o., leaving
Jan L. 1870 an addition Of s0G71 131 IS to the aere
0ate debt But while IN 1879 there issued stocks
and amounting 60 70 SO6,539 62, those falling
due ana pad OF in The safe amounted TO $33,OSS,
27IsZ7J 80 TO the debt The figures Tor the year arc
fOlOws 49,
The sln i Fund 1904 40 G no
B92ds pay aiJe from assess.
merits 700 90 78Gs5co 90
Revenue 3OuGs 2S32249S % 2L891'GG -