New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-24
MUNICIPAL ExrRAVAGANCE.

| government Grave papers presenting this
opinion have been read before scientific DOd-
| les All thoughtful persons realize that H.
crease of municipal expenditure has become
| one of the greatest obstacles to revival OF
national prosperity. The mere interest on
municipal debts, if fully paid, would exceed
$50 O0O, 900 yearly, but that is only small
part of the annual expense involved IN MAIN
tanning city and town governments. 1t mas
been naturally inferred that universal sui
frage was mainly responsible for the remark
able increase of such burdens within the past
few years and inasmuch as very many OF the
voters in every city are persons who own no
property and pay no direct taxes, while many
others are laborers and operatives who move
from place IL place as employment offers, ana
have no fixed and permanent interest IN the
prosperity Of the city in which they vote, II
does not seem unreasonable TO suppose that
expenses and taxes may be greatly increased
through the Indifference of such voters to
the burdens which other citizens apparently
have to bear.
Yet the startling fact appears from British
Parliamentary reports that, considering the
ratio Of increase in population, extravaganza
in debt-creating, expenditure and taxation has
been almostas alarming since 1870 IN that coun-
try as in the United States. The forms of gov
eminent differ widely. Universal suffrage does
not exist in England, and the restrictions which
remain ore such that, If the explanation
usually given of the increase OF debts ana
taxes in this country is correct 1t might be
supposed that British taxpayers wero fairly
guarded against that evil. But 1t Is stated
that the total municipal expenditures IN
England have increased from S149,OOO,-
! 600 in 1871 to $242, 100000 in 1876;
that there. as here, material part
| of the expense has been met by Gre
ating debt 50 that the bonded indebted
ness Of the municipal corporations has in-
creased from $40, 100000 in 1871 to $751;
$4,000 in 1877 and that, moreover, the
taxes annually paid for the support OF local
government have also increased from SlOo'-
100000 in the year 1907 TO Sl42'OOo'-
! 600 in the year iS76-'77 lt is obvious that
! in all respects the burdens of the
community have increased much faster
than the population, which gains very
slowly. Probably per cent IL more
than the increase in population of Great
Britain from 1871 b. 1877, but the increase
in taxation for municipal purposes has been
| 81 . per cent, the increase in debts has been
56.3 per cent, and the increase in aggregate
expenditure 62.4 per cent.
In tins country the increase in Indebtedness.
taxation and expenditure, though not accu-
ratcly ascertaincd. has no doubt been greater,
but the population has also increased very
much more rapidly than in Great Britain.
Prior 10 the war, the population OF this coun-
try advanced about SO per cent in decade,
and though the ratio was smaller during the
war, il has probably been Gt the rate OF
about 80 per cent since 1870, or from Is to
20 per cent during Il period corresponding to
that mentioned in the British comparisons.
corresponding increase OF indebtedness would
have been from about 1878, 600, 0O0-the ag-
cregatc in 1870 including counties whose
oebts are now assumed by cties-to about
$3.50 600. 900. But the latest inquiries by
those who have given most study TO the sub
iect lead to the conclusion that the aggregate
of municipal Indebtedness IN 1870 was not
far from 1000, 100000, and that the
increase in annual expenditure has been
in still greater ratio. In Great Brit
ain the increase of burdens fixed or
annual. has been nearly twenty times the in
crease in population. but in this country only
about eight times as great. Lack OF accurate
statistics, it is probable, alone prevents such
comparison of municipal Indebtedness per
capita, in the two countries and at the differ
ent dates named, as would show that "a very
large il not the greater part OF the municipal
extravaganza in this country must be attributed
TO causes which operate also in Great Britain.
1t may be added that inquiries by German
statisticans show that an enormous increase
IN municipal debts has also occurred in cities
of Italy, Austria and Germany.
Two causes may be suggested which operate
in greater or less degree in all countries of
the Western World. Popular sentiment and
prostration of industries have combined to
make It more difficult In all lands TO raise
large sums by taxation than it was formerly.
At the same time, the marvellous progress of
science has opened many and most costly
methods of improving cities and towns. Rail
roads telegraphs, water works, fire and health
departments, hospitals, public buildings, schools
and school buildings, street pavements and
sewers docks and bridges, all involve
expenditures now which would have been
thought wasteful or would not have been i'm
agined at all only few years ago. A very
considerable part of the present expenditure
OF municipalities IulOuBhoub Iho SNIiNcu
world. Is Tor the satisfaction of wants which
could not be satisfied at all, or in very infe-
rior degree, in years past. Because there is
more occasion for legitimate expenditure in
the improvement of city as place of resi-
dence and centre of commerce and manu-
features, there is also more opportunity for
fraud, peculation, wastefulness, and multiple
cation of offices. To all these causes of in
creased expenditure and taxation. another is