The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-19


Fact To he Remembered.
We do not suppose there is single citi-
zen of New York outside the professional
politicians who will not admit that thirty
two million dollars a year is too large sum
to expend ON the municipal government,
and that by proper economy that amount
might be greatly reduced without impairing
the efficiency of the public service Indeed,
no person doubts that the reduction OF all
commissions to single head. the CONSOLE
dation or adjustment of unnecessary
bureaus and the simplifcation OF the bust
ness of the several departments, especially
-four complicated financial system, would
give US q much more vigorous and effective
city government than we now possess, and
at about one-half of the present cost. Take,
for instance, two departments which are
VIGOROUSLY incapably managed--the Health
and Dock departments. We find the former
with an appropriation of over two hundred
thousand dollars for the current year, and
with an army of worthless employees whose
positions are virtually sinecures. Thirty
good men, at salaries Of two thousand dollars
a year each, could, with the cooperation Of
Health Department far better than it is done
by the present officers, and could give the
city that protection against disease which it
now fails to receive The Dock Department
asserts its independence Of the Board OF
Apportionment, and claims the right to con-
troll it's own expenditures. But by the last
January return it shows list of over
hundred salaried employees, drawing one
hundred and forty thousand dollars year,
besides over one hundred and eighty per-
sons who are paid by the hour, prolific
source of public robbery under the old
against leakages at the present time. Some
idea ofthe sort of services for which the
people are made to pay in this depart
ment may be gathered from the fact
that among the employees are four cooks on
dredges and scows who receive the first class
wages Of five hundred and fifty dollars a
year each--a litsle over forty-fve dollars a
month. Yet these two departments are only
fair specimens of nearly all the others under
the city government.
The necessity of economizing in these ex-
travagant expenditures was recognized by
the last Legislature, and four or five bills
were passed to accomplish that desirable
object. Unfortunately they oil met defeat
in the Executive chamber, the Governors
principal reason for refusing to allow them
to become laws being based on the plea that
they did not receive the assent of q majority
of the representatives from the city OF New
York. The conclusive answer to this special
pleading of course was that the New York
members represented not the city, but Tam
many Hail. that the Tamlnany Hall de-
mocracy holds possession of the city
departments and is responsible for
their exorbitant expenditures, and that
Tammany Assemblymen would no more
favor reduction of the political patronage
of the city departments now than Tammany
Assemblymen would have voted to tie up
Tweed's hands when he was robbing the
city eight or nine years ago. But, without
criticising Governor Robinson's unfortunate
vetoes, we desire to point out that so long
as he continues in Office it will be impossi-
BILE to secure any reform or honest economy
in the New York municipal government if
majority of Tammany Assemblymen are
allowed to represent the city at Albany.
If the Governor desires to be consistent he
cannot sign any bills to reduce our heavy
city burdens next year, unless they receive
the support of majority of the city men,
bers, and it is certain that no Tammany
representative will vote for dollars reduc-
ton of the present political patronage Of the
municipal departments.