The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-26

New York April 26--After = study OF
the system OF government I'm this city
and in Buffalo. Robert Donald. one OF
the most prominent OF municipal reform
ers in London, where he founded aud
conducted London, an organ devoted to
bettering the condition OF the residents
OF that metropolis. sailed for Europe on
the Oceanic yesterday. Before going he
summarized the results OF his inquiry
into New Yorks municipal government.
From my casual observation said
Mr. Donald who made a longer stay I'm
America ten years ago, there seems TO
have been made an enormous advance in
your city government.
Your streets are much cleaner than
they were decade ago, there are I'M
mense improvements I'm your transit FAC
ilities, the people seem to be more or
derby. one meets fewer poor persons IN
the thoroughfares. and on every hand
there IL more evidence of wealth and
.'Yon see, the system of city govern
ment here and In cities in ENGLAND ~
vastly different. In many OF our cities
the municipality not only controls the
street railroads the water and gas sup
plies, but 1t also operates them.
HONESTY OF GOVERNMENT
"ro bring about such condition. and
to make IL for the betterment OF The
people, IL is necessary. TO have nom
political council and an honest admins
tration. These conditions do not obtain
here, should judge. and did the city
own such plants presume ths6 sr,,or whIs ne
the city. they and their places would be
nnder the control of the politicians IN
.In Liverpool. in Glasgow and i'm
twenty other cities, big and little. the
street railroads are owned by the muni-
cipality In Huddersreld. "A manutsctnr-
~ ~ Uo0 a Ion al
franchises, are owned and operated by
the municipality. Liverpool now has one
hundred miles of electric trolley railroad.
and In "A few years, " is believed the
fares will be as low az two cents That
f. the average fare la Glasgow now, and
the people Of London hope soon 10 reduce
this TO one cent on the roads In opera
tlon there
Taking up the budget of, the board OF
estimate and apportonment for 1901. Mr..
II have been looking for few facts
IN this book, but II seems 10 me rs though
~ wero designed 10 conceal Information
rather than TO impHrt it, Hut l have
gathered some figures which enable me
TO make "A comparison between the cost
of some OF your city departments and
those In London.
NEW YORK'S POLICE EXPENSIVE.
TAKE the police force, for instance
There are 1850 men on the force In Lon
don. and they cover an area of COZ square
miles The annual cost OF the depart
ment Is s. 0ss, 770 In New York. with not
half the number of policemen. the cx-
pense Is, I gee, 81. 9}S a3.
II see that your board OF education
cost your city last year $lA6l9.lll. In
London where the department includes
technicai schools and high schools. where
the number OF schools Is 500, with nearly
co ON scholars, the yearly expense is
s12.oi27s5.
Then take the FIRE department That
costs as, IN London. S994 200 year the
expense for the same department 90 the
city IL N,S64, ,sS5. Strangely enough / fnd
the expense Of the coroner's department
in both cities In Just the same $lG5.0o0
''The figures show that the people OF
New York are taxed in the sum Of SOS
1eo.4i5. which, as J take ~. is about 50
for each inhabitant. The people OF Lon
for each person
II don't see why all your public WORK
seems TO cost so much moro than IN,
same work does In London. nv only IN.