New-York tribune., 1882-03-02
FIRE AND POLICE SALARIES.
NO INCREASE THOUGHT NECESSARY
CRITICISMS on THE ACTION OF THE ASSEMBLY
COMMITTEE ON CITIES.

COMMITTEE ON CITIES.
The Assembly Committee on Cities "a very
promptly acted upon and agreed to report favor
ably the bills Of Assembymen Ahearn and Costello
TO restore the pay Of the fremen and policemen in
the city 70 uniform sum of 81, 200 each per an
nun. The committee, II is said, will fayoraby con-
slider like TO restore the salaries in
two other departments which were reduced by the
Public Burdens blllof 1880. This action has called
forth unfavorable comment from those taxpayers
who were interested in getting the Public Burdens
bill passed. One Of them said Yesterday that tho
unanmity and promptness Of the Committee on
Cities in acting favorably upon measures ds-
signed to increase taxation and add to the enormous
expenses Of the city Government were bad
beginning Of the work Of legislation.
For several years the Union League Club. the
Council OF Political Reform the Municipal Society
and other like bodies and many private citizens
have been urging upon the Legislature The neccs;;
lessenilg tho enormous expenses of the municipal
government which IN twenty yG9Is have in IN
same time the population has increased
only 30 per cent. Governor Cornell took up the
subject in bis message, stating that the city ex-
of the city government improved thereby. Even
the politicians gave heed to the ropular demand so
far as local platforms were concerned Deputations
OF citizens went to Albany to urge the matter upon
the Legislature, and numerous legislative commit
tees came to the city to investigate the municipal
expenses and determine what reductions should he
was achieved by this agitation was the
passage OF tho Public Burdens bill Of 1850,
salaries in certain departments, and that all fire
men and policemen thereafter appointed should
receive $500 year, but after two years service #
found to be worthy, their pay might be increased
by the heads of the Departments to 5000 year.
The pay OF the men then on the force was ~ 200,
which under Il constitutional provision could not be
reduced. At the next session of the Legislature an
attempt was made to repeal the provisions OF the bill
50 far as i affected the Department of
Charities and Correction but 1t failed II is said
that the provisions OF the bill have never been
enforced in the Department OF Public Works. An
attempt is now being made to repea! the provisions
of the act reducing salaries IN the Police and Fire
Departments. This action has not been asked for
by either the Police Board or the Board of Fire
Commissioners. but is said to be an attempt on the
part of certain politicians in the Assembly to gain
political support in the two Departments. The
heads of both the Police and the Fire Departments
say that there has been no deterioration in the quality
of their respective forces because of the reduction
in salaries and that the applications from qualified
persons for appointments are far in excess of the
canceS to be hllcd.
Curiously enough considerable number of the
mon appointed is from the country; and secure
places because OF the requests made by country
members of the Legislature and other persons OF
"inhuenCe' 1t is said that this one reason will
carry through the bill raising the salaries to
form sum of Sl,2OO each. law was passed at one
time with provision in II that no person should be
appointed on the police force who had not been 70
resident Of the city for one year previous TO bis APP
pOintment. 1t was repealed twenty six days after
it became a law, IL was found to In
tcrfcrc with the patronage of country mem
bers. This may account tor the answer which a
Broadway policeman gave 10 an Alderman not
long ago. who inquired, in order to test the officer,
the way to Church-st. You're a-fOoliug me-" said
the stalwart policeman with grin. There amt
no such street" although lie only one block
away from II at the time.
d" can see no reason for raising the salaries of
policemen" said an ex-POliCe Commissioner yesier-
day. "The men have their tenure of Office secured
during good behavior and retiring pension for
old age. Twenty per cent was added to the salaries
of the force in 1865, to be taken of when the
National currency should reach the par value of
gold. The increased purchasing value Of
money, the reduction In the cost of living and of
most incomes and the fact that these are life
positions with pension for old age, fully Justify
The reduction made in 1880 This reduced salary is
still one-fOurth greater than the average salaries of
policemen in either this or foreign countries, and is
far above the average incomes of the Taxpayers
from whom these salaries drawn, and the
that these men could earn by other means. If the
Legislature would pass IA law prohibiting tho col
lection of money from policemen for election pur-
poses it would do them and tho taxpayers a real ser
vice but there would not be so much anxiety the
part OF politicians to raise salaries"
Another official said that II the Legislature
wanted to serve the taxpayers 1t would reduce the
number Of police surgeons to twelve and prevent
the abuse which allows One-tmTd of the entire
police force to be detailed for special duty while
from loo To 200 posts 90 uncovered at night. The
same thing he said though in a less degree is true
of the Fire Department. he men sent TO do the
work of messengers, while money Is squandered on
high salaries for few officials and In the employ
ment Of a great many more clerks than are actually
needed The tiTCmcu, however. risk their lives 10
o amuch greater extent than the policemen, and arc
better entitled, he said, 10 an increase OF pay The
average pay of policemen is now 800 greater than
it was IN 1850