New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-25
TnE TESTIMONY IN DETAIL

crowded with spectators yesterday. Mr. strahan the
principal witness befOrs the committee for many years
has paid close attention 20 the CITY Government and
was evidently considered by the committee Ms an expert
on the powers and history OF the several city depart
meuts lie said:
There is moi a department which could no, he sup
PEELED to their departments on business principes
and without regard to politics. the Commissioners could
pioyes. In 1874 the Board OF Estimate and Appor.
tunment cat down the estimates OF The Department O!
CHARITIES and Correction; reducing the amount 10 ne
appropriated iol salaries toy $50 O'O and That Tor sup
y les $4,000. The Cor missOucrs we're thrown INTO
comnoIou ny this reduction and wrote letter to the
Board declaring that they could not make these rrduc
tons and that. If Zoe Beard Insisted on TIE get RAJ a-
propria beng cu down the department would nave
Ia discontinue 81 tine chartthle institutions.
VOL the Boarl Of Apportionment Perssed ~ thsoourse
submit They ont down the very salaries ann supply
account which they had SAID could not Ia reGucf d. and
the work OF lie department was done just ns we'll IN
successive years llerSsrd the board OF Estimate and
| Appointment cut down these toms OF the dep.rt.
are again higher. just look ~ tnc salaries accouht OF
ns department FOR seven years pest. IN 1874 II
$500 3AJ IN 1879, S3OTOOo; IN 1876, - gODO; II
1877 S26j O0G Ia 1873, s20jCoO Ia 1879, 600;
senator 3ieCariby- there any necessity for this All
vance N s-i.ries he past tL,ce Gals or,,tor 1o,
can also how the expense acc uni after runnng
down fog .ew ears, has sgau been sv5neej IN 80
Ts, 600 IN ISL Il6o.ooO IN 1873 ST. 100 900
| IN S79 ~, $4,000; Ia 1850. ii 1855
| Senator McC4rtuy-G.ve US yodr IDEAS about the
Mr. s:rahsn- think there is 90 Iecessity Of having
You Cannot take IBIS department politics. it
wieds some powerful influence winch never under
missioner 6sS anu you would have p5iiticai parties
sI9SSng r Tor e. sa% ,S n1 ud
make The department Substantially non-parisan. |
away nom the commissioners the pnwer appoint
election inspectors Tne election Inspectors l think
ngn ,,n rD.s W.. couay Tenn the nv" srra Varies
! l:lsu
| BY The police.
UNCHECKED ISSUES OF BONDS.
Senator Mccarthy What do you think Vi the other DE-
| partmentsl
Nj strabon-The Dock Commissioners have the ex-
elusive power call upon the Controller 70 issue bonds,
SO long as in any year they do not call for more
than 50 0O0, 900. This makes them almost
Independent power. Tho Controller has no
| control ovor the bills Of tho Department.;
he is bound TO pay them il there is
no fraud. can by they sh)uin't como
under the authority OF the Board Of Estimate and APP
po.tionment like the other departments. would have
tins Department managed hy 0nly ore CommiSsionrr
al present thcre AZ only Commissioners; actually
nero a. only Que head-Ar DiUInlDok Mr.. YaBdeTpoel,
| senator Bixby-Teli us something about the West
! Sheet Imp oyeuIeut bill
Mr.. Siraban-It was osens'h,y favored by the Dock
Department. think It's passage would he very prcJu-
dicsi 10 the interests oi tho ey The BIZ W4s actually
question oil wiarfse; whether me cN snonii cohpe-
saie certain pToprrty-owEers Tor WbarlaRt % WREN
hcy thought th-y we've entitled The courts nave al
ways dec'0cd ts 4"-.Q9 ia iay9r o. toe GUY lde ton'
Dil would be 10 $4,000 900 ont Of he CITY Treas
ury. Tho Council OF Pc teal Reform has specially
pushed tins bIl william II. Wenb Of the ulenar-s
vi this Council. makes 10 cvuceslment 81 Ills
t a. an Injustice that he WIS cut Of rom collecting
wharfage by the construction ~ the new Onikhead. Tire
900. rarely cNDcn'in more than ~ OJO,9oO.
TIE Department Of Taxes aId Assessment, dn' think
can entrusted 10 hc exclusive ntrol OF one person.
piopsyi, rs a. ,efy grave tIus. l would abolish
i4t
work 20 the Commissioners o. Taxes AID As
nents. There dputy commissioners wao
81 ks. TOO oftcn The CLERKS DO al The work TWO OF
the Tax C0mmis,1ncrs are geaueiGer-.hfy don't 30
anything az all. The 0eputy commissioners are ac-
lualiy assessors 1f the cry The iour
Improvements stating .he amount OF ,sabie prop
cry Al ths Information they can get ir "a thc books
" without ao cost ' by the Tax Department
The EXCISE AND fINA>cE DEPARTMENTS.
Senator McCarthy--Wha, would you DC w,tn tue TX
Gao Commissioners
MIR strahan-Wel. that IS q peculiar Board. Mr. Nor
,ou one o; tbr present Commissioners removed Ivy
Governor Robinson and rcapponod bt the other 30
Commissioners. thInk that il - now a political ma
chine and ought to transferred - the Police Depart
rneut. DIR. Morton is not Commissioner now, IN my
opinion they tricd to get bill throueh the Legislature
th's year mailing hun one Corporation Con rel Whit
ney. however dislgr.es with ON obi, NH
Senator McCartE!-What 10 you think Of The City
115GCre ,,,, ina, economically MANAGED
con pared with its former managciIcnf. Tire Epflie-
~ stationary of inc city ontatucd through tns
~ tl- N'J Ly'' i ., " a. Il" 49, ' t ' ' 4I ,
s-aator Mccarthy ABOUT the important finance
,ii sr.af-rn the Omuibus Dli. OF 1871 of vhiel
.,. l,e l N, a'i a,l se. sl.....teI g. e cla.oia
tou OF several oI tlc butcIus o. , DrLar mont. Ine
,iic.s Vi tho i.ccl..roi 4axrr auu oi NJIoi ntuts
sIoId DC consolidated. WoIiI abolish tns Bure4u of
Id g. lafs DO d t
Revenue. AL the atcr bur du Bt- CD uo is 30 collect
Ir ,.l,.s sp llaraet fes. s Do los - se uu..b.r
a. ~ '' go odd, H.. ann Tho 1uc.ri,9 mi t,.-rl.fs
j. a very Important one The c.!As OF tLe markets
could cole 20 Toe revenue du,u' aud sou could 'to-u
tpr F.r.tu W MI.A"-t tonct iluE tle L.. ID Ittt-
Lcut would sr 10 ifG" 70 iec. mnIencaI"n to "oo-
ISL tDc PdDuc AdmIns,4a.ore oli'c a"d nave h.s orA
done DJ tne teuno.l 10 ult Corporations ihr .fp"ia
C1u sell ioi most 10 90, Noih of enc former ONO srg"
done ly cine ait,uels'i .r ii i'h rpaitntnt auu ie
Fr. Department 4hcl7 is sufficient foic' ia &r.
NuiDcy' OBI go no tu's additional WOrN; single
clerk could d1ii.
ECONoNY NEEDFUL rs rnE COURT
Senator NcCartHy-The Commitoe u'l,yes taat there
could bs more economical COMMUNICATION Oh the
c,urts
Mr. sirahan-I investigated tnat noj.ct ia 1877.
There vas then strong feeling that tie expense "
our judic. I'D system 600 great. We cu cd with
too many judges aad 700 many courts: they are ~
numbers beyond tao requirements OF tAo 81. Mr.
Rocse comcs here nua saws That 10 requires
$4,000 e., run the Superior Court, iu 1877 Ae
to.I could adm ini-tcr ats service well
with So 600 qac business o tho q pr, Areatfr.
One Of ne Judges lus been l Or eighteen hs aud
another saivrs ia higher court. We ply supreme
uur iusce- HOOD. and lhe otae pay them 5000.
ID was uI-aAe r'ae t-er salaries the Lrgsi,nro
ud not intoud 10 make such an "dYanco thns tis %
too rCHt salary 10 paw as com area Wl lhe salaries
paid United states Judges Inc rroper ahd .-io "ay TO
ZOO appy To ali uturr judges elected or appointed
senator Mccarthy Do not lHe higher a"ailea com
maud higher alcuti
Mr. airamn-The business mag demand IT, but the
SALARY doesn't -'cur H., ,-...