The chronicle=news., 1912-11-05


xsapic-City may have doll quar-.
sntinc. New York theatsrs would
seat population OF 81. Paul OF
Providence.
New York. Nov. s.-Ths iarse~t
budget which hss ever been adopted
by any city In the world has been
passed by the board Of es, innate here,
hut New Workers aer 10 used to bix
financial doinsH OF all sorts that the
TACT has caused little comment save
for some more or less subducd Hrutp'
bling st the Increased expenditure.
A. y matter Of fact the budget e.
Innate Of more than Sl.3.00O. 900
for the city's expenses OF 1871; Is
with one exception larger than that
OF any other government. munici-
pal. state or national. In the western
hemisphere. The exception OF courss
ix the United States itself some Idea
of what such budget really
amounts to may be gathered from the
fact that II In ~ large as those OF
Denmark. Switzerland. Sweden.
Norway. Greece and S~TvIa combin-
ed. New York maintains no army.
hut the appropriation for schools for
next year would keep up very re-
spectacle military establishment. In
fac, the school money about equals
the yearly pay Of the Who'll. United
States army a, the present time for
both officers and enlisted men. More
than sac. 100000 In set aside for the
educational needs OF the city. which
supports. besides the elementary
schools and the great high school
system. u normal college aud the col
icxc OF the city Of New York. where
any Young New Yorker. boy or girl.
may get modern college education
free of tuition. Tho police department
will cost 1l6,5O0.O00 next year. the
fire department .SS.se0. 900. public
charities S3.6OO.0o0 and 20 IL goes.
New Workers. find aome comfort in
the fact that the tax rate is no, going
up with the growing budget. The In
crease OF Sil 100000 over the 1911:
forecast IL met In psxs by an In
creased assessment of 10000. 900
on the taxable real estate, and d.
rect improvement In the returns
from certain properties Of the city
which pay revenue. notably the great
city docks which under efficient
mana cement will bring In y total OF
.Ss.50o.0o0 more than they have this
year. ~. ...- IT., l,--s.
Twelve hundred dolisrs = year Is
the sum fixed upon by Investigator
as tho lowest upon which an aver.
see family can live on comfortable
American plane" 10 New York. and
families thinking Of migrating To this
city are invited 10 ponder on this n.
..ure before mo, Ing. OF eourse FAM
iiy can exist here on les, hut In max.
ing the Investigation ''ryc bread and
sausa Ee'' wRees have not been cin.
xidcrcd. but figure sought which
will provide . family Of five with
the necessities Of life. though no,
with luxurics. and allow them to live
In comfort. While one hundred dol.
lars month is the sum which Ii
held necessary TO accomplish this
end In this city. II Is admitted that
In other parts OF tho country as much
could he obtained from sixty to srv.
enty dollars. An income Of $500 for
10 family OF five the investigators
conclude, will provide only the mini
mum of nourishment and comfort and
iii not meet any extra demand.
such as might arise from sickness OF
other causes. The tabulation OF the
various items OF expense which aD.
sorb such an income. averaged from
a large number Of families per month
shows the following figures: Rent
|s15Ss: food. $3.50: fuel. 81 &c:
light, Sl.47: clothing. $io.43: car
fare. S2.5l: lunches. $3.50: dues. 81
cents: insurance. 3l.6l: mcidentalt
1896: total. $3.50. Upon this ba-
sis family Of five must spend &S7@..
50 year and must earn OH an aver.
iaEe OF $16.S2 week. As compared
to the New York working man. those
,of Holland and France live much
more comfortably while the average
German plane Of living is 20 much
higher as to make any { comparison
valueless What the investigators
regard az one OF the most serious
phases of this situation is found In
their statement that workers In tail
office buildings. such as elevator
men' porters. hal men and the like
are likely TO become race o
bachelors. sincet he cost OF marrying
and suporpting family fs far be
yond their means.
J While 1t may not exercise an!
marked effect on the high cost q
living. the price Of one at least o.
the nccessaries OF life bids fair t
show very marked decrease durint
the coming year. This commodity Il
sugar. the price OF which has beeI
above what has come to be REGARDED
as its normal level for nearly yea
and half. Experts WHO keep in,toucl
with sugar production In all part