The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-23
THE CITY UNDER TAMMANY.
MAJOR GILROT ANSWERS TtGrB
CHARGES WIN SPECIFIC ptCTS.

Than In London or PsrIs-Tsxanvrr-
Never Before cot SO Good n Ret,rr fur
Their Mouey-wuh Enorrnou. lrnprove.
ments the Tnx Rate Hs. Faiien 40 FER
Cent. In go Years, and the Debt Per
Head More Than One-bair-tlty Thre.
Per Gents Eagerly MA For at y Pre-
n,iuw-Enfcient and Ecoror,ic.i Espend,-
ture .. the Departments Not . Fable
Omcer Charged with MissppropriatIne
Dollar In the Expenditure or seso. ooo, 900
The Police Scandal. Not Chsrresbic to
Tnmmany. witch Has Never Controlled
Police Commissioner. In II Years.
In support Of the anti Tammany campaign in
this city great many people engaged in that
campaign have been repeating the well-worn
general statement that under Tammany control
the administration of the city departments has
not been for the benefit Of the city. A reporter
Of THE SUN called on Mayor Gilroy yesterday
and asked him about Il.
That Is statement which is absolutely and
unqualihedly false" said the Mayor. 81 will go
further and Offer TO prove TO the satisfaction OF
any fair-minded man that In the six years be-
ginning with Mayor Grants first term In 1889
the taxpayers OF New York have had, at the
hands Of those intrusted with the conduct OF
money than they have had for any similar period
Of the city's history. But II Is better TO get
away from general charges. Make the question
specific"
Reporter-It has been stated that the per
CAPITA cost OF governing the city has greatly in-
creased.
Mayor Gilroy-with what year is the COM
parison nader
Reporter-Here are some figures going back to
1870
Mayor Gilroy-That is to say to the appropri-
ations made by Mayor Havcmeyer's Board Of
Apportionment product OF the efforts Of
the last Committee of Seventy-in 1874.
should not think that the per capita critics
could extract much comfort out of these. That
was the year of the highest rate OF taxation in
the history Of New York. The tax rate for 1873
was s204 per cent; for this year II is 81. per
cent That year the net amount Of the annual
appropriations was S32,11l.472 or equal TO
S3o.sT for every man. woman, and child in the
city. This year the net budget IL $35,O8I. 257.
or equal to $500 per head OF the population.
As u matter of fact, the amount Of approprla-
tions over which the Board OF Estimate and Ap-
portionment has control Is relatively small. The
State taxes. interest on the city debt. and tho
annual installment for the redemption of the
city debt are all beyond the control Of the Board
of Estimate.
Reporter Deducting these. may not the
charge be sustained that the per capita cost OF
governing the city is higher to-day than it was
twenty years agoI
Mayor Gilroy-Most decidedly not. Put down
these figures from the Official record Of the final
session OF the Board of Apportionmcnt of 1874
State taxes, 81, ,3s6; redemption of the city
debt, Sl45+,763; interest on the city debt,
81. 100000. These show total OF SIS. 16f.l4
Without deducting the revenues from the gcn-
eral fund applicable to the reduction Of TAXA
tion, the gross amount OF the appropriations
made by the Board Of Appprtionment OF 1874
was S30,27l,472. In other words, for all other
purposes than the three already enumerated
there was available the sum of Sl7.5OI.a23.
Now, take the figures OF the population Of 1873,
which were ,0+l,sS8. and Won will find that
these departmental and general expenses stand
for per capita charge Of Sl6.sO In the appro-
priatons made for this year State taxes ac-
count for s4,l1o.e68; redemption 81 tho
city debt for $l,sT7,000, and interest tho
rity debt for IS, 1874, lD8-a total of 81 .l23IG5.
The gross amount OF the appropriations for the
year is s3s,064,257 so that for departmental
and general purposes there Is avsiabe tho
amount Of S21.540.1 92. According 10 the
census figures Of the Board Of Health. the popula-
ion OF the city OF New York this year s 81 .G51,-
i52. A little sum In simple division will show
you that for the expenses Of government, other
han state taxes and debt and interest pay
nents, there is II charge equal TO about Sl4.O7
per capita. IL there can he any merit In this
Kind OF comparison, put 1t to you whether the
balance OF credit is not enormously in favor Of
he city government of to-day over that OF
wenty years ago. The New York OF 1894 diff
ers from that OF 1874 in all that goes 10 make
city great and prosperous beautiful and salu-
Irious, as the New York OF 1874 differed from
he New York still struggling to emerge from
he condition Of village into the status Of
metropolis. Ii we continue to advance ut a
milar rate we shall have. before long. incom-
,arsbly the finest facilities for commerce and
he greatest attractions for residence In the
world; city, not without blemish. for that il
but one to which all men may plint
IS the c0nsuIpmate triumph of free institutions
n sphere where certain purbllnd critics have
Pronounced free Institutions failure. And. ia
hese twenty years, though over hundred and
or public improvements, the burden OF the Civ
lebt has been reduced from SllO.3d per head Of
he population 70 Salts per head the, bur,
rom s3O.sT To $3.50 per head, and the rate OF
axation from 2.O4 20 Ia per cent. In these
Who We're not the candidates of Tammany Hall
Ir. Cooper IN 1873 and Mr.. Grace In 1891. Mr..
lon,inee OF the orPanlzation, and though Mr..
le%itts administrator was not In harmony
here have been only sir years out Of the
ast twenty In which the administrati9n OF Local
uhlFs has NOT beet COilllOlloal ny the lalniuhly
FganiZation. and the Organization Il content to
et the results speak for themselves.
Reporter Ii has been charged that while tho
iIy debt has decreased under anti-Tammauy
fayOrs, II las increased under those Gle, ted by
Mayor illrOy That again e. demOnstraby I'M
rue. Beginning with 1874, under Mr.. Have
meyers ahministraI!on the debt was increased
Il ,35l .4gs. Under MIR. COOper's II was decreased
Z ,352,lG3. Under Mr.. tirace's second term,
was decreased Si,Ol u.5g6, and under Mr..
Iewitt's il was Increased 81 or. hO2. Adding
hese figures az it will be found thai the net de-
rease accomplished under ant-Ianmany ld-
he TanImany ADMINISTRATIONS neat, it VIII 10
zen that under Mr.. Elys ADMINISTRATION there
ans there was decrease ~ S6,302,4I1. Under
IL. GraCe's thr5i terml there Was decrease ~
- $50 15s Under Mr. Edson'~ there Was a de-
rease Of as g7D."53 Aud under Mr.. Grants
NO terms, there was an Increase 81 s7.512.5l6.
.dding these figures in turn, II will he seen that
Ae net decrease under IammBny admlHlstra-
Ions was S5,6i0,OHl. In other words, since
s73 the decrease has been gradual aud not
lcCially attributable 10 one side or the other but