The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-05

1859 ny the ADDITION OF buuuIy auJhCohO
towns upon the neighboring p~rairies, and
Boston has annexed Roxbury, Dorchester,
and other towns. The New York consolida-
tion extends the municipal boundaries by
a single act OF legislation instead OF piece
meal, as hns been the rule in other cities.
The question naturally arises whether
the experience Of other cities indicates
that tho expenditures Of administration
are increased or lessened by reason OF
n summary enlargement of territory
and increase Of population; whether
1t IL more or less expensive to govern
them as distinct municipalities, each
having an Independent local Govern
ment, than as a single consolidated munich
pality. As the population increases, are the
running expenses of a city per capita In
creased proportionately? This is q question
for which many New Workers and many
citizens Of the communities to be added to
New York next January are asking, with
much s%olicitude, n satisfactory answer.
So far as the known experience of other
cities has proved, and 80 far as the expenses
Of New York itself, since the material ad-
dition to it's area in 1874, and again in
1895, haze shown, the answer Is: that the
larger the city, the more extensive its area,
and the more numerous its inhabitants, 80
less proportionately are its expenses. A
community of 1000, 900 people can have
it's affairs managed more cheaply and more
satisfactorily at $25 a head than a COM
munity Of 1OO,O 900 people. The larger the
territory, the greater the population, the
smaller proportionately is the expense.
The total running expenses Of all the
departments of New York this year foot
up nearly $50, 900, and of this sum
over $4,000, 900, or more thar 80 per
cent, is applied to the payment of interest
on the city debt, the redemption of so
much Of that debt as has matured, and the
payment Of the city's share Of State taxes.
New York, with it's present unexcelled
credit, Ia able to borrow money at a low
rate of interest and under advantageous
terms and conditions. Hence the burden
of expense for interest charges is less pro-
portionately than in the case Of minor civil
divisions. The enlarged New York will be
enabled to borrow money required for the
prosecution of public works in it's outlying
portions at not more than 3 per cent, while
those districts as separate communities are
obliged to pay as n general rate 8 per cent.
Another benefit may be a reduction in the
expenses Of administration. Commission.
ers, clerks, attendants, and Office EN-.
ployees, because of the consolidation of the
various departments. A timely illustra.
ton Of such possible reduction in admin.
istration expenses" by reason Of consolida.
tion is given in Commissioner LYMAN's re.
port filed last January at Albany upon the
workings Of the present Liquor Tax law.
When the collection of license fees was n
local matter in each of THO sixty counties OF
New York, the total expense of collection
was $3.50 1872 for public revenue of So, 1OO,'
900. Under the new Raines law system OF
State regulation the total expenses, State
and local, were $l4O,s 800 for public collec,
ions Of so, 600. 900.
Everybody knows that as n business in.
creases in magnitude the administrative
expenses decline proportionately. In every
department of mercantile and industrial
activity, among railroads, steamship com,
panies, and private enterprises generally
consolidation tends to lessen the cost OF
administration relatively to the revenue
1t seems reasonable to conclude, therefore
that a like result will eventually attend
the operations of the enlarged New York.