New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-04
GREAT SUNS FOR CITY MISRrLE.

1891 With so low q tax rate, the Clty uoV-
rrnment in Tammany hands must be economical
| The hollouncss of such a pletence is compc'eiS
ernosod by figures obtained from Tammany
sources and by the unauardcd admissions OF lam
MANY officials and Tammany newspapers
The fax rate for the present year is 81 30
on a total valuation OF nearly $500, 100000
If taxable property The tax rate for next year
,r;u ho shpbtly less but the reduction is not
dine in any way to Tammany rtrcnchment OF
Tammany economy Appropriations ior vi,
municipal departments have been enlarged anu
mt diminished But thc amount OF money Whch
the Metropolis must pay for State taxes ana inc
redemption OF the city debt has been much re-
duoed. For Stat. taxes redemption OF the CITY
debt and interest On the city debt the hecesSai!
anpropriation for 1891 was SlO,lO9,o--. ror
1892 it is only SS.740,704. The appropriations
made for the various municipal departments ~
the Tammany Board Of Estimate ana Appoluon-
ment we're S25, 1853 for 1891, ana 50 low,
hO1 for 1892. These arc the figures printed
by 1.-The Newly ork World" Democratic news
manor which is surely not unjust to Its lam
many friends and supporters
Taking this appalling total of S2I'l4o''ol
for the cost Of the municipal departments III
1892. we find these formidable appropriations
for some OF the most expensive departments
For the Police Department. 80, O4o,ioe' an III
crease of more than quarter OF million uo''a''
above the pclice Appropriation LOT 1871 "'
tbc Board of Education, exclusive OF The OoIcge
nc rho CITY of Ncw-YOrk and the Normal Colie1e
"a Als.355. an increase OF nearly S2OO,00o Tor
1909 over the figures for 1891; for the flfe
Dsparm.nt. S2.3O1.2s2 for 1892, against
So'165.5ss for 1891; for the Department OF
Charities and Correction. S2,110,123 for lS9Z'
AGAINST So.1G6.237 for 1891 and for the &c
nsrtment of Street Cleaning the prcdiglons sum
Of S1.s7s.54O for 1892, against $l'5si'2oo LOT
1891.
Tammany evidently considers that the result
of the last election, and the THEFT OF the Legs
lat,,re by stealing the Duchess County seat III
the Senate have given it more sweeping com
mission to plumber the taxpayers OF New ofh
than it has ever enjoyed before. The tax rae
will be light, and therefore Tammany expects no
complaint from the taxpayers. But the oru'h Is
that New-Yorls's revenues from the "enci'l
Fund so-called Chat is, from franchises ana
privileges of all sorts including rentals OF docks)'
are now nearly SO 600, 600 per annum. ii inc
franchises. privileges and rentals OF city property
mad been properly handled for tho best adj
vanta 90 M the taypaycrs during the last quarter
of A century they would undoubtedly Drhe III
revenue of more than S1O, COo,OO0 lhStcau Vi
"a OO0. 600. But New-YUk's payments Tor
State taxes and redemption OF the city dcot nave
been cut down so extensively that even with
-ovenue from tho General Fund Of no more than
SO. O0O. 900, the tax rate would not he more thih
81 90 and might even be reduced TO 81 20 II
dilipcnt economy were prsctised in all OF the
municipal departments.
What tremendously fat picknes Tammany VIII
have in 1892. With nearly S2,000,000 at his
disposal, what host OF Tammany bummers VIII
Commissioner THONGS :. Brennan be able to keep
on the strect-cleanng payrolls and what rvcaS
Of nublic money will enrich the Tammany waste
lands The leaks in The cid Aqueduct will lie
infnitesmal in comparison with the laminah!
leaks in Mr. Brennan's department.. How the
Tammany Police Department will wax fat and
grow rich vita more than S5,OO0,000 to spend
Our patrolmen are cXtiavaganlly oVepaid ~
ready, but strong effort will be made at Albany
this winter TO secure an advance IN policemen
salaries from a stolen Democratic Legislature
Tsmmany ianioIs aud other T2mmany employees
and Tammany contractors 2S Wei, VIII reVcl III
the $4,44S,355 appropriated Tor TIE Board ol
Education outside of the t"O pubic colleges
Hordcs of Tammany hcelers will batten on thc
S2.170,125 appropriated for the Department OF
Charities and Correction, which for years, under
Tammany control, has enriched contractors ana
supplied Tammany parasites with provcndcr'
And vet that appropriation is less than 100000
above the amount allowed for Mr.. Blennan's
street cleaning operations. That street-cleaning
appropriation of nearly 81 GOO, 900 will be Tam
many's big bonanza this year, and it Will be
worked with great diligence and thoroughness
But the Sl3O250 allowed to the Register and
the $129,232 appropriated for the uses OF the
Sheriff will leave some handsome margins above
really necessary expenses for the benefit OF the
faithful followers Of Mr. Croker. That appro-
priation of S256,200 for printing, stationery and
blank books is eYtravagant in the extreme, while
the inordnate sum appropriated for Judgments,
$3.50, 900, will bear a great deal of explanation.
The S4b $50 allowed for the preservation oi
public records" will be wasted almost entirely,
as il has been in previous years. 30 will the
$4,000 set aside for the useless Commissioners
of Accounts. whose only object appears TO be to
strengthen. Tammany Hall in every department
to which they pay any attention. The Law De
partment ought to be able TO attend to the cty's
law business for less than S213.500 per year
an outlay that is absolutely indefensible in its
portentous figures for that class of work. The
District Attorneys Office is another extravagdnt
and wasteful branch of the municipal admins
,Iation. The Coroner's Office gets S5i,700 for
1892 to obstruct justice and generally to make a
nuisance Of itsa'f. The fund FOR opening streets
and paths has been raised from S215,5Os for
10 far ayfra
gance. The miscellaneous appropriations
amount to S170,147 for 1891, and undoubtedly
this heading covers multitude OF small SINS
Can any fair-minded NewYorker study these
official figures the accuracy Of which cannot be