New-York tribune., 1912-04-28
BOROUGH GOSSIP
FoSdiCk Tells of Waste in Spend
ina the Public Money.

RAYMOND B Fosdck the Commissioners
Of Accounts. saws that something besides
religion would be Of use in bringing about
innproved conditions in the city. In his
words II is not more morals. but more
facts that we need What we need above
all else in our city government is an in
terpretation of facts. We need 20 under
stand that every dollar spent in wrong
way means a dollar missing from gooi
way. We need to have graft interpreted
IN the terms Of tuberculosis. and If W.
could express padded payrolls I'm terms of
infant mortality our voters and taxpayers
would wake Up
Mr. Fosdick made these remarks the
other evening at a meeting of the Young
Republican Club. Perhaps tho central
thought of his talk was that the people
will always do the right thing-if they only
are made to see It. We have a budget
more than third larger than that Of the
whole empire Of Japan" lie said, and still
through past and present vast" We haven t
enough money to do tao really necessary
work of the city. One of tho items in eacn
budget is that Of S25.oN"No to pay interest
on money borrowed and spent, or stolen. in
tie past This sum includes the S",@on'
stolen b. Tweed from the courthouse fund.
IT is this sum that e stopping improve
ments such as the increase in the hos
pital facilities on BlackWells Island and
elsewhere. We must learn from European
cities a way 10 eliminate tho waste.
"One cause for waste is to he found in
the shortness Of the terms i'm office OF the
various commissioners. They are fortu-
nate If they are permitted 10 stay in Office
four years and 50 40 not have chance
TO get the business of their departments
down TO a science.
The clvil service system as conducted
al present is an almost ole
obstacle TO efficiency. II is next 10 impos-
siblo for a commissioner TO weed out the
lazy and incapable. If by making charges
against a man and proving them worth
less employe is discharged he is just as
likely as not to he reinstated by the courts,
and then the commissioner is personally
liable for his back salary. The lack OF a
pension system is another reason why il is
SO hard TO discharge old men who have
been in the department perhaps longer
than your own life | should say, however,
that about three-ffths of the present waste
may he eliminated. even under the present
civil service system
Recently VIC conducted an investigation
of the sewer department In the office or
Borough President McAneny. at his own
request We found that Il was 50 per cent
inefficient, due TO wasted time. unassigned
time and poor tools. Sow, it does 100 per
cent as much work as formerly at exactly
half the cost-$35C00 instead OF $4,000
vear. We also investigated the Chicago
Sewer Department at the request OF the
Marian commission. and found II to q
% per cent inefficient due 10 the same
causes"
The Brooklyn Presbytery went on record
/ at its meeting las week against sectarian
\ teaching in the government schools or the
displav Of sectarian emblems in govern
}nnent schoolrooms The resolutione were
uassed in opposition TO the teaching oil
nun. and priests in regulation garo and the
placing on the school walls Of Cathollc
nicturos. The acting moderator. the Rev
DR. A. D. Carlisle said that the presoytery
was not opposed 10 religious teachihs III
the schools but 20 sectarian teaching
More than fifteen hundred members OF
Sunday schools Of Brooklyn nave pee"
organized to learn and sing publicly "hen
occasion arises, sacred songs. This Is De.
leved TO be the largest permanent choir ol
N the kind in any city OF the Uniteo ota'ee
MI The rehesrsals have been In progress ~
y eight sections Of the borough since Fepru
s,v Music Supervisor Bridgman OF th'
Yansrtrnent of Education is In charge o.
he choir