New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-20

Thus for the fifteen months from February,
1895. to May 1, 1896 Aldrdge drew only S9o2 81
for travelling expenses and yet he asks Tor SZooo
for travelling expenses for twelve months. Inc
accounts show that in the year from May io'''
to May 1896, he spent only SIS9 ~. lie "ouiu
thus put into his pocket yearly, II Mr.. Morton
should approve the bill in question, $l,IlO % IN
addition to his salary of SGOOO
II should be stated that there was some legiti-
mate Increase Of the travelling expenses OF the
Superintendent of Public Works between the ad-
ministration Of Mr.. Hannah and that OF MI. Ala
ridge owing to the prohibition Of the use OF rail-
road passes, but the railroad pass provision Is ho
excuse for such an increase as Is contemplated
A CONSTITUTIONAL BAR.
The Constitution has some provisions which
public officials occasionally ignore. Possibly MI.
Morton has noticed the following declaration or
Section IS of Article III:
The Legislature shall not pass private or local
tng or decreasing fees percentage allowances o.
public officers during the for which said officers
elected or appointed
Mr. Aldridge has bowed to the Civil Service
Commission in the matter Of the appointment
81 the collectors OF canal statistics, and Of the
clerks of these collectors. 1t Will be remem-
bered that ffty-five of these collectors and their
Of the State last year. not having passed any
examination as to their qualifications. The
Court of Appeals declared that they were IL
legally appointed. and Mr.. Morton no" haS
bills before him for their payment
MANY COULD NOT PASS.
rb,. vear the Civil Service Commissioners
informed Aldridge in February that they were
roadv IN examine persons for those places, but
tha
20 no onened Then he went to Governor Nor
ton and desired him to put the collectors OF
canal statistics and their clerks in the schedule
-, ra,ri~r., examination. Mr. Morton refused
TO grant this request. and accordingly the ap
rucan+s for the places had TO submit TO an
avomiration. OF the ffty-fve persons ap-
no,,ted last wear twenty-seven did not present
themselves for examination. or the twenty
o,gb, who did present themselves, sixteen were
ro,ected one was disbarred. and eleven passed.
II was thus clearly shown that large proper :
ton OF the men appointed as collectors OF canai
statistics and their clerks last year were "''
qualified to hold their places.
The increase OF the number Of employees OF the
Superintendent OF Public Works under the Aiu-
ridge administration is startling. Mr.. hannah
employed a supervisory force OF twenty-iour io'e-
men. patrolmen and special agents AT yealiy
ofS 1I Dl1 In 1870, uHuel
r,ipistration this force was increased 10 seventy
two men and the cost of the service ran up 10
$i9,S2I. ,,r,e
MORE SIGNIFICANT FIGURES.
The Aldridge administration has also been
costly in other respects. From 1880 to the close
Of the fiscal year ending October l, $780, the
annual appropriation for lock-tending ana orui-
nary land repairs has been 100000. deficiency
bill Of 5000 OOO however was introduced Tor the
nresent fiscal year. This would bring up the
actual appropriation for the present hscal year
to $4,000 The appropriation for the hscal year
haginning on October l. 1896. is put at > io'UVo,
or 800 900 more than was the yearly sum curing
the Hannah administration. .,ao ,,,,on,s
A glance at the various canal taxes also SHOWS
TINT the cost OF antaining and improving the
| canals is largely increasing. The followihg Is
| taken from the estimates for the State tax levy
this year:
1,,,o ons-hundredths OF mill for new ~ -
work on the canals will yIed..;; ~-io'f'o %
| Thirteen one-hundredths Of mill for
| payment OF cana-improvemeht ueo' &C. o,o G,
will Yield .............. ' -
Add canal tax for maintenance anu oiui- ,o- -ez o.
mary repairs 26-l00 of a mil........' lioo'''' "'
| Canal tax for extraordinary expenses ,,e o., ~
lO-iO0 Of a mil .................'.''''''''. ''O' =
... s. 1853 SO4 %
Total .............'''''''''''''''