The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-18
On the Wrong soens.

The eight respectable authors Of the four
column address ITO the Democratic Elec-
tors of the City and County Of New York,
which was published in yesterdays HERALD,
deserve credit for industry even If they
have not made any valuable addition to the
political history of the city or originated
any remarkably brilliant ideas in the
theory of municipal government No per-
son has right to deny them hearing as
volunteer administration reformers on the
ground that many of them are soreheaded
politicians, who were never known to OBJ
ject to holding Office, and if their sugges-
tions possessed any practical value we
ought not to reject them on any cavil as to
the motives by which they may have been
prompted. Indeed, men who would have
no objection to receive the highest
salaries paid by the city government
if they were in the list of Ems" very fire.
quently make the most enthusiastic
apostles of retrenchment and low salaries
when they take their position in the discon-
ISOLATE ranks Of the ''outs." But the '.dem-
ocratic citizens party"-if that be their
name-offer the citizens no information that
they did not possess before and no reme-
dies for existing evils that have
either novelty or genius to recon-
mend them. They do, however, mani
fest desire to create O new political
party of which they may be the leaders,
and in this they greatly mistake the real OBJ
ject of those of our citizens who are sim
cerely DESTROYS of securing an efficient and
economical city government. The people
are tired Of political philanthropists, and.
would prefer to work out reform in their
own way rather than to trust the business
in the hands of veteran wirepullers with
ofice-seeking proclivities, however public
spirited and prolix they might be-
There is no doubt that rigid economy is
desirable in our municipal expenses, and
that the city government if conducted on
strict business principles could be run at
much less than its present cost But the
taxpayers would not have very encourag-
ing prospect before them if they had TO look
to the annually recurring soreheaded reform
movement for the relief they SO much re-
quire. The true remedy lies in securing the
services of honest, faithful and capable
men as administrative officers, who will
bring intelligence and fidelity to the dis
charge of their duties and shape our whole
government in conformity with the public
interests. The mere pairing down Of sala-
ries is picayune reform, only useful as q
campaign cry. We want 10 stop all needless
expenditures in the city government, and,
OF the same time, to promote all needful
improvements and foster all judicious
public enterprises. We have done
much better recently than for many
previous years. Considerable reductions
have been made in the Finance Department,
the Department of Taxes and Assessments
and the Public Works Department In the
latter the expenses of 1876 ana 1877 were
seven million dollars against thirteen mill
ions for the two preceding years. The debt
shows decrease for the first time in many
years. The statement of the new political
party that the debt is now one hundred and
forty million dollars is incorrect Less the
| sinking fund and revenue bonds it is about