New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-25
HINTS FOR THE LEGISLATURE
WHERE THE STATE CAN ECONOMiHI'
SERIOUS LEAKS IN THE DEPARTMENTS AT ALI
BANY THAT SHOULD BE sToPPED-SwoLLEN

sERIor,s LEAKS IN THE DEPARTMENTS AT AL
BANY THAT SHOULD BE sToPPED-S"oiLIN
PAYRoIIs AND ExTRAvAGANT SALARIES.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: There is great danger that the tah VI INC
legislators will be like that Of some individuals
who stouty declare for economy, but ran 10 i'Nu
the point at which to put It in practical application.
Abolishing a single State office Is n mighty small
drop in a very large bucket Nor Is II enough "
kill or veto plans for new expenditures me APP
preparation bill which passed the Assembly "'hou.
a dissenting voice last Thursday carried III ~
many items which could be reduced with positive
gain TO the State as wei. saving to the tax
PAYERS Take a single illustration. Inc S'a'e mas
been appropratng something like N,OOVoo year.
no small part OF which Commissioner Perry SHOWS
TO have been spent needed repairs on the Gap
ltol. In fact. 1t is well known that such "orh 70
done not by the superintendent or PUBIC buiiu-
ings. and by the Commissioner OF the new 'api'oi'
although he is supposed to be constructing ne"
work and keeping the old in repair Not"ilh-
standing the fact that OF the heaviest items
of annual maintenance is thus practically pald
for outside, find in the supply Dill the aDsutu-
10 extravagant allowance OF 100000 year for
heating lighting and cleaning the Capitol More
than once 1t has been admitted by the Superntehd-
ent or others who best know the Facts that one
b,f this e,,m would be entirely adequate TO do the
work hotter than II has been done in recent
years II IT could be spent by business man. re-
pardIess OF notifies There is waste all along the
line Evidently stockholders in a local gas com
pany have caused it to be understood tnat the
more gas is consumed three or four times the
cos, of its reduction the better certain bosses
will he pleased At all events. any visitor about
the Capitol sees that the purpose IS not 10 save
hut 10 waste II meeting is TO be held at
o'clock two or three hours before that honr every
Jet in all the chandeliers will be blazing iuli hea'
burning 10 the oxygen from the room and Keeping
for he II.
In the same way the building is usually over
heated. to the discomfort of It's inmates.
But the great leakage is in the salary roll. ana
this is inevitable from the system followed Ior
years During the IIill-Flower-Sheehan admins
tration whenever a place was wanted for new
man and nothing else In sight he was aoueu
To the Superntendent's force. AZ a result the
salary roll ate up all the money for maintenance
and r. was necessary 10 put In the supply p'i'
enough to buy coal and for other necessary eN-
penses. and year By year the cost mas grown "
this prodiglous total. The only difficulty with cut
ting il In TWO in the middle Is that the Republican
dispensers 0, patronage wish to repeat the same
process and take Of the largest possible mum
Der OF their dependents by the same system II
the trustees OF public buildings have any dodp' Vi
tho ability o. a competent business man 70 care
for the Capitol better that it ever has been done
before and for less than half the appropriation
L., them spend a rine in getting two or three dis
Interested experts who IA e charge OF some OF
the greatest office buildings in New-fork VINO VIII
20 to Albany and the ground submit an esu-
mate OF what II will cost 10 do the work properly.
The taxpayers want relief from unnecessary ex-
ponses a great deal more than they want POSITIONS
for the hanyers-on of the politicians IN power
Nothing that could be done by the Repuphcan
party would he more significant 10 the voters o.
the state 90 their purpose 20 give an honest ana
economical administration than 10 begin on '"e
Cap,iol where more than s20.Oo000) have been
fh.s ~
state work for less than double what 1t costs a
private corporation. The widest spolismen would
not dare suggest that any private corporation IN
America would pay more than hall the sum a.
ready I'm the appropriation bills for this purpose
What IS said Of the superintendent OF Public Buiid-
lnes applies but in less degree to some OF the
other departments and the Legislature has made
a show OF economy by appointing committee TO re-
port on practicable reductions. Unless. however
this work is done very differently from what Is
usually the case with legislative committees 1t VIII
have little value Those who thoroughly familiar
with the work OF the various Offices know that there
are tNO great edksE-s besides the n-ed OF ABOLISH
ing some ard consolidating others. The first Is In
16e IN Re Gpo nT .d by men who
gJt from any private employer or corporation. ana
nom The STAT. Tressury They are grossly over
,,,J a, re,y,rt FOR some kind Of poiitical services
p~' ri Therr ought 20 be an investigation by an
expert committee which saould go through the Varl-
ous departments and without knowledge OF the pres
ent iucumbsnts or the salaries received by them
should put down fair market value of the services
required 20 do the work al each iesk throughout
the building II this report were then placed IN
parallel column with the salaries actually paid Tor
this work II would be a revelation TO the taxpayers
and 10 many OF the heads OF departments them
selves cases known where for the same grade
OF services one department pays two or three or
even four times much as another, ana the lowest
DAYS quite a. much or more than would any private
CORPORATION. II al the salaries were reduced 10 the
same level not only would immense sum he
saved annually TO the taxpayers, but there would
OF C.vl. Service Laws By people struggling 10 get
two or three times what their services are worth,
and tho Injustice would be done away with.
Another serious Leakage ~ IN the departments
where those employee give only partial services, or
~ here tho staff could b. reduced 10 half two
thirds It's present number and Yet perform ALI It's
duties without overworklns any OF the members.
the kind Of Investigation that has been started.
committee sitting a few hours and asking a few
questions Of the head OF department Is very I'M
likely To find whether all It's employees are
needed and whether they receiving no more than
fair salary for the service rendered To bring In a
report % gittering genaraes and to propose that
IL per cent be- cut on from tho Appropriation
OF all the departments would be rank Injustice be-
cause there are offices in the Capitol administered
c lnsclcntously and economically, ard II would be
an Injustice put them the plane with
Offices where litle regard has been had 10 economy
employ three competent exDerts TO report what Il
private corporation. Ike bank Insurance COM
rany would pay FOR each item Of clerical work !
which appears the immense salary roll OF the |
state The Legislature would then have an intei- |
gent guide In making rs reductions where there Is
now most extravasance. CITIZEN. |
New-York. March G. 1895.