The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-02
ECONOMIC TOPICS.
THE QUESTIONS AFFECTING THE PROSPERITY OF
NEW YORK THAT WE'RE DISCUSSED BIZ NUM-
CIPkI. soIONs LAST NIGHT.

THE QUESTIONS AFFECTING THE PROSPERITY OF
NEW YORK THAT WE'RE DISCUSSED BIZ NUM-
cIPAL soLoNs LAST NIGHT.
An important conference OF the Municipal Society
with members Legislature was held In one Of tho
parlors OF the Fifth Avenue Hotel last evening
Among the members OF the Municipal Society present
were Mcssrs Jackson s. Schultz, Dorman B. Eaton,
T. b. Thurber, Isaac Bell. Ex-Governor Dix, Oswald
Oitendorier Sinclair Touscy, Joseph Scgman, Charles
watrous, ALBION T.. Manu-, Henry r. Spauding and John
IL Hall The only members Of the Legislature present
were Messrs. l. l. Hayes, A. J. Campbell, W. l. Graf
and Hamilton Fish, Jr
Ex-Governor DIX was chosen Chairman, and spoke
of the corrupt legislation which Is annually directed
upon this city.
Toe nrst subject under consideration was the ques.
ton prison and pauper labor with reference 10 Gov
ernor rdcn's veto Of the bill
Mr. ottendorier SAID that the pauper and penal in
stitutions OF the county l.ttc better than high
schools OF vice. This is mainly because those COM
mit,ed not asked TO work. He said some
ure should be substituted in the place OF the recently
vetoed bill, providing Tor the points II covered.
Mr.. Sinclair Touscy said that the average number OF
unproiuctivo prisoners who have been maintained at
OF rs cents 10 20 cents per day per capita was
1000 Tor the last fifteen years. The claim 10 that the
cmploymcn OF prisoners, the bill provides would
be prejudicial the honest workmen ALI
other prisons in the State managed the prin
clpe oil employing tho prisoners and the system is
wrong IN tho city u equally wrong throughout the
State. As TO tho reormatory features oil the bi II
be clear that discipline could DO enforced better
by nnding employment for the inmates.
Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, who also q member OF
the State Bosrd of Charities said the number self
committed persons IN the Amshouse Is yearly grow
ing larger because paupers not worked. They
70 into the public institutions bad, II may be, but
they leave there worse TOR paupcrs and
often permitted TO minge together II the bill offered
cannot become u iaw, understood, an effort
should ut least be made TO provide the means OF in
s.ructing prisoners Ia trades that leaving prison
they may be able 10 sustain themselves by honest
! labor.
Dr. I. l. Hayes said as a member OF the Ways and
Means Committee Of the Assembly, IL was his priv
cge the officers Of all tue prisons OF the State,
and he found, on investigation, that Was absolutely
Impossible 10 make convict labor pay The question
then was how TO treat prisoners Tor rciormatory pur
pcsesy The matter oil passing law that would be an
Improvement On the present system OF grave i'm
portancc and he would advocate any measure recciv
! ing the approval of the gentlemen about him. In
Clinton Prison, rcformaiory in rs way and good
prison. the articles made produce tncm
than they could be purchased Tor Ia open market
Mr. Charles l. Brace said that this State the prison
system ovcrrun by the political system. lie cited
an instance OF prison IN OF the Western States
where the convict given share In the profits Of
his labor, and thus prison was paying institution In
Allegheny city, Pa, l. prison with about 900 m
mates averaging three months sentence, and up 70
this ycar IL not only supported itself but paid annu.
ally $4,000 There doubt la the speakers mind
~ TO whether any prison ought to have a contract
system The labor system should be under the con-
troll OF the management of the prison.
Asscinbyman A. J. Campbell suggested conference
or . committee OF the Municipal Society with Cover
nor ridden practical way out Of the present dim
Guilty IN this matter .
NJ jackson s. schultz called attention TO the next
subjccthe necessity Tor reducing city expenditures
causes viz. the dishonest management OF the bounty
fund during and alter the war and the recent King
robbcrics which much has already been heard.
Al present. he said have too many pubic officers.
our city servants too little work and get much
pay.
Mr. Rush c. Hawkins went municipal abuses OF
various sorts at some length He read statement
showing "a vast tucrcaee In court expenses
nttscn years. Last year tho valuation OF all kinds
Added the dcDt taxes At the present would
sumo this entire valuation IA about seventeen years.
The debt mortgage Of about iour.ccn per
the whole property. With population ABOUT
LOCO 900 New York has Indebtedness greater than
twenty-one English cities which contain population
| OF 6.JS5 la
ON the next qucstion---ssrhc peril to the commerce
OF New York cty from the charges upon IT, v
Mr. Charles l.. smith read short paper showing tne
difference OF the OF hasdng certain commodities
here IRON the cost IA Baltimore and Boston The con
I dition OF tho streets parts Of the city was
partly blame this, aud such, too as 10 pre-
vent carriage altogether IN some places.
Mr. y. ID. Thurbcr spoke on this subject He said -
In the 1915 tho receipts oi New York
20 900 600 bushels less than IN 1874 while the
other ports in 1879 the receipts 0OO O0
and 900, 600 than In 1874 Is II any wonder, IA
the OF such these that business ID unrc
nuuerstlve that rcs estate Is depressed that
builaags Displaying tho ssn 10 ie than Las evc