New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-26
NO INCREASE or SALARIES.

NO INfREiNE or SlIlKlLN.
Several bills have been introduced in the
Legislature this year which propose 10 Increase
the expenditures Of certain departments and 10
raise certain salaries IN this city. our State
Senators and Assemblymen ought not to adopt
any measure which will impose heavier burdens
upon the taxpayers unless II Is imperative In
the public interest 10 spend more money The
prospect for the taxpayers OF this town Is any
thing but encouraging. The rate Of local taxa
ton has been so high for many years as 10 be-
a momcntous matter 10 al owners ~ real es-
tate Moreover. Il Is not only the owners of real
estate who feel the weight Of taxation. hut also
all the tenants Of buildings within the borders
OF the city. as high taxation inevitably causes
high rentals The people Of NewYork need Il
great many things. and need them badly. They
need more schools, and an outlay Of several
millions Of dollars will be- required within a
short time to provide new schoolhouscs for the
rapidly expanding population. A scheme Of vast
improvements on the waterfront has been I'M
dcriaken which will involve the issue If scores
Of millions of bonds before it Is completed. our
Aqucduct Commission Is constructing an cnor
mOrsly expensive dam In the lower part of the
Croton River. and improvements and additions
expcnd large amounts. Our insurance com
panics insist that bigger mains ought TO he laid
through the business districts Of the city in
order that n heavier water pressure may br
secured. An earnest demand for the addition
Of many hundred men to the police force has
just been made The long lists OF city employees
In the various departments are receiving fire.
q,Ient extensions. New-Yorks load of debt is
al liz pnnIeraus. md for marks fnr b,rlu
for schools and for pavements, for improve
ments OF many kinds new issues Of bonds with
appalling totals running far up In the millions
are already authorized and required by the laws
now on our statute books; while underground
rapid transit must be carried through within n
few years. adding more than S50OOO,OOO to the
prodigious sum OF municipal Indebtedness
This Is the time for the Legislature and for
all Of our city officials to practise rigid economy.
This is not the year for extravaganza. The
Legislature ought not TO authorize the increase
of any salary now paid by the city TO the extent
even Of single dollar A bin has been intro
duced 10 raise the salary Of the chief engineer
Of the Dock Department from $4,000 To $4,000.
This bill ought to be defeated. This IL not the
time for raising city salaries. Every man, WON
an and child IN this city Is feeling, TO some tx
tent at least, the damaging effects OF the Wilson
bill and Of Democratic bunders In the govern
ment Of this country. American manufacturers
have suffered most deplorably and most extcn-
| sivey from Democratic attacks on the prosper
ity OF the country. This Is period OF strln-
gcncy even in the richest and most important
city in the New World. Many great railroad
systems are not paying dividends An enormous
number and variety OF investments are not yield
| ing any returns to the owners Of securities and
the owners Of property NEWCOMERS generally
feel the pinch Of the hard times which have re-
suited from Democratic attacks on American In
dustries, and from the innumerable errors which
the Democrats have committed at Washington.
Every legislator at Albany should set his face