The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-08
The Mayors Message.


| Common Council was sent in yesterday, and
| will be found elsewhere. It is remarkable
| document Mayor Woods last message was
| remarkable. 1t astonished easy going people,
blistered the corruptionists, even galvanized
life into the city government. The message
before US, though it will create quite as much
talk, is very different affair. 1t says little
about lazy Aldermen and corrupt Councilmen.
1t barely steps aside for moment to cuff the
wings and to kick the heads of departments.
Its flight is higher. New York the city-its
past glories, present grandeur, future i'm
mensity- are the main, the only topic. The
Roman ever alluded to his partnership in the
City Of the Seven Hills; no Athenian ever
looked down from the Acropolis upon bar
barous world with higher feeling Of patriot
ism, perhaps one should say, Of civic pride,
than Mayor Wood evinces in speaking of New
York. 1t is his centre of the world.
This message IS perhaps the only one in our
civic records in which national affairs are
openly and largely descanted upon Mayor
Wood argues that, as trade has built up New
York, every restriction imposed upon trade by
the general government has inflicted gu unjust
injury on this city: and hence that the tariffs
enacted by Congress have been wrongly enact
ed. and ought to be repealed. In this view
thinking men will concur Twot thirds Of the
revenue Of this country are raised by the tax
on trade called the Customs tariff. Ultimately.
of course, this tax comes ont of the pocket Of
consumers, ard If the articles on which the
tax is levied are properly selected, and the tax
fairly and equally distributed among them,
the ultimate Injustice inflicted is small. But
l1 i period Of time clapses before this ult
mate result il reached. The nan who iest
pays tie lax is the merchant: months, years,
may PASS before he sells the articles taxed
AID the note he receives IN ymcnt fall Iae
ard sic paid: during all this time, he Ia Deen
out Of pocket Of the whole amount Of the
tay: il many instances he is never re-
iElburscd. Now, of the whole customs re-
venue of this country three-fourths are
collected at New York-nearly one-half
the whole il como Of the country. 1t follows
therefore that, for time at least, one half
the expense Of supporting the federal govern
ment, army navy, foreign ministers and spells
men at Washington, is borne by the merchants
OF New York. Well may Mayor Wood ask in
dignnntly Why this should be?
He demands the abolition Of all restrictions
on trade, and total repeal of all customs acts.
lie proposes that the government, no. being
in any way ashamed of requiring money or
desirous Of hiding from public view the mode
in which it gets it, should supply itself by a
fair, honest straightforward tax on all those
who reap the benefit Of its protection, and that
it should not hinder the natural growth of this
great city by obliging it. merchants to pay
half the cost Of the federal executive and le-
gislatiye establishments required by the whole
country. If any man have a fairer proposal
than this to make, let him come forward and
speak out; the columns OF the HERALD are
open to him.
If New \ ork had had fair play, and had not
been obliged to advance half the government
expenses year after year, Mayor Wood thinks
she would have been ''not the third but the first
city Of the world" But she has been badly &c:
yerned not only by the federal legislative body,
but likewise by the State Assembly, and her own
local government. The former has robbed
her TO obtain money for the support of schools
in the State the latter has plundered her
mismanaged her finances, corrupted her morals.
weakened the hands of her executive officers.
opened the door FOR every species OF vice, and
made her subject Of sorrow and contempt to
all good men. The want Of power says
Mayor Wood, "has been the main difficulty
thus far in The way Of my administration
This il an cid ;den In sheen columns paforo
Mayor Wood Lad an opportunity Of ascertain
ing what difficulties there might be in the way
q his administration, the present reform char
tors were opposed by lie HERALD as essen.
tally subyeTsive Of that principle Of concentra
ton OF power which 10 Us appeared the key
stone Of good government. Mayor Wood now
Offers biz personal experience in confirmation