The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-22
Pronigate Expenditures in the Legisla-

Tho annual cost Of running the Lcgis-
laturc, II the phrase be allowable has adj
vancod enormously within tho last twenty
or thirty years. One OF the larger items
OF this advance has arisen from the gradual
increase in the number Of employees Of the
Senate and Assembly In 1915 the num-
Der was %, aud their pay was S6532 In
1850 tho number was "a, and their componsa-
ton $lO,127. The advance then went for
ward with rapid step, session by session, till
IN 1865 they numbered 1886. and their aggre-
gate pay was $42,7OO.
We then approached tho dawn OF the
TWEED regime, when corrupt Democrats
and venal Republicans joined hands at Al
bany and elsewhere TO plumber tho people.
The number OF lecches in the chambers and
corridors OF tho Capitol steadily increased
with every session OF the Legislature till
1871, the eliminating point in the rulc Of the
Democratic and Republican combination
when the employees Of the Senate and As
scmbly stood at 1913, and their compensation
at 1921, s93 As the Legislature only CON
tanned 100 members, this was giving to each
| Of them two servants TO wait on him.
In the autumn of 1871 TWEED fell and APP
peared no moro in the Senate, while his
Democratic and Republican associates in
crime gradually dropped into obscurity or
escaped beyond seas. This tom OF cxpcndi-
turc then began to decrease little till at
the session OF 1875 the number Of employees
was l04, and their compensation s7O,9l7. But
Immediately thereafter it took a start up
ward, and in 1877, the last year for which
| the figures are officially announced, the cm-
ployccs were l33 and their pay $4,000. We
understand that the unofficial figures for
1878 run still higher
| This expenditure is n swindlc. Tho at
| tempt thus far this session TO reduce il has
been rohuflcd and rdicuIcd, notably by Mr..
SrRAHAN, a Republican member Of the As
sombly from this city. Tho number OF
members OF the Legislature Is precisely the
same now that II has been for a long period
but the employees are more than four times
as numerous, and their pay eight times a.
large, as they were, for example in 1850.
1t is hollow prctcncc, the offspring OF
| ignorance or rascality, to try to excuse this
| increase by asserting that it is owing to She
increase of business before the legislature.
Very little more aid Of the kind in question
Is needed to transact it's legitimate business
now than was required thirty years ago.
| The advance is really due TO tho successful
efforts OF Senators and Asscmbiymcn TO feed
| their Tctaincrs and seryitors at the public
| crib.
The Republicans have been mainly re-
| sponsihe for these expenditures, for their
party has controlled both branches OF the
| Legislature for the larger share Of the time
during which they were incurred. And it
does not become their leaders to stigmatizc
efforts 10 retrench in this particular as a re-
form IN candle ends and cheese parings
Those who can stoop low enough to steal
candle ends and cheese parings should stand
up with bold brow and plead TO tho indict-
mcnt.
Mr. SrRAHAN did not meet the issue the
other day when he tried to defend Rcpubl-
can prolgacy in this line Of expenditure by
showing that it was larger in two years of
| TwEEDs time than in any two years be-
fore or since. He forgot that the Repub-
Leans shared with TWEED in the plumber
and, moreover, that the fallen Boss went 10
the penitentiary was harasscd and impoy-
erished by civil and criminal suits, and final
| ly died in Jail while some Of his associates
made restitution in money, and others stll
wander as fugltves In foreign lands. When
| the WINsLows, the WOODS, tho WooDINs,
and their copartnors have in like manner
cXpiatcd their offences, then the Republicans
in the Legislature may better intcrposo the
TWEED case by way of set-or TO their own
reckless waste Of the peoples money.