The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-02
BREAKING THE CIRCLE or CORRUPTION.
The New York Times Coming Out Agains
the Corporation Ring.
From the New York Times, July 81.

The New York Times coming ous AS""S'
the Corporation Ring.
From the New York Times July 81
TAX PAYERS, HAVING DANCED WILL No" HAVE ~
,.tr ,s ,so Ax ~ his oy INDUCED in the lux
ury of making Fernando Wood their Mayor the entire
taxation for all purposescity county and Sate.ngureo
mainly in order to secure the election of the aforesaid
Mayor and certain Of his henchmen as Aldermen tnere
formed the infamous secret society since known as
sThe Ring This society," following the Industrious ex.
ample Of the Mozart Napoleon obbed out the laws and
franchses OF the city to the highest bidders, and sod
their votes FOR and 81 o. IN Of
great party moment That ring is as perfect today as
II TO be tho veritable serpent with MS tau
in his mouth by which the ancients symbolized eternity
The Mogul is in foreign land but his ''moral effect
still guides and controls the oath bound gang OF thieves
who prey upon the long suffering taxpayers and tax
In 1854 the year preceding that in which the ring got
into full operation our taxes were lees than "
on valuation of $462 600 000 Next year hey increased
the tax million Of dollars, or twonty per cent inc
next year they raised 81 000 in 1857 they pusnra
It up nearly another twelve hundred housand In 1858
some of their big jobs failed in consequence Of dssen
sions among themselves and they let US up with an IN
crease Of only half million. But this ieniency was
atoned for 1859 by putting nearly thirteen hundred
thousand dollars making the amount of tax 80 926
increase in five years Of 546 or more than ono
hundred per cent. In the meantime, as part OF the
scheme they had done their utmost to this garng
robbery by increasing the valuation OF taxable property
in similar proportion; but that dcned even their
almost inexhaustblc ingenuity they could only raise it
from four hundred aud sixty-two millions to i've
hundred and fifty Hons or less than twenty per
cent But the clamor in 1859 became uproarous; Wood
was again candidate for Mayor and in order TO stand
chance there must be at least show OF retrenchment
and the ring let up little and in the estimates for
1890 made up before the vote for Mayor, as to be
available electionecring document they actually
reduced the amount OF the tax from the current year
1S59). TO be sure they did not take OIL much, only
trae over one hundred thousand dollars; but it was
enough show good disposition, and they could safely
FAY that such event had occurred since the very year
that Wood first elected So the taxes in 1850 were
nine million hundred and fifty nine thousand dol
lars, valuation Of five hundred and seventy seven
millions. But in 1861 the ring beng fully restored to
power in the party as well as in the Common Council,
they made sweat under tax bill OF eleven million
six hundred and twenty-sevcn thousand six hundred
and thirty-two dollars, and that on valuation
of 1--WE hundred and eightystwo millions, only FIVE
millions more than that of the previous year. or course
the the excuse; but the ring the cause.-the
brought grt to their mill, they readily saw more
frequent occasions for plumber and found in the absorb
ton OF public interest in the national struggle, the very
time when they could steal with IMMUNITY SO from year
to year they have rushed up the grand total UNTIL for
1885, they come down upon u.s. AFTER deducung every
dollar they hope for in the shape of income, for
SIT 246 SO9ncar four times as much as in 1854 The
most they make their taxable basis is six hundred
and nine millions, only hundred and twenty two
millions, twenty per cent more than ten years
ago. The of this year will be two dollars and
eighty cents every hundred dollars, nearly three
per cent not on incomes and profits OF trade only but
on houses, goods &c.-indeed, everything that man
hath.
We need no better proof OF the agency Of the ring in
this fearful increase than the divisions of the total
whence 1t appears that the ''cy demands So
the county 1884 200 the State only $4,000 600 Tho
ring unable manage the State account at all they
have but nfcrentia power in county affairs but over the
city figures they reign supreme Hence. while the state
shows rapid increase and that OF the county very
moderate the city has swept from less than 81 600 600
in 1854 to more than $40, DOC, 0C0 in 1865.
II is needless to ask how long stand such bur
dens--that period only limited by tho almost mex
long should stand themr Will voters, both axpay
ers and taxearners lay the subject to heart