New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-23
TIE BUDGET AND THE LIBRARY.

The budget for 1893 was closed yesterday.
executing as to a single item. which yet re-
mains in allowance. with a total of more than
ST. OO0. OOO. OF which about S48OO0O00 is ap-
nl,ed to the former city Of New-York and the
rest TO the annexed territory. Truly, metro
polltan government comes high, with or with
out consolidation. 1t would not. perhaps DC
too costly-at least the cost would cause little
or no complaint-if for every dollar expended
a fair equivalent In labor and materials were
obtained New-York is rich and willing 10
spend money freely for its comfort and credit
No better proof of this is required than the uni
versal APPRECIATION which Colonel Waring won
nv cleaning the streets Of the city. The ex
pense was great. greater than it had ever been
before: but the streets were cleaned, the people
wre not merely contented. but enthusiastic ana
tho Commissioner who went into office hand-
capped by q certain measure Of public dstrusf
md was for O time subjected TO continual buf-
fet,ngs from the vicious and illnformed, car
r,ed back to private life the respect and good
wishes OF virtually the whole population.
II IL within the power Of every competent
official charged with the disbursement Of pub
,,c money on q large scale to prove In his own
experience that the people are both generous
md lust. We should rejoice to see every mem
ber Of the present administration steadfastly
engaged IN demonstrating that proposition.
There are other things besides clean streets IN
which this community earnestly desires to
maintain the highest possible standard. Fore
,,os, NJ those. perhaps are schools. so well
eouippcd, SO we'll taught, so well administered
IN all respects and so fully equal In the mat
tor of accommodations to the requirements OF
rho frst city OF the Western World as to make
our educational establishment model for uni
versa, imitation To the schools Tammany has
never been well disposed. with all It's pretences
of devotion - their welfare In this great
branch Of municipal government there IS need
Of radical reform.
One remark made By the Mayor at yester-
days meeting Of the Board OF Estimate was
In his Characteristic tone, but 1t differed from
many Of hts ebullitions in that II was addressed
to what has the unmistakable appearance Of an
abuse. In bids for a small job Of aspbaltng
the Mayor found clear Indications of combina-
zion to Ak prices and divide the work. 1--WE
ought to break up this combination" he de-
clared, land establish an asphalt plant Of our
own, II It costs $4,000 or e10OOOOO' Implicit
confidence Is not likely TO he felt In the disposi-
ton and ability Of Tammany government to
manage an enterprise Of that sort to the ad-
vantage Of the city; but we approve the Mayor
resistance to collusive bids. and we should like
10 see him pursue with equal zeal more than
ono combination which has been making an ex-
,rayagantly good thing OH Of the public treas
ury for many years.
The one interest for which 1t Is now hoped
with apparent reason that another and final ap
propriation may be added to this years budget
Is the Public Library. The sum OF $l5o,OoO has
been asked for to remove the Murray Hill
reservoir and prepare the site for rho library
The work could be begun 10 the best advantage
now, and every delay In supplying one OF the
greatest needs of all the people. and more es
pecially OF the poor. is deplorablc and without
excuse. The Mayor was formerly hostile 10
the library. and so were others who took their
cue from him. Their attitude Is known to have
changed. and II - believed that his antagonisin