New-York tribune., 1903-02-18
Low ADVISES FOUR YEARS TERN FOF
ASKS CITIZENS TO JOIN IN CRUSHING POLICE
BL4CKM4IL-GOOD WORK OF DEPARTMENTS

Mayor Low in a message the Board OF
Aldermen yesterday said that the Mayors term
should be restored TO four years The MESSAGE
treated in particularly interesting manner the
accomplishments of the departments OF Law
Police, Street Cleaning, Water Supply ana
Bridges.
The Mayor saws that excellent progress has
been made in improving the morale of the po-
lice force. and he praises Colonel Partridge for
solid results achieved while he was in charge
He believes that General Greene will be able TO
carry on the good work, and declares that there
must be a steady endeavor 10 improve the spirit
of the force. so that the old disagreeable prac-
tices may be srnitten root and branch
"I must however" the Mayor adds, remind
the citizens again. IS / did year ago thaI IL
they wish backmail to be abolished tney thenl-
selves must show courage in refusing TO pay IT,
and must cooperate with the officials who are
trying to stamp 1t out.
Continuing on police topics the Mayor says
aeaIie Shsnsa in the morale Of force
numbering nearly eight thousand ofilSers nc anf fo b
idea of protecting each other no t5e "tS that
0ays them hem against Wrongdong policeman tysS
more surely, IL need be, than agaIilSt +} the
eHd en oe to be achieved IS inpossibe by Tea
Of the public opinion & OF o Inf d to use his posi-
ton for the purpose of private gam an s,n results
ma
cannot be obtained In single year or IN smi 1 {n
only by slow process of education WhiSn ot s IN the
force itself and in the community; as has @ airs1g
ID tahe tb ritv hospitals and in matter Of street
cleaning. Twenty-hve years ago bo7,xe bne and penf-
tentiarv: to-day they nursed by graduates o, d
training school FOR nurses 2e6eie In iS nine
hundred applications admission from an P paris
the f f gfesn of ysaFSY aS that W
the city could not Hs kspr ,ba, illusion foreveT
WHAT COLONEL PARTRIDGE DID,
l-.-,-u;ss,o,er Partridg. broke up the RED Light
r,iIict. ON the East Side with It's revoting cadet
system: drove out of business number u ~A'
Comnssoner Partridge was called upon at ts
srseT in population than the day Of c3nsods
ton with force of police rs sared fbs foree
sooa 20 rs az fuii II limit Of 6s2 parosn Not only was
city Of half mSR s p59p,tf 62 the aqasa Segnnig Of
YEAR but the activities of the last ye year. navf &
Sfor Ssn The demands force
therefore have multiplied I'm NAM s nc, Forget that
heavier proportiouate demands have pssg Ssan ads
The poesi iG s5 fhaP demand for
crease of the force is fully tustined oy b smitten
-oot and branch whatever interests suffer In the
mean time ost be made S 20 feel that such money
withers every hand that touches IL neaItS 1t ~.
Prove the Romey than the men responsible for the
low morale and the misaeeds Of the force-
Referring 10 the suggestion by Messrs- Par
fridge Philbin and Andrews that the fo40e
Commissioners term be fourteen years. the
Mavor SAYS he doubts if the public is ready for
the innovation, and adds
do think, however. that the Mayors term
s+antiaI1v impossible TO accomplish permanent re
suits in this dspafSmeRa tWo Rsars 9[ Il think this
should be made to go into effect on January l. 1'
With reference to the administration OF the
Law Department by Mr. Rives. the Mayor SUD
mits a brief summary as follows
Number Of tried court - 9oY
Number OF appeals argued.'-''' ga SIT
Number actions and proceed -oos se ees
Judsme2ts lisS 0tsaa against the city. 'n L'i2
Amsunt Of Judgments against the Is IS
judgments elsg in favor Of the city, 1870 ia
Amount Of judgments in favor OF s-711o ses .s7 u
amount moe tit Collected including cases ~ ,,oo,o,a
settled Of court. costs etc-@lS"SOoe- q
The bureaus for the collection OF personal
taxes and Of penalties have been singulariy
successful. as is shown by the following con-
parison: ,eoo 1905 % 1901
Arrears Of personal taxes collected .,sSooo SIS. 500
R,rean of Penalties collected. ..... 4e57 $4,000
Tenement branch collected <5S4o
Much the largest part Of the arrears of per-
sonal taxes was collected from corporations and
large estates
DISCUSSES THE CITY DEBT.
Regarding the city deot. the figures for which
reached him too late for comment in his Janu-
ary message the Mayor says;
II appears first that. without regard 70 revenue
bonds issued n anticipation OF the collection OF
The city issued during 1902 bonds 20 th. ss 80
Ana Ja paid o. on bond: to the l6ssO6e "a
showing an increase in the gross ,o, %, ,o0 ss
debt OF ''s---f4'A'S ~
The additional burden placed upon the taxpayers
however in the shape of interest payable. 0y this
large issue of bonds. is very light; for the IN
terest on bonds issued for the Rapid Transit
Subway is charged against the road ftSeIs anu
is raised by taxation
payable all the bonds - -. ... -.
issued is ~AsAA'U-' -
peea9t gid "iTeaeSL Ti. AZ lnds S3d 49, 500 90
And ,be remainder is........ Ss7s s525 90
Many OF the bonds paid off. however. were
and cent bonds ana the
inter on whole was 1913 oz
The difference being -----.--------- >l4o<i' %
In other words for this small interest charge.
pavable hv taxation. viz. S1i621+ 90 in excess OF
what was being paid the year before the city
is securing public improvements to the value OK