New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-29
Garner Controller Issues
sped Paper" Attacking
Administration.
WANTS TO CHECK
THE PSYCHOLOGISTS"
.Seroast, Replying. Calls the
pamphlet Part of Plot to
Depreciate Bonds.

W ' ~ ever needed a danger sig !
~, need 3; now.
a9 s,.seked especially the correct
~ - Controller PrenderCsst'S debt
H&Ss,t. declaring that the sum Of
60 00j authorized for the purpose
ts@t.,5,re rucolCcuhle taxes prior to
q; .houId be regarded as a debt.
~, Controller PrcndergaSt was
Nr. Colcr's booklet yesterday
..snt the afternoon reading II
80 and then issued a reply. He
w., aid not believe MIR. Coler was
81 ,-,bor OF the paper himself. but
w -, WAS acting for other people
~ hlnl q willing tool" He said
- no doubt that for mercenary
h,.s, they were attempting t. de-
r...,,e the quality and value of New
Fr1 City bonds.
CHy's Social Activities.
/, the pamphlet, which was written
.se reo-cst Of the Real Estate
80 ~ Trade Of New York, MIR. Coler.
- other matters, criticises the so
= setivities Of the city.
=, Il realized he declares, that
.. nsper Will scarcely appeal IN pro
,,gonsl sociological circles. Il IS not
@,s,,ed Il Will have many readers
Ter among the paid professors OF
.,fit or patrons Of the Hotel De Glnk.
nav be interesting, however, TO the
,rpsyers Of New York
n traces tine increase in the yearly
,r,srditurcs and the debt Of the city
I'D declares that the. government OF
:. eity faces financial problem OF
b utmost gravity. Nh Co!er crit
res the transfer Of money from one
,,--orriatou IN the budget 20 other
rs. which he declares TO be dishonest
;l,ee. lie referred 10 the fact that
1918 the Sl01.971 contingency fund
lihe Board of Estimate was increased
I. transfer 20 S396.50S. out OF which
rl227 In salaries were paid for the
v-ous new bureaus Of the board.
The constitutional convention Will
80, IN q few months" Mr.. Coler says.
Va oucst.or D. will have TO determine
vU be more important 10 the taXpay-
., 0. New York than this: What are
20 functions Of n city corporation?
After going into detail about the
urous social activities Of the city, Mr..
der says
j, would he an ungrateful task 70
ri.b;t '..s municipal chamber OF hor-
rs. II one were not convinced That IT
7u'd be salutary i'm effect. This thlng
rs. STOP and a rcformatory process
o. IN. Let the experts so TO work
,.l We get or our feet.
The first step is to get a clear sur
rr o. the real facts. In so far as
-, affect the city debt a disinter-
-.l opinion from an authoritative
.,cc will serve.
Would Check SociolOgists.'
The second step is 10 check the So
rogists. The definition OF the tunc-
ms of city corporation by the con-
rs,ional convention viii do that.
The third step IS 20 introduce direct
ZION into city finances. The shifting
tbalarces through several funds 10
aer real objective lends itself to the
v-'usior Of the public mind, and m
u7es the lost motion InseparaDle
non all unnecessary indirect processes.
The fourth step = to either stop
tgregatilc' the budget, or keep IL
Huegated' once il has been adopted
Y, all emergency expenses be met Dy
Re issue Of special revenue bonds.
In his reply Controller Prendergast
nd that Mr. Coler's attack rs the
ane stuff he sprang on the public al
1 recent S.. Patrick's Day dinner.
Re city. he said. was experiencing
rev campaign Of detraction, which be-
.,re had been devoted to dcnouncing
he city as the centre of vice, but now
s have a new school Of municipal
stlderers, Of which Mr.. Coler, for
-sr Controller Of this city, seems TO
;s pupil
In the many pages Of Mr.. Coler's
i;sst output" he continued. Il md
srlY two statements that deserve seri-
oas consideration or reply. Mr.. Coler
ta.upts 10 impuCn the correctness or
'lI debt statement by maintaining that
ne sun OF S13,OOO.0 600 authorized for
he purpose Of funding uncollectible
iIss prior 10 1905 tsome Of them from
ne time when Mr.. Coler was Con-
r'.er) should be regarded as debt.
Court Of Appeals Decided.
q told Mr.. Coler that the question
q whether this authorization for un-
e'4eetble taxes should be regarded as
cot was submitted TO the Court of
APPEALS, and the court said il was not
aeot within the meaning of the con-
Hiailon. Why viii Mr.. Coler in the
ace Of this decision insist upon rails
~ this question?
de says ne would like TO have GER
an law firms. which he mentions. go
yef our books. Does he think these
NV hrms will reverse the Court of
TTppeSls! il is useless and wicked for
az Coler 70 persist in raising this
ago"
vi. Prendergast then took up Mr..
ss'fs criticism Of the diverting Of
s SINKING fund surplus 10 the pay
'H' OF the clty's general expenses. 20
y, winch Is perfectly natural and
n,.Ygyssf, he said, If lawful expedient
s-o be devised The fund, he said,
80, overloaded by an unnecessary ac-
he condition Of this sinking fund"
MI Prendergast, sis paralleled
'ae condition OF the states sinking
WV N4infUk -llNts Which NOu-
3; - eS. up TO October / last the sum Of
,..''"VVOOO more than was necessary at
y. gaze to provide for the payment Of
~, ~ BONDS 70 be liqu.dated from that
"snS fund.
=, me Issuance of general fund bonds
~ yuuce the city sinking fund sur
Va ~. mas taken place under law that
g. Passed in 1903" continued the
, ysa,II0iler, "and the legal questions
n, ,Sa nj. Colcr attempts to raise re-
ing the validity Of corporate stock
/, ' VS. seem TO have found Judgement
any lew minds other than his own
rms lndiscriminate talk about
,,, vg debt statements" he said in
EoILiIusion, "and collusive municipal
=. NAeeping Is only meant TO discredit
IN government OF this city, and
=. ,t mat the people Of the city will
through 1t and through Mr.. Coler."
'ew Films at the Vitagraph.