The New York herald., 1879-11-25

spent upon it had to be met by taxation. as. In
that event, 1t must be-"
But viii not Brooklyn have to meet the interest
on the bridge debt after more money Is expended
and when the bridge is hnished?
"Brook,yn will them have. Offset. the ind1rect
advantage tile completion OF the bridge will give her.
When was in the Bridge Board kept constantly in
revenue from the bridge. believe tho bridge Will
be complete but il will not be unless 1t re-
turns aiIect revenue which will. in short time
pay the interest its cost The bridge Will be SUD
stantay free to those who choose to walk over 1T or
provide their own conveyances; but revenue must
be obtained from the railroad companies which will
use the bridge aud from the of transportation
provided by the bridge trustees themselves.
1T would seem. then. that Brooklyn Is not In worry
much danger, after all, hnanciallyY'
"There il no danger that cannot be Offset by vig-
lance. prudence aud courage on the part of those
of her present system of dealing her property
owners and taxpayers there is danger, and danger
which could end only In the ruin OF the city's
nnuncal credit. and II crash came then, 1t would
carry down with it all our individual interest"
A LOCAL PUFF.
"What Is your opinion of your local government
Mr.. Kinsella? Is 1t getting BETTER worse?'
"lt is getting better. The tax rate was SO II two
Formerly We paid our policemen $500 q year. Brook
yn was brought within the old metropolitan police
and later on to sl.1oo year: the pay of other en-
ployes was "levelled up IN proportion. Two
sn siasss caused AUS % reduction ' Of the pay of the
policemen to $1,000 and that of hremen to
$500. One OF the officials who was held responsible
for this reduction was u candidate for Comptroller
last fall. and the policemen. fremen, &C.. took
credit for defeating him. The politicians Oh both
sides got frightened. The last Legislature increased
the pay OF the remen to the old rates. advanced the
salaries OF police captains and roundsmen. and then
provided that the local authorities should not in the
future interfere with them. This year the tax
payers and sclf.supporting citizens kept their own
interests in view. and while Mr.. Howelrs former
associate in the Board Of Estimate defeated last
year. Howell himself elected by large majority
this year. BY comparison with New York.
Brooklyn is cheaply governed city. For
is within four million dollars. while that
OF New York is twenty-eght millions
OF course we have not New York's resources and We
cannot pay sucn salaries she does. We want
them and pay anything like the pay New York can
afford. II the Legislature would let us alone and
give to the people of Brooklyn under some general
law the to manage their own local affairs Brook
lyn would be well able to take care of itself--no
city BETTER
Your city charter is to your liking, is it not?
'No; in some respects the government of our city
is clumsest OF that OF any city in the State We
ments occupying different Offices. New York has
one Finance Department and one City Works
Commissioner-we have three Commissioners.
partment of Audis," as We do. Brooklyn
has never wholly got rid Of its village system Of
government When tho department of Audit
meant simply an officer to examine bills against the
city it did not make much difference whether the
auditor an independent officer o clerk in the
Comptroller's Office; but auditor with depart
ment and whole staff of employees is, think, .
novelty under o city government. Comptroller is
an auditor and an auditor audits the Comptroller"
"rhen, in word. the financial situation OF Brook
lyn is such to cause grave apprehension but 1t Is
also far this side Of actual bankruptcy that its
salvation is possible with care, caution. courage
aud economy?
'That is it, precisely