New-York tribune., 1886-03-29
FRANCY M SCOTT OPPOSING ECONOMY
ARGUMENT AGAINST 1rE PUBLIC BURDENS BILL.

ARGUMENT AGAINST TRE PUBLIC BURDENS BILL
ALBANY, March Pit has been the custom
Of the authorities o NewYork Of late years to send here
some man to represent the city when bills all citing il,
charter tho welfare of its inhabitants are taken mp
by the committees Of the legislature often these men
could only by courtesy be termed protectors OF tho
city -; and notably when Thomas F. Grady and Jo-
seph Koch occupied the position. This year Tho cys
protector Francis VI. Scott Assistant Corporation
Counsel He was here last year performing the same
duties. Within few days lie has taken "a step which
seriously INJURIES his influence. o has appeared before
the Committee Cities Of the Assembly, ana opposed
Assemblyuau Hamiltous bill TO reduce the public bar
dens of the C.ty OF NewYork" This provides
for reduction Of 10 per cent on the salaries OF all Nc"
York officials except tie policemen. nreneu anl scho,.
teachers. COiOue George Bliss made An argument Ia ~
vor Of the bill He said that it would cut down salaries
amounting in the aggregate $i5OpC)O The b there
FORE would save the city $45OOOO Mr. scott opposed
on the ground that would be subversve OF discipline IN
the city departments, becausei provides that the Board
Of Estimate and Apportioumcnt shall name tine salary
every employed by the departments shall receive.
Now tho departments receive lump and they can
divide the money they please among their employees
obvious what door this opens 10 iaVOrusn; ana
what advantage it would ne 10 the city FOR the Board Of
Estimate and Apportonmsnt It's central financial board,
to up list OF salaries for every city Official In
deed Limitations of the power OF the Board Of
Estimate aud Apportonmcnt which much dimnishes its
y
ugly the salary list every city dcpa tmcht and maze
such considers necessary for the interest
the city. The city departments naturally do not wish
too close an examination 10 made OF their accounts
and their salary list for perhaps good many sn"c1re
positions might be discovered and many skitoi po,i-
uclan lose his source OF suppnes"
Nj scott reasoned tnSt the Lslslaturo knew nothing
about the requirements o: the departments Of
NewiOrk respect 60 salalee. aud IJ HOdI De uJ.-I
ClOus without knowledge TO establish rc hard aLd itJ
rule that salaries DO reduced 10 por cent IL wOud
be faT better u his opinion 10 glVe Ue control OF me
matter the cljy author Ties hst sweep ng away now
ever the many mandatory acts % tho L"g.s tture
gardlng lul> tlS Official shall receive. IT
the authOrile. OF New YORK OBJ iu unfeEteted control
OF all salaries ~ The Cy departments, AMI also IN lie
courts he ~ confident salaries would he hop, al IoNt
limit than tiey bY legislative mandate.
Nj Hamilton and other members from NcN-Nork DO
not have the confidence ga tho Ciy officials tlat Mn
scott mauifcsta They believe that II the city can De
tied down a reduction Of IT'S salary list AMI, as his
b provides, compelled TO keep The salary llsi tns o
tabshrd az the point OF reduction, the hnatcll burdens
OF Ncw-IorE wiz be Covered sooner than tiey wiz be
by any action OF the authorities OF NcH-lO.a loutcal
Influence III their opinion - 60 poweun .n %t"-l"la
that tho city authorities cannot ne trusted
10 reduce salaries uniformly IN AL the drputueLt>
TheJ think that exceptions would DC made ID making
reductions which would lead 70 dssetSou m lie I--
vidiug a hard fast rule Of reductions al feeling
OF special hardship among the employees Of the cy "
be avoided No group oI mcu iA tho departments r"h
tsy that because thoy County Democracy men or
Iammauy HAL men their salATie5 were reduced
more than thOse Of their fellows.