Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 17, no. 425: May 6, 1876

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EAL iLSTATE AND BUILDERS' GUIDE. Vol. XYII. NEW YOEK, SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1876. No. 425. Published Weekly by THE REAL ESTATE RECORD ASSOCIATION TERMS. OWE YEAR, in advance___§10 00. C SV. STVnBET, Nos. 345 and 347 Bboadway. UTILIZING THE TAXPAYER. "When the "Committee of Seventy" vras con¬ sidering a new charter for New York City, The Eeal Estate Eecoed urged npon that body a scheme by which the taxpayers could have some¬ thing to say touching the expenses of the me¬ tropolis. We argued at that time that it was idle to give any direct representation to capital' ists or taxpayers, as it was not only unconstitu¬ tional but unpopular, and any scheme to that effect would be defeated. But we suggested tbat a provision should be made by which tbe large taxpayers would be charged with tbe duty of auditirg all bills against the city treasury. They were to have no power to stop any needful work; but, as they bad to pay tbe bills, tbey should be given the authority to see that tbe work was faithfully done, and tbat tbere was no overcharge. Tbe fraud and corruption of our city government is not due so much to unneces¬ sary work as to wasteful expenditure and over¬ charges. Tbe objects for which we pay such large bills are not in themselves objectionable. The opening and curbing of streets, tbe laying out of parks, the making of sewers, tbe care of schools, and of tbe police, are all legitimate objects for wise expenditure, whose abuse lies in its being no one's business interest to protect tbe treasury against overcharge, "We argued, why not im¬ pose upon, say, five hundred of tbe largest tax¬ payers in the city of New York, tbe duty of examining every bill and reporting upon tbe charge and quaUty of tbe work done ? Tbera is a well-founded- dread tbat if taii-payers alone were consulted as to improvements, very few new works would be imdertaken."" Tbey are necessarily a timid and selfish class, with not a great deal of public spirit; but tbe object of tbis "auditing board" would be to utilize tbeir selfishness for tbe public good, and tbe saving of tbe resources of tbe treasury of tbe city. We trust tbat Mr. Wm. M. Evarts and tbe Commis¬ sion of Eleven, with wbicb be is associated, will take this particular matter intp consideration. Our project was brougbt before tbe "Commit¬ tee of-Seventy, "but it was so incongruous a body that nothing could be done. Most of its members .were candidates for ofSce, and about fifty out of tbe seventy secured official positions. Their charter was not quite as good as the Tweed charter wbicb it replaced. We learn from ex¬ cellent authority tbat tbe commission over wbich Mr. Evarts presides intends to propose a great many amendments, and among them some,\fbich look towards a more direct mode of government of tbe city by tbe taxpayer; but it is safe to fore¬ tell tbe defeat of any measure wbicb will give tbe property class a larger share in tbe responsibili¬ ty of government tban tbe class having no prop¬ erty. It will afford an opportunity for demagog- ism wbicb will meet with ready acceptance. But tbere can be no reasonable objection to tbe proposition tbat the persons who have to foot tbe bills should pass sentence upon tbeir val¬ idity. No hired Comptroller could have any¬ thing like tbe interest at stake in protecting tbe city treasury . tbat tbe men have whose pockets are made to suffer. It should be made a public duty, like jury duty or military ser¬ vice, or serving on tbe grand jury. Perhaps it would not be needful for tbe taxpayers them¬ selves to attend to these duties, but tbey should pay for tbe auditors, accountants and investiga¬ tors who would be charged with tbe duty of ex¬ amining tbe accounts of persons wbo bad claims against tbe city. There is no interest like self- interest, audit is quite clear that no such scandals could attach to the work done by tbe City of New York if contractors and projectors of improve¬ ments knew tbat tbere would be a rigid account¬ ability exacted for every item of tbeir bills when presented, Tbe question is, therefore, bow much power should be given to this board of directors ? At first, perhaps, their power should be simply recommendatory; tbeir business should be to report to the ComptroUer or to tbe Board of Finance; and if the experiment suc¬ ceeded, in time tbey might be given authority to refuse payment where tbere was clear evi¬ dence of fraud. WlU not some of tbe property-holders wbo read The Eecord and are interested in tbe fu¬ ture of tbe city and its economical administra¬ tion, call tbe attention of Mr. Evarts and tbis commission to this very important suggestion? Tbe taxpayers and commissioners may as well understand first as last tbat any proposi¬ tion giving exceptional authority to owners of real estate is not Ukely to bs incorporated into tbe Constitution during tbe present generation, but a measure such as we suggest would perhaps be unobjectionable, and would, we are sure, benefit any city government wbicb would utUiz.e its taxpayers in tbis manner. NEW YORK'S BUSINESS FUTURE. It is not to be disguised tbat capitaUsts wbo bave invested in real estate in tbis city and neighborhood bave been disquieted by tbe facts and statements put fortb, wbicb seem to indi¬ cate tbat tbe growth of, New York has reached its limit, and that, tbe increase of population and business in tbe future will not be so rapid as it has been in tbe past. Indeed, there are people wbo. argue with great apparent -sincerity that the sceptre has departed from-the MetropoUs, that we may expect a steadily diminishing busi¬ ness, and tbat a stationary, if not a retrograde cbiiraeter wiU be imparted to tbe population in numbers. Tbe reasons urged for tbis belief are some of tbem plausible, aud a few bave no Uttle weight. Among tbem are tbe foUowing: 1. Tbat New York is a seaport city, and tbat as sucb she can never expect to maintain ber position as tbe place of tbe greatest business and largest poputatiiju. Tae great cities of tbe world are without exception inland. Tbey are tbe capitals of nations, tbe residences of courts, and tbe money centres of the respective com¬ munities. London, Paris, Madrid, Vienna, Ber¬ Un, St. Petersburg, Pekin, Yeddo—in short, all tbe great cities, tbe metropolises of tbeir res¬ pective nations, are remote from tbe sea-coast. Tbe commercial cities proper—Liverpool, Glas¬ gow, Cork, Havre, Bordeaux, Cadiz, and tbe like - are second, third and fourth rate in com¬ parison with the before-named great cities, wbicb are tbe real metropolises of tbeir com¬ munities. Hence it is argued, that it is impossi¬ ble for either New York or San Francisco, to be eventuaUy of any greater imxjortance tban are tbe exporting and importing marine ports of Europe. With tbis line of reasoning we must look for tbe great city of tbis continent in some interior locaUty, sucb as St. Louis, Chicago, or even some uirrecognized point where population and business wiU at some future time cluster. 2. Tbe serious fact, tbat New York has lost the greater portion of its jobbing trade within tbe last few years, or since tbe passage of tbe Immediate Transportation Act in 1870. This act declared a great number of inland cities ports of entry, so tbat it became permissible for goods to be imported direct, without breaking bulk or paying duty at New Yoi-k. Since tbat ill-timed act was passed. New York has lost tne bulk of its jobbing business. Inland cities bave every advantage over us, as tbe appraisements of goods under oiu- compUcated tariff are, of course, in favor of tbe local dealers. Tbe busi¬ ness of appraising is so deUcate and responsible, that it is impossible for it to be done honestly by tbe cheap officials wbo occupy appraiser's desks In inland cities. These $1,500 and $2,000 officials occupy posts which require tbe widest mercantile knowledge of goods, prices and val¬ ues. Tbey are therefore necessarily incompe¬ tent, and escape criticism only by catering to tbe local trade. A looseness of conducting business and imposing duties wbicb would not be tolerated in a large commercial port like New York or Boston is admissible at tbese inland points, to tbe great advantage of tbe local haercbants over tbeir metropolitan rivals. 3. Tbe statistics recently pubUsbed concern¬ ing tbe grain, sugar aud provision business also give evidence of tbe decline in the commerce of our- city. Tbe railroad rivalries are building up Boston, Philadelphia, and especiaUy Balti¬ more, at the expense oftbis oity. To sweU thQ