New-York tribune., 1909-05-24
BUDGET DAY IN CHURCH
CLERGY ATTACK WASTE.
Pleas for Frugal and Decent Use OF
CitU ReTeHUeS.

Many church congregations in this city heard the
budget explained yesterday-what the annual ap-
propriations. approXimating M61@0Vn. arc used
for the amount for charity and for administration
The ministers of the gospel differed regarding the
conduct Of city affairs
The Rev. Dr. John P Peters. rector Of St
lIi-haels. said that the large budget was not duH
70 dishonesty. bur waste and inefticen0y- Rabbi
STEPHEN : Wise Of the Free Synagogue. declared
that every dollar needlessly expended in civic gov
eminent was stolen from the taxpayers and les
seued the efficiency Safeguarding interests which
meant life Of death city's millions: the Rev.
John II. Holmes. Of the Church Of the Messiah.
said that divergence of appropriations from the
purposes for which they were made was robbery.
In All Souls Unitarian. Dr William H Allen.
secretary Of the Bureau OF Municipal Research,
who had requested ministers TO make yesterday
Budget Day. occupied the pulpit in place Of the
pastor. the Rev Thomas r. Shcer. Dr. Allen
explained the work of the bureau in the city de
partments and the reforms instituted He pointed
out alleged abuses. and said that their correction
depended upon the Christian citizenship. whose con-
cern it purify the city government
DR.. Peters said that the budget for next year
called for an estimated expenditure Of $I56OGoc0 or
S13ooaol0 than this year, which. represented
not only an increase in current expenses but also
in interest bearing charges, This might be dis
missed by some persons, he said a matter Of
vital interest TO the plain people Of the city. He
said:
It was tax Of $25 on each man. woman and
amount of the budget. This budget 1t Will be S34,
every family Of i've persons being taxed for $40
You say ths cannot be- b5cause an of OF you are not
the taxes nevertheless Every one of the plain
people wh0 rents q house. apartment. room or
hen 6l enter sI6p to buy. FOR tie sh0pkeeper
must charge more for his goods so that he may be
Vases 10 not rise in anything like the ratio that
plain people live close % the limit of their incomes
and have less opportIaity each year TO save any
thing for sickness cor other misfoItunss. Bad laws
are iarrly accountable Tor these conditions don't
say ms : an a4e TO po!uciaIS OF li4at men up alL
men you send To Albany are better than the aver
..2 +Tsr grit 10 the b,deet s makers ana tell
tre ot other sections OF The city. that would not
hc fair Is l. To- be recreation piers on the dance
Laue Most Of the social centres are the saloons.
our bavs and girls must nave p!aEsroands. .5
f5eqe9tly 70 go 10 tte polio station to complain COMPLAIN
were nor safe there. and even older reanlc thought
f. dangerous for themselves Lei us see TO II that
hg P2imn f H. pS2gs g get m PT9gsr gsr and useful 's'Fioo-
The Religious Aspects OF City Budget was
the subject Of the Rev Nr- Holiness sermon vii
iam r. Patterson. of the Bureau of Municipal Re
search. also spoke giving some practical intorn}a-
tion about budget making. Mr. Patterson said that
the city was the greatest uhilanthropist in the
world. giving more TO charity. to The uplif' of man
kind. than any wealthy Individual. lie asked
whether il did not seem peculiar that church mem-
hers aid take more interest in the expenditures
10y the city. and then said
The bulge: needs you The city officials are
ready ana anxious Z" receive suggest ions They n
NEt- criri, ism. hut there X one lining That the
heads of dapsr1ncnts insist upon and thai - tati
--uu know what Nnu are talking about The tlul'
was when He coulf no1 understand this Sl6oe1H $50
budget. Illf do NOW. ANY one can now under
stand how appropriations are made, and il Is a
subject in which he ul size should he vitality ia
;srsstcl
M Holmes said shat reliaion was not concerned
with the individual but with society: not with the
soul alone. lut with social conditions. II the
municipality could be got to enforce Tie laws of
God Nj Holmes said. the evil tendencies OF The
times would De che eed H pointed the great
waste in the administration 90 municipal affairs as
reported by the Bureau OF Municipal Research. and
said that The divergence of appropriations for i'm
proper purposes was robbery
Rabbi Wise spoke to q large congregation. and de
cared ar the that n the past certain things
invited and might be said to have ueccssitated
civic corruption Among these We're The open bal
Iu ana lEe closed budget The open ballot Of other