New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-26

$40 7O2. Meantime the streeS Were iet' VII
cleaned and badly paved. few new schoolhouses
were built. few parks were created. and almost
none OF the Improvements desired by the people
and demanded by the claims OF civilization were
supplied II Is true that the rate OF taxation
WAS reduced from 81 30 in 1874 to 81 20 In 1891.
and OF that fact Tammany boosted much and
used il as a screen for its shortcomings and
rascal;t!es. That fact is even now. In this cam
paign much paraded an argument In Tam
manys favor The truth is that that result was
attained by oulragcously increasing the amount
OF assessments Thus in 1874 it levied on a
valuation Of only 81 1873 795 141 but in 1894 on
,nc OF s. CO.,, 3d. 037 What does 1t prof; tax
payer to have the rate halved il at the same
time the assessment is doubled
WASTE AND IDLENEss.
Tammany should not be restored to po"er. De-
cause it wasted public money in all Sorts OF eA
travagances. and at the same time ieft inc
most necessary public work undore In 1901 II
devoted 81. 10000 to street-cleaning. ana In
1894 increased the appropriation to *Z.o"''''"'
Yet at no time did it adequately clean the strce's
or even make a reasonable effort to DO so. me
condition OF the streets was disgrace 10 mo
city and the cause Of an abnormaiiy hiSh oeh'"
rate Throughout the uptown rcsidence us
tricts the people were in self-defence compeheu
~ have the streets cleaned at their own private
exnense-thus paving a second time for work
for which they had already been heavily taxed.
OUTRIGHT ROBBERY.
Tammany should not be restored 10 power ne
eause when in power It was guilty of gross dis
honesty. Supplies were bought wasteiuhy' anu
names OF mere dummies were placed on the
lraxs of
the CITY for services never rendered. One OF
the Fire Commissioners. who was not ram
many man. felt called upon to resign az pro"
Toe, against the purchase of supplies from IA
vored parties at higher prices than those pre-
calling in The markets In 1886, more than htty
.mp,oyes. with a yearly payroll OF more than
sS,OOO were professedly kept simply TO sweep
and clean the County Courthouse For ike
scrvices Mt the City Hall there were more than
twenty five with II payroll Of more than sIjVo
q year OF course the majority OF these were
dummies and the money was practically s'o'eh
from the city
GROSS MALADMfNISTRATION
Tarnmany should not be restored to power
bcc,use when in power it grossly naladinin-
istered the city government. rake the srea
Department Of Docks as an example. IL Sh"uiu
have been a source Of large revenue To the city
ms, cad 1t was made 4 heavy ana lEcie'S'"s
burden upon the taxpayers Between iHNi ana
1891 dock bonds to tire amount Of S3JDoV'' were
issucd Al the same time the Increase in in
come from rentals. etc. was only Sti''''' OF
scarcely enoug., 10 pay the interest on 'he ne"
bonds and much less than the normal increase
Of commerce nj this port. In other words. Tam
many spent. or pretended to spend. vast sums OF
the peoples money upon the docks. and ala not
ret a sufficient return therefrom To pay interest
ON the investment. 1t seems gross iiattery 10
call that nothing worse than maladminis'ration
Again between 1854 and 1894 the peoplc paid
off $50 600 600 Of the city debt and yet under
Tammany manipulation the debt was $S.OOOHO
larger in the latter year than in the former
That was climbing up two steps and falling
back thrce"-a fine example Of Tammany iinan-
eicring.
DEPRESSING TIE PEOPLE
Tammany should not 10 restored to power bc-
cause il has Invariably used its power for the
oppression OF the common people and the poor
for the selfish gain OF the favored few. con-
vincing example OF this IS seen in its manage
mcnt OF the public water supply-onc OF the
chief necessities Of health and comfort The
charges cxacted from The people for the use os
Croton water In 1891 were $2OS5.32O and in
1891 they were <3.SiG..t7. an increase OF ST.
781. c47 This increase was Effected chiefly by
placing water meters In tenement houses and
thus exacting heavier payments from the poor.
while the mansions o. the rich and the bar
rooms of Tammany politicians the latter among
the largest consumers Of waicr-wcrc allowed
to remain exempt from the new tax.
EXPENSIVE GOVERNMENT
Tammany should no, be- restored TO power be
sause It gave this city one Of the most expensive
sorar..-. no Ixntld and with The lnl,i 10