Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 85, no. 2183: January 15, 1910

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January 15,, lyio l\i:^»wV/niy /vi^ u vjnj Liym ESTABUSHED^ tAmC-^ £!«> 1868. "DtAteD to Re^LEstate.BuiLonJG %Cl(lTECTi;RE,l{oUSElfOLDDEGtDipOlft;, Busn^ESS ai(dThemes of GeiJer&I IiiiERfsi.. PRICE PER YEAR IN ADVANCE EIGHT DOLLARS Communications should be addressed tO C. W. SWEET published Every Saturday By THE RECORD AND GUIDE CO. President, CLINTON W. SWEET Treasurer, F. W. DODGE Vice-Pres. & Genl, Mgr., H. W. DESMOND Secretary, F, T. MILLER Nos. H to 15 East 24tl» Street, Ne-tv York City (Telephone, Madison Square. 4430 to 4433.) "Entered at tlic Post Office at New York, N. Y., as socond-eliiss matter." Copyrigbted, 1910. by The Record & Guide Co, Vol. LXXXV. JANUARY 15, 1910. IN a letter published in the last issue of the Record and Guide. Mr. Bolton Hall states the problem of "equal pay," for -women teachers in the following terms: "Tbe question, then, for the city oincials and the taxpayers to decide is whether they intend to buy their labor at the market price, or whether they intend to pay more than a livii'g wage." If the present demand of the women school¬ teachers should be granted, the qaestion would eventually assume the form defined by Mr. Hall; but, tbe immediate problem is somewhat more restricted. The demand for equal pay "raises the question whether the City shoulcJ select a certain number of its female employes, those who happen tt, be doing the same claps of work as a certain smirller number of men, and pay them a large increase in salary—much larger than women can obtain for similar work anywhere in the Union, much larger than the sum for which an indefinite number of equally competent women would be glad to do the work. Most of tbe women on whose behalf this demand is made, have been trained at the Nor¬ mal School at tile expense of the taxpayers, and they have voluntarily sought the position they hold—knowing per¬ fectly well what the remuneration would be. They are not asking that their salaries be adjusted to that of other school teachers of the same sex, either in this or othei- cities. They are demanding that the city, so far as they are concerned, shall surrender tbe advantage that was in the beginning the decisive cause of their employment—that they shall receive salaries bearing no relation at all to tlie salaries usually paid to women for that class of work. It is a plain and flagrant demand for discrimination, concealed by the words "equality"; and it should not have received one moment's serious consideration—particul-arly in view of the fact that if it were granted it would seriously hamper the city in meeting the far more just, pressing and funda¬ mental demands, which are being made upon it. discriminate in favor ot a certain number of women—with- cut doing anything to improve the economic position of these women most in need-of it—viz; the women employed in-in:luEtrial and the lower kinds of domestic work. If the taxpayers of New York wish to spend $10,000,000 a year for the sake of improving the economic position of women, they can do so in other ways to far better advantage. The women, svho really need public assistance are not schoil- teachers, hut poor married women, who are obliged to work Willie they are either carrying oj- nursing children, and widows who are obliged to support a family. The well- being and health of the whole community demands that women who are bearing and bringing up children should be well cared for, whiie in all large cities there is a con¬ siderable class of comparatively poor or destitute widows. The percentage of widows to all tbe females in the country as a whole is 7.3; but, the percentage of widows to all the females in the one hundred and sixty cities of at least 2 5,000 inhabitants, is 12.4. It would be very exceptional to find a school teacher belonging to eitlier of these classes. They are for the most part derived from families in modest but comfortable circumstances; and when they have any¬ body dependent upon them, the assumption of such re¬ sponsibilities is usually more or less voluntary. If the city wishes good men teachers it must and should pay them enough money to enable them to support a family, whereas the salaries of equally good women teachers need not be more than enough to support an individual in about the same manner. Tbe only valid reason for "equalizing" the pay of men to'women teachers would be some proof that tbe latter are intending or propose to become the heads of families. No. 2183, ASSUMING, however, that this demand for discrimina¬ tion on behalf of a limited number of female em¬ ployes, should be granted, there can be no doubt that it would be used as a precedent, justifying a large number of similar exactions. It would increase into an agitation that the city in its behavior towards all its female employes should ignore the current scale of women's wages. If it is just that women teaciiers, doing the same worlv as men teachers, should be paid the same salaries as tbe latter, why should not all other women teachers be paid as miicli aa men would have to be paid—in case men were employed. After the wages of this particular class of women teachers has been raised, all the other women teachers could make a far stronger argument on behalf of salaries, adjusted to the rates paid to this particular favored class. And if these demands are granted, all tbe typewriters and women clerks, employed in the city departments could claim a substantial increase of wages on the same grounds. Finally, if as seems probable, the vote is going to be given to women, at least in relation to municipal problems, the number of women employees will necessarily increase very consider¬ ably, because the excessively high wages will convert every woman-worker into an aspirant for municipal employment, and the politicians will have an increased interest in get¬ ting them the jobs. The net result would be a drain on the finances of the city of which we have no conception at present; and tbe result of this drain would merely be to THE tentative figures for tbe assessed valuation of real estate show an increase of about $267,000,000 over tbe final figures for last year, which is about as much as could he fairly expected. Building has been extremely active dur¬ ing tbe year, but tlie figures published now were made up in the fall, and the new buildings which were included in them are those for M^bicb plans were filed in 190S. But the new buildings pro,iected during 1908 did not exceed $150,- 000,000 ih their aggregate value, and the consequence is that the assessors have managed to add something over $100,000,000 to the ground value of New York City. Inas¬ much as plans for over ?250,000,000 of new construction were filed in 1909, and inasmuch as real estate is now very active at advancing prices in ali business sections, it loolis as if $400,000,000 would be added to the assessment rolls at the end of 1910. However that may be, the important point to be considered is the probable effect of tbe increased assessed valuation upon the tax rate. The tax rate of the current fiscal year levied on the $267,000,000 increase in valuation will yield something less than $4,500,000. This is less than the probable increase in the Budget, but with guod management ihe excess need not be large enough to in¬ crease tbe tax rate to any harmful extent. When the ten¬ tative figures are made final on July 1st, tbe borrowing ca¬ pacity of the city M'ill amount approximately to $140,000,000, and with as large a margin as this the city should have enough money for all really essential public improvements. Of course a great deal depends upon the extent to which the cost of new subways will be assumed, either by private cap¬ italists or by the real estate benefited. The city cannot ob¬ viously spend itself the $400,000,000 which desirable sub¬ way extensions will cost; but there is every indication that in one way or another the necessary money will be raised. After it bas been raised and spent, the new subways should increase assessed valuations in tbe outer boroughs to an ex¬ tent that now seems incredible. THE new Board of Estimate has made an excellent begin¬ ning in an attempt to fulfill its responsibilities in every respect, Tt is going to try to cooperate with tlie Public Serv¬ ice Commission on plans for new subway construction; and it is going to keep a much tighter hold than has- been cus¬ tomary on departmental expenditures. Tbe outcome of this more vigorous and rigorous policy will be watched with tbe greatest interest, and it is probable that the Board, with its present legal powers will he able to accomplish a great deal in preventing tbe leakage, which has taken place in the past. But Its ability to establish an effectual control over tbe city expenditures will be very i#uch increased, iu case it is granted tbe more efficient organiKation provided for in the proposed new charter. Our readers may remember that this instrument creates a number of new Bureaus, which would The Record and Guide is the only real estate and building paper in the Metropolis.