New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-11-20
CITY REFORM.

Dollars, whereon there were levied last year, for
State and Municipal outgoes, an aggregate tax
of nearly Fourteen Millions Of Dollars, or over
two per cent. on the official valuation; and the
Controller reports that we must this year pay
Eighteen Millions, or three per cent. We pre-
sumo the actual value of the Real Estate within
>, our City limits TO be about One Billion of Dol
lars, so that the tax required is about tpo per
cent. of its real value, or little less than
third of its fair annual rental or product.
Meantime, our Municipal Debt increases year
by year, and the Controller warns US that we
must expect to pay several Millions more next
year than he calls for now. Our taxes may
therefore be regarded as likely to call on Us for
a full third of our income for a good many
years to come.
This virtual coniscation is steadily e1pelling
population and industry from our City. We
Judge that there is some foundation for the out
cry against our new State Census as returning
less than the full number Of our Citys inhab-
tants; but the fact that thousands annually
scatter TO escape our enormous taxation, or
(what is the same thing) find cheaper subsist-
enee, is notorious. Thirty years ago. nine
tenths of our mercantile population lived and
voted in our City; now, their homes are dis
persed from New Haven on the East to Pough-
kkeepsie on the North, and New-Brunswiek on
the southwest. Two-thirds of the merchants,
with three fourths Of the bankers and brokers
doing business in our City, live elsewhere. So
-bot liz al AL.
3 dents; so with large proportion Of the lawyers.
10 Our books are largely printed out Of town.
few hats, and not many boots or shoes,
II are made here. In short, it is be-
!, coming impracticable to retain in thif
!. City any branch of productive industry
70 which can be prosecuted elsewhere, and this in
good part because of our inordnAte taxation.
I'd We have too few houses, yet are scarcely build
gu ing any except mansions for tho rich, because
- our mountain of taxation deters prudent men
from putting their money into new City dwell
rs ings; wages are very high, yet the poor car
an barely i've because everything is so.dear Oul
nd grocers, market-men, &C., having to pay higl
ed rents and high wages, add twenty Five to fifty
= per cent. to the prices at which they buy Meat
-. Butter, Vegetables and Fruits; so that New
vs. York is rapidly becoming mere depot for thu
wholesale exchange of Produce and Goods-ar
n, emporium of luxury for the rich and of squali(
he misery for the poor, but which the capable
'ht energetic, labor-employing, thrift-creatng mid
die class are gradually deserving, or only visit BY
Vs. day. having their homes and paying their take
he mainly elsewhere.
h. This must be changed; but how!
re We say, Let us follow the excellent, success
full example Of San Francisco, whose upright
c. intelligent citizens discovered, ten years ago
y that Municipal government by party was prac
tieally government by blacklegs and ballot-bol
suffers, and who thereupon resolved to be thu
governed no longer, but to unite, regardless o
= their political differences, in nominating an(
at electing to every City Office the best men wht
could be induced to stand. Ten years of honest
l. frugal, faithful government have thus been Sc
u cured; and their City, formerly the worst gov
d erned in America has ever since been the best
is Why should not New-York follow her mos
al instructive, encouraging examplel
We hold that she should and ultimately must;
, but there is danger that she will not now, be-
II cause too many Of our party managers and ,eire
+. ,oOrkers secretly prcfting by he Infamous bm
II gainfm misrsie nOr prerGaing. We may as well
q speak right out in meeting, for the public will
n no otherwise be aroused, as they ultimately
n must be. The men who have enriched them
!. selves by getting City Railroad grants through
= the Legislature and dividing among themselves
: millions worth oftheir stock for which no dollar
II was ever paid, are in secret league with the job
bers and peculators now running our City Depart
ments, to keep things as they are, or az nearly
:. so as possible. Nearly every Democratic head
of Department has Republican dummy or
secret partner--often more than one--who
o shares his plumber and bargains to take care Of
q his interest before the Legislature, or wherever
!. else he may need Republican backing. And
9 the whole tribe Of brokers in legislation and
beneficiaries of political corruption are secretly
confederated TO take care that, no matter which
q party ticket may succeed at our approaching
\ Charter Election, there shall be no substantial
and searching Reform. Hence, we have al the
y party gongs sounded TO distract attention from
/ the only vital issue. Hence, we have extracts
? paradsd in Republican journals from Mr.