The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-27

Mr.. Porter makes one point bearing up
on the future management of the financial
affairs of cities which is very striking. II
Is that debt and taxation have increased
fastest in the large cities. To prove this
point he takes the cities of New York,
Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Cincinnati,
BIT. Louis, Baltimore, San Francisco, New
Orleans, Brooklyn, Louisville and Pitts
burg and ands the following results;
1875. 1866
Municipal debt....... s436, G0s,1to $i52 065,sTT
AS essed valuation. 4,Oos $50 9sl 2,sOo,s42,ooO
f fsnHst s ssssSs 'sSi 81
The story which the above figures tell is
made more striking by the following per-
centsges
Aggregate increase of valuation. "a
Aggregate Increase OF taXatlon.... SO
Aggregate Increase OF population. SO
Amount VI debt per capita OF popu-
laton' '.'''''.'t','''..,..,.. So6 90
Mr.. Porter then takes twelve smaller
cities, only one of which has a population
of over 10000, and finds these results
Municipal debt. ,.,..., sll,Gs5,OGo s5,sS9, gis
Assessed valuation..... SS95,9l3 E6 l30,Ti4
Annual taXation....,n,. 3,43i,22T 1,645 OS2
Population. ............... 44ii2l 1851
The percentage of the above exhibit is
as follows:
Aggregate increase OF valuation. l2l
Aggregate increase OF taxation. los "
Aggregate Increase OF population. 40
Amount debt per caplt.. ......".... S26 so
The Lesson to be derived from the above
illustrations is that the debts Of cities with
large populations, under the management
of dishonest politicians and corrupt riDgs,
houo hmm ~
To counteract this evil and remove the
danger incident to municipal control by a
mass of ignorant voters who have no inter-
est in the financial management further
than to have the greatest possible expend-
ture, the writer advocates the constitu-
tional amendment now pending in New
York, which restricts the election of Of
ficers managing municipal finances to such
voters as are property owners or rent
payers to a certain extent.
The writer further shows that the twelve
largest cities OF New York have an aggre-
gate debt of $205 100000 This sum re-
presents yearly interest of about S12, 000,-
000, which is $4,000 900 more than the
entire appropriation for the state govern
| ment. The large cities of Pennsylvania
are considerably better off, while those of
this state show a much better condition
than either New York or Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Porter made application to $50 cities
for statistics and received returns from 1870
Estimating the others, he places the indebt-
edness of the cities of the United States at
$1,000, 100000, or half as much as the ma
tlonal debt. He also estimates the annual
expenditure of these cities to be $220 co.,
600, or less than $40, 1000, 600 under that OF
the national government. And what is
more noticeable, not to cay appalling, the
returns indicate that this immense sum il
increasing at the rate of $50, 1000, 600 year
| to the interest account.
The above facts are of character which
should lead the tax payers of cities to turn
their attention 20 municipal affair, and nc
longer leave the voting for city officers tc
q class of people who have no interest in
the welfare or prosperity of municipalities.
At the present times municipal finances are
more important matters to tax payers thar
those pertaining to the federal government.