The New York herald., 1877-12-28
A PLEA FOR ECONOMY.

THE COUNCIL OF POLITICAL REFORM ASK THE
BOARD OF ApPoRTIoNMENr TO REDUCE DE-
pARTMENr rsrIMATEs--TELL-TALE FIGURES.
The Council Of Political Reform, represented by
Messrs. Henry N. Beers William H. Webb and o. B.
Potter appeared before the Board OF Apportionmcnt
yesterday for the purpose Of advocating reduction
in the estimates OF tho Police. Park and Education
departments tor the year 1878. lengthy document
submitted, setting forth the reasons why such
reductions should be made The gentlemen contended
that the sum OF s346,oO0 allowed by the provisional
estimates the parks should be reduced to $io Ssl
that the police figures be reduced $3.50 $780, rhe street
cleaning might be we'll done for 500, COO year. They
were authorized to state that citizen OF New York
willing this work a. such price and TO give
adequate bonds TOR the faithful performance Of tho
contract
In connection with street cleaning the document
goes to say :--"Salaries In this bureau are much
oyercstimated. We think no ono who had this work
to do upon his own account woui1 pay sos, $50 Tor
clerk hire and salarias II indeed he paid halt that
amount. Labor is also estimated largely above the
prices Tor the same kind OF work, and largely
above what prudent individual, dong the work
thoroughly and we'll, would pay Tor the same work.
We think such individual would pay or be required
to pay within thirty per cent Of tho amount estimated
We assured tnat the streets OF this city can oe
per year. with pront to the contractor which Will be
lully remuneratve and satisfactory to him. The
records OF tho department show that this work was
done from January 10 May l. 1874, Tor tho sum OF
SlsS,3l2 a. At The Same rate the work for that en-
tire year would have cost s565, ,0o0.'
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
rs to the Board OF Education tho estimates for this
department. are limited by tho Couacil oi Political Kc.
forms TO 81 100 500. The sum o. So v49 500 s as ked
by the commissioners as absolutely necessary 10 pay
the expenses Of running the public schools OF this
city during the coming year. In support this re-
tOlOWS.-s-Ilc
OF Education, created IN 1878, was devised. .avowediy
Tor tnc purpose among other imp tant ends OF pre-
vomiting waste aad extravaganza OF the former De-
partmcnt OF Public instruction. Tho year 1872, tho
last year Of that department. was time memorable
Tor and reckless expenditure OF money,
public and private Inflated prices IN everything pre-
vailed. The value or purchasing power OF
living ard supplies was fully thirty per
greater than now. The very important item or
the department. yielding TO the general demand Tor
higher salaries incident 10 tho times, added by their
vote twenty per cent-in the aggregate $751; 6oo--to
tho teachers salaries OF the previous year. Tho cx-
penditurcs OF the department during that year, in
Guiding addition Of teachers salaries reached the
enormous sum Of $2,SSO,000, and tho department was
done away with Notwithstanding the unprecedented
decline In prices oil u property, real ana PERSONAL III
the cost OF living and OF az supplies and corre-
spending docne in salaries which every where pre-
walls in private business throughout the city, the
Board OF Education continues the advance IN salaries
10 teachers voted in 1872, anu now ask you, in
u time Of unparalleled distress and emDar-
russmcnt, when business and incomes are re-
real estate Is scarcely more nan sufficient 10 pay the
taxes and interest upon the cages upon 1t, 10
grant them TO DO drawn by taxation IRON this COM
munty Tor the pubic schools ia L7S S., 9i9 500. an
ST. 49, 500 greater than expended IN IS72
According to tue report Of the department II cost tho
,,y $50 81 each pupil at the average attendance ia
1877 TINS cost SHOULD now be reduced ut least thirty
cent correspond with the reduced cost of sup
plies and the cost of living. II, however but twenty
per cont DO deducted tho cost for each pupil would
then S2105. At this rate allowing tho average at
tendance lor 1878 TO be instead OF l22 5lS us
1876 amount required tor the pubic schools IN
1878 would be 81, $50 or $i59250 less than
the estimates winch submit In our judg-
practscd in tho expenditure OF the departments DUR
ing 1878 thun was practised under the old system IN
1872 tho cost Of instruction for each pupil should not
exceed $2l Co. or twenty psr cent less than the cost
in 1872 H. however, the entire sum asked be appro-
priated and expended then, upon the average attend
ance OF the cost viii be $31 so Tor each pupil
twonty per cent higher than the cost during the In
aalon and extravagance OF 1872 The present in
creased OF public instruction is due largely, nrst,
tho continuance OF tue inflated salaries voted in
Of teachers OF the higher grades. The salaries
OF tho principals alone amounted the last year TO
s45 864 nearly the whole Of which II is believed may
be saved without injury 10 the schools The salaries
assistants OF the Normal College amount TO $557, 60o
which nearly oncthird OF the whole sum paid to the
3,2S7 teachers"
DEPARTMENT..
The OF $2ig, SSl is considered ample by these
gentlemen for taking care OF tho parks anu IMPROVING
the Twenty bird and Twenty fourth wards.
Commissioner Martin addressed the Boara REdS
again explained the necessity for each item Of his cs
mate.
The opinion Of the Council OF Political Reform MS to
Park Commissioners williamson, Bissnger aud steb-
bins En-