New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
COLE,R ON CIVIL SERVICE.
WOULD GIVE CITY PLACES TO THOSE
WHO DO BEST IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Controller Coler at the meeting Of the Wom-
ans Henry George League. No q West Forty
secondst. yesterday afternoon. and gave his views
on the city debt and the public schools. He was
followed by G. B. Clark, of Glasgow. Scotland FOR
many years in Parliament. who spoke of the status
OF the land question in Great Britain
Speaking Of the city's finances the Controller
said:
The annual expenses Of this city amounted TO
ernment up TO the time of the Spanish War. Since
tna1 b tine comparison is impossible as no one has
National Government are. But with all our ex-
We are able to borrow money at a lower rate OF
interest than anybody else except the United States
terest than the English consols and per cent less
than the German national bonds.
Mr. Coler said that even with saints on the Board
Of Estimate it would be impossible to reduce the
taxes in the city 70 any extent under the present
laws because fully 50 per cent of all the citys ap-
preparations mandatory under the existing
statutes One of the chief reasons for the heavy
expense account. he declared. the charter pro
vision providing equal salaries for equal work
throughout limits OF the greater city, in spite
of the greatly reduced OF living in parts
of II.
THE way to make the city great" continued the
Controller. rs by crowding out the bad through de-
veloping the good. The wonder to me is not that
have much bad here. but that have SO
much good. I don't believe that the city is ever to
be made what It should be by putting one man out
and putting another in should like to see
all the societies interested in municipal problems
get together. If this done believe there is
public sentiment enough among them all to carry
out any general economic proposition that they
could agree on
Speaking on the educational question Mr.. coIer
expressed the belief that the eity's schools had got
away from the people. He said:
There seems to be the feeling in them that one
artist something that is regarded OF the
higher grades in life before he is respectable. Now.
TO avoid serious social troubles is by the cultivation
OF a spirit of brotherhood among US all
believe In Civil Service reform. but my expert
ence mas given me a rather poor opinion or the
present system We don't get the class Of people
we should In that way Those who get on the lists
are too often brokendOwn scholars or bOokkeepers
who have already failed at something else. and we
secure very few young men with hope and ambition
In them Now, if could in way join Civil
who do the best in their school work may be prac-
ttcally assured of places under the city would
furnish an incentive to the students and supply
the Civil Service with the class of workers IL needs
Mr.. Clark said that after years in Parliament he
had lost his seat ar the last election in his effort
stem the ''kahki fsyer." which he regarded only
a temporary, condition In England In Great
tax land values separately, and by gradually rails
ing the taxes in this respect until we have reached
desired. The wopf there is being carried by the
Land Restoration fSociety and the Land National
1zation Society. fnq II Is good deal easier in some
every law student. that the land belongs to the
State. and that fundamentally every owner is
only a tenant Of the Crown. Every man has a
right to himself and what his labor NAV produce'
Just the community has a right any values In
land that it may produce Monopoly and special
Strike these and you will strike at the root Of the
trouble"