New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-25

budget, and the net increase here is about
100000 over 1914.
Another factor of increase, amounting
to $2,OOO,OO0 was due to the unprece-
denied snowstorm of the winter year
ago, when the Street Cleaning Depart
ment had to remove almost every cubic
foot of snow that fell in Manhattan and
dump it at the waterside
Another reason for the budget increase
was the European war, which brought
financial stringency and compelled the
city, in order to square itself with foreign
creditors and meet nearer obligations, to
borrow 100000 at the high rate of 6
per cent. War and weather are events
over which the wisest city administration
has no control. These items, together
with uncollectible taxes and the neces-
sarv increase for education, explain
why the administrative saving OF S2,ooo,-
900 was wiped out and the budget as
whole was increased.
We may put the reasons for budget
increase in the following order: Manda-
tory legislation, European war, uncoilec-
tible taxes, Street Cleaning Department.
How about next year, We intend not
merely to maintain but reduce admins
trative cost by a number of economies.
By further study and development OF ct
6c;encv am confident that | will be able
to make cut within my administrative
family of between one and two million
dollars. Beyond that we hope to reduce
the item of uncollectible taxes by about
four million dollars Furthermore there
is good reason to hope that the Depart
ment of Education will achieve admin
istrative economies of between one-halt
and one million dollars.
EXPENSES THAT REFUSE TO BE
STARED OUT OF COUN-
TENANCE.
Against these reductions we must place
some increases on account of extended
service. There is the inevitable increase
to take care of new school children.
There will be a need for more policemen,
for even now there are not enough patrol
men to give adequate protection to all
parts of the city. An addition to the force
cannot be avoided. The Charities Depart
ment will also need more money, because
in a few months our city dependents have
increased from 10000 to $4,000. All these
various needs will probably total an ad-
dition of between two and three million
dollars.
Also next year we shall assume some OF
the cost of the new pay-as-you-go policy.
We shall not try to do it all at once; that
would be too drastic. Next year we will
write into the budget one-quarter of the
public improvements such as used to be
bonded for half century; and the rest OF
the cost will be taken by fifteen-year
bonds. The following year we will write
one-half of public improvement cost into
the budget then three-quarters of the
cost and after the fourth year New York
will be freed entirely of the wasteful and
perilous scheme of running up bills, and
will be paying for about everything
needed out of her current income. She
will buy on credit only improvements,
such as docks and the like, which pro-
duce enough income to be self-support-
ing.
AN INCREASE WHICH WILL
BRING ABOUT A SHRINKAGE.
The new policy means temporary in
crease in the annual tax budget, but in a
period of some years it will result in
wholesome shrinkage of that great incu-
bus of fifty-nine millions of interest and
sinking fund payments on the city debt;
and that shrinkage, through the paying of
of bonds, will balance the budget rise