The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-08
DR00ELYN'S GOVERNMENT.
Mayor Howell Desires Economy and
Reform in the City Affairs.
STARTLING DEBT STATEMENT.
East River Bridge, Cheap Schools and Steam
on the Horse Railroads.

Message TO the Board of Aldermen yesterday alter
noon He says that The time ms come when those
who arc honestly DESTROYS OF enforcing economy In
public affairs address themselves the business
OF the present and to making the future better than
the past IL count upon your cooperation" the
Mayor continues, "and I invoke that OF my fellow
citizens OF all parties TO tho end that tho welfare OF
Brooklyn may be promoted" He urges that the
powers exercised by the chief magistrate OF the
city should be enlarged and clearly de-
fined that he shall DO Ia position
to exercise all the powers Of his olice
IRON the day Gu which he the responsibilities
OF his position. Each succeeding Mayor should have
the power OF selecting at the beginning of his term
all OFFICIALS whose appointment Is intrustcd TO tho
Mayor From the officials recently appointed the
Mayor says be 'cannot even expect from them that
sympathy attachment aud cooperation which the
head Of u governments has right to count on IRON
those serving with him. Many OF these exercised an
unquestioncd right in preIorring another candidate
than him for tho Office of Mayor, and 1t would be
strange they should LABOR show by The result that
they made no error in judgment in dong SOP
ECONOMY STRONGLY ADVOCATED.
Consolidation ofthe departments Is strongly urged.
The structure Of tho city government can DO mado
more simple and less expensive than It now Is. The
variety OF officers now employed in the same kind OF
services source Of inconvenience to the pee pie
having business with the city and Is an unnecessary
expense. The and OF all ntrusted with local official
responsibility In securing legislation Is invoked
to enable Brooklyn 10 wipo out the depart
mcnts OF Auditor, Collector Of Taxes, Registrar
of Arrears ole Taxes and Registrar Of the
Water Department. The Mayor says:-"Thc
iolly and extravaganza Of this duplicating complex
aud oxlravagant system have long been manifest 70
those who have given their attention TO The subject
In the event o! tho proposed changes all claims
against the city will be subjected to the inspection of
the department IN charge, uId of tho Comptroller and
OF the Mayor besides having In the first place to DO
authorized by tho Common Council" The extnc-
ton OF duplicated service the above connection
Will, tho Mayor confidently believes elect saving to
asked that tho Common Council prepare DilI pro.
viding Tor tho consolidation OF the hsca Department.
and to petition the Legislature To enact II
into law s,ngle-headcd commissions are ad-
vocated Tor tho duty OF supervising The depart
ani o, % aa 81 n
"Tne departments mentioned possess only minis
teral ANA executive powers and these can Ue better
discharged by one man than by three" reduction
OF about 200 per annum cau DO ELECTED Ia tn
salary list by this exchange
The repeal OF the laws now In force diverting per-
centase OF the excise revenue from the city treasury
for the benefit oil the lnebriatc Homo and other
With regard to local improv cments the most con-
sentative policy should be f0lowoG Assessments for
local improvements should be collected before any
work Is done or any bonus Issued No improvement
OF that nature should DO undertaken by city until
tDree.fourths OF the aggregate amount OF the
mont shall have been collected aud paid inSo
the treasury.
ON STATE TAXATION.
On the injustice in State taxation tho Mayor thus
strohgiy eApresses himself - Ets,iL
The injustice In the matter of State taxation which
strance and complaint from ull VINO III any way OH
cally represent our taxpayers Tho Of the
arc. by usage not by law, apporioned and levied
cording TO the Valuations OF properly made by the
local assessors IN these various counties. Those
SCISSORS are required TO make oath to their apprasas
Nevertheless the startling fact has for years been
known and declared to Tho Disgrace Of the state Of
New York, that while the assessed Valuations the
cities OF Now York aud Brooklyn approach closely ~
the value Of their property those OF tho
other counties average Dut little excess Of
i've per Of that value. Without stoppng
comment upon the widespread aud complicated
perjury presented TO WV ty this fact II becomes APP
that IN consequence OF this tse uneq ual
system OF valuations the TWO chief cities compel
to pay twice ana three iisnes much Of tho state
taxes sh0dd iairly and justly fall upon them. Tins
oil u faulty system Tor taxing personal property,
which, though ngatly enforced In the cities meets
9Th lttio RESPONSE from the rural districts tho
State, that II may be sud to bear upon the cities alone
THE DEBT
The permanent debt OF Brooklyn amounts TO
SCI 283, 922 45, and the aggregate amount tho tom
porary debt Sl0 1913 0OO The tux certificates issued
IN anticipation OF the payment OF taxes IN course Of
collection which item rs designated 'ncidental
temporary debt,' 10 $500, 600. There has been,
compared Win last year, net Increase ~ the per-
munent debt of 1866 500 In the temporary ionp
account there decrease of $175 00O while there has
been TIC ncrouse IN the sinking fund OF $50 6l7 o.
that the pet abity OF the city Is $685. ss2 Of
advanced n toward tbs ' Eas. River Bridge g.
The Mayor says nc holds nimseh committed TO resist
any enlargement W the debi, apart from the conribu
iion TO the bridge, except under pressure OF an abso
Lutte necessity.
The repeal Of the per cont act OF 1876 also
accommodated.
fl. 40 EDUCATIONAL LUXURY
On the subject OF puohc education tho Mayor aivo-
Gates the elimination Of all mere educational luxury
from the school sysem.' II s the duty Of the state
to Afford tue opportunity to every child OF acquiring
PLAIN, rudinentary English education bur no thing
more. stop should be put the erection OF costly
aud cxtrayAgant school houses and there should be
no more high saiar,cd tcacners employed Ho ia
avcrse TO Increase OF tho present police force He
deprecalos the expenditure oi $4,000 per year Tor
tho maintenance OF the Health department, which
latter IN 1870 d,d not cost more Than $4,000
RIyEI BRIDGE
To Tho East River Bridge Mayor Howell alludos In
the following tcrins:-
Tho progress ia Tue work OF building tho great
bridge over tue Eas, River during the past year has
been .aosi satisfactory. and aIsnrs speedy compile
ton OF that great work and consequent limitation of
tho heavy drain which It's cost has been upon the
finances OF shc cry. Ana II the an. clpations Of MS
projectors and advocates shall be realized We shall
soon begin 10 reap the benos ana the increase Ia The
material prosperity o the CITY which arc expected TO
resut IRON APPLETON. To hasten that consuIn-
nation | trusl lnat tho wogk of CONSTRUCTING tho
bridge approaches will DC pushed as rapidly ny pos
siDlt hope tho tno is not Tar distant when your
honorable body vail bo called 10 acyisc system
OF tolls for the bridge. winch, who not resiricling
IL usv At all wi enable ie two cilies ~ realize air
I
The project TO erect puDic market a. the waila-
bout. which has been under discussion Tor several
years, no regards rs ''nefo cxper.nen and he does
not favor tue proposition, whIcA would IlvDyo Ile
expenditure OF SlOJO.O00 For the present tempo
Fary building Tor market purposes could DO put ut
an expense NOT cxrecd.ns s1v.t)u uno thousand two
hundred and seventy buildings were erected IA Brook
gn last year tbs assesaed yaise Of whsea 800
Tho Mayor says no mas observed wth great interest
tho experiments being made " Introduce lhe uso
Of cars propelled by steam CA our street railroads
He viii encourage M reasonable and proper efforts ia
that direction. swirl communicaton within the city
limits and the ferries is absolute necessity, "
Brooklyn ~ 10 compete With tho other surrounding
OF Now YORK los share OF tLc oyefaow OF popu.
iation OF the latter city.
pRocLEDIsCs OF THE ALDERMEN