New-York tribune., 1902-06-22
TO SAVE CITY'S MONEY.
WORK DONE BY MERCHANTS
A.SSOCLAT TON TO THIS END.
SEEKING TO DEVISE SYSTEM OF AC-
COUNTS FOR MUNICIPAL BUSINESS
THE SUCCESSFUL RAMAPO FIGHT.

greater undertaking TO prevent the waste of the
city's BY the repeal of the act which
gave the Ramapo Water Company its extraordinary
powers. the municipal treasury was saved from
raid which would erptied ii of S2OO,eo0'o at
the of forty years. The reform which the asso-
citation has now begun. expected. will save the
city times that amount. and Will safeguard it
from exrravagant expenditure of the peoples funds
for even greater length of time.
Assured of the cooperation of Mayor Low and of
the various heads of departments of the present
city government. the Merchants Association is
seeking TO devise system Of accounts by which
the financial machinery of the city may be run
on the same busineSslike and economic basis as
that Of a railroad a large manufacturing plant
Investigation by the association has brought to
light fact that there is total lack of compre
5ensive and itemized information furnished by the
different city departments to the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment. that adequate scrutiny
of estimates IS impossible Thus there is no way
Of telling great appropriations really
needed by the various departments and when the
money is appropriated where ii goes
The attention Of Mayor Low was called TO the
present dernoraized conditions existing in the citys
system of department records, reports, accounts.
estimates and audit, and in a letter to the asso-
citation Mr.. Low said in part:
such a study the situation ought to be made.
and il be made either too thoroughly or too
soon. The laws relating the city's finances are
full of incongrrties of which even officers Of the
city only learn they stumble upon them A
study OF the entire situation, which will make
clear the amendments of the which to he
observed. and which will present such statement
of the detailed expenditure in every department as
a great business corporation would desire cannot
fail of great public advantage. il it is intelh-
gently made
It is estimated that the proposed plan will reduce
the citys expenses at least 80 do3eo year Worth
ington C Ford. formerly the chief of the United
States Bureau OF STATISTICS, and now head OF the
Boston Public Library, has been employed by the
association TO take charge of investigation Of
the different city departments. and he VIII be as
sisted by corps of expert accountants.
The outlays the maintenance and operation
of the government for the 1900 was
sos 73277. about $4,000" less than the com
bined expense of running the following cities th-
cago. Philadelphia. Boston. ST. Louis. MILWAUKEE,
Detroit New-Orleans. Pittsburg, Cincinnati, San |
Francisco Buffalo. Cleveland and Baltimore. The |
cost capita in these cities is SIS while
New-York ii is S3l g. 1t is for the purpose OF
securing great an economy of government in |
New-York is enjoyed in the other great cities |
of the country that this investigation has been |
started by the Merchants Association.
The amendments to the city charter which will he
proposed as result OF the investigation will be the
Of extended discussion and If enacted will
be OF much importance At first. II appears strange
that organization like the Merchants Associa- |
lion. composed Of in active business in this !
city should concern itself with such undertake
ing as reformation OF the citys accounting
system or the repeal Of the Ramapo act. but the
motto Of the association is ITO foster the trade and
welfare Of Ne7v-YorlI.'' But although such is the
in attaining such end has become widely diver
sifed. AS ID. Roy Dresser. the president Of the
association expressed il public letter recently
The field that the Merchants Association covers
to-day has enlarged until it is far broader than at
first contemplated. Its scope embraces Tslblic
affairs that affect not only its members, but all
citizens. To protect its business interests ii has
sought TO resist and throw off host of wrongful
sxactions which have been eating its prosperity
away But IL has found that its business in
terests not separate concern, and that what
oppresses the merchant or manufacturer likewise
Expresses all property interests
Experience continued Mr.. Dresser. has taught
taat TO foster the general welfare is the best
i to develop the trade OF New-York- The powerful
influence upon public affairs which may be exerted
by genuine cooperation among business interests
has been demonstrated by this association. Il has
come entirely by concentrating the power of public
opnion through a well organized Office.
The most striking evidence of what the power OF
the people working through the agency of such
an organization As the Merchants Association
accomplish the repeal Of the Ramapo act The
fight which the association waged against this cor
poration was long and unceasing As conse
uuence. the Legislature repealed the act which gave
The Ramapo company its unusual powers. and then
enacted legislation which permitted the city Of
NeW-York 10 obtain a larger water supply of its
own. Thus the metropolis was saved from the dan
ger Of a contract with private company, as had
been planned by certain Tammany politicians
which would have entailed an expenditure Of $500
gaoep.
began in the winter OF l8ss-lSDO and ended the fol-
lowing winter The Merchants Association spent
$4,000 in the fight in addition the voluntary and
unpaid services OF eminent engineers and lawyers
pgho served upon committees.
Because OF the necessity Of guarding against un-
tlst legislation. as well encouraging the enact
nent OF beneficial statutes. the association has not
only established an especial committee legisla-
zion hut II has also a personal representative At
Albany throughout the legislative session, who in
many ways serves as a sort Of supplementary
sstant corporation counsel In safeguarding the in
lerests Of this city
other lines OF work in which the association has
been actively engaged may be summarized as fol-
lows
TRANSPORT ation-Against railroad discrimination;
ruarjinc the Erie Canal Harbor improvement
Successful efforts for adequate snip cha nnels Gus
House. amendments customs administrative
act; abrogation Of duties on samples Foreign com
reform: closer relations with Cuba and Porto
Rico. Internal Misrepresentation at various
Texas by invitation of the Gov
ernor legislature. Maintenance of postal facii-
ties-Action against reduction OF carrier service
taxatfon etc-ICefeat of the 5 per interest
hill monetary conference at Indanap polls: action
against unequal taxation under United States
nue. Charitable relief work-For sick soldiers
al Montauk the Galveston disaster sufferers; the
Porto Rfcan hurricane sufferers: the Jacksonville
fire sufferers; the Martinique sufferers
in the Ramapo contest these points were taken:
Preliminary inquiry into Ramapo contract; organ
izaton and work OF committee on water supply:
surveys by engineering committee; analysis OF
finances; legal defects shown by legislation
Realizing that the prosperity the city de-
penden: first of ali the transportation Facilities
GovtyorI ry the assocation has been especial lily
active in working for better and more equitable
these lines granted excursion rates TO merchants
visiting New-Ynrz. whereas the roads centring In
such rates. As consequence, these Western
markets grew rapidly much TO the injury Q! me