New-York tribune., 1868-04-13
THE CITY TAX LEVY.


SIR: THE TRIBUNE of the 9th inst. speaks
with severity and upon the subject
OF the delay on the part OF the Chairman of the Commit
tee OF Cities and Villages OF the Assembly I'm not report
ing To that body the Annual ThxIevy. Whatever OF
fault there may bc IN this matter II Is unquestiouaby
owing more % the development Of a system long matur
ing than 10 any mere individuals or parties
You aware that the ruling majority OF the Two
Houses OF the Legislature have been neXby with the
Republicans 1884, ard that the present Democratic
Assembly acting upon the principle laid down by their
Repnban predecessor aud are disposed give mature
cOnsderatouIO the TaNLcyy before them while yet IN
the hands of te Committee OF Cities and villages.
senator Tweed Mayor Hoffman. and Peter D. Sweeny,
IN way responsible Tor inc apparent aeay IN re-
porting the TaXLcvy 10 the House nor TOT the system
which has gradually been grating itself upon tue Legs
ature OF the state ~ this respect ihere j. oat one eueo
ual for the evils complained or ana tt IL 20 cese
submitting the TaXLeyy 70 the Legislature altOgeuef
by repeal Of all laws which require that It shall be SO
sbmtted When this is done, then, aud not III then
will this source Of evil be removed
Experience has shown that much valuable the anu
labor n legislation are saved by aIholOugh ehhhIhtoh
Of an matters Of high public mOmst IN committee for IL
the various committees that all legislative D3les
must look for practical Information lot ielr su1 W
framing laws well as 10 enable the 70 aIN. az u7e
To examine with care and in detail the Tax Levy which
was forwarded the Legislature by Controller Connolly,
something more than SAs1" sayo s - ~, e,,r
the aggregate sum involved Is nearly s@OOlVv eDIhc
ug as does items Of every possible shade ana degree OF
public interest and private right And yet this Il the q
gautic labor which has been submitted 10 tne
tee OF Cities and Villages OF which MT Ffear OF TINS
city ia the Chairman. This Committee should receive
from our citizens sound advice anu eheoulagent, as
well as such suggestOus OF practical nature as vi" ei
lust CONCLUSIONS, lnbtedu OF
remarks, rejecting not only upon their integrity as me
upon their intelligence as honorable legislators hnu
am quite certain that gn greatly In error III attrlDut
ing To the Wachful editors OF TIE TRIBUNE any Other
than sincere desire 20 aid the committee III lheN 1n
We all now how easy Il ia to treat theme OF thus char
octer In spirit VI leuty and OF faulthndng and TO hurl
bonIbshell into the Assembly Chamber because some
thing does 60 10 our liking; this Is the right which
belongs 10 free country But Will IL cure the eyil-wil
IL III momentous question up 20 the level OF honorable
debate and truly earnest inquiry-by degrading tne
agents 10 whose hands this whole matter committed
rbe ufaetice OF submitting the City Tax Levy 20 the
Iegslaure OF the State at MI Ia simply an anomaly III
our system of State government, and should be hbro
gted. and 10 the accomplishment OF this great reform
the heavy batteries VI Ili TRIBUNE snOulu 10 uecteu
In tbs work the Democratic of the city would
second the effort and the clarion voice OF the press
throughout the State would Yield hearty supposs',
tnrunde I'm regard TO the delay I'm the forthcoming re-
port OF the COMMITTEE on Cities ana villages OF tho
Assembly must be chargeabe 90 the erroneous pOcy Oh
sending fhe Tax Levy" Albany at all and the pres
Ont Committee In charge Ot II are simply the
instruments Of corrupt and dangerous Invasion OF hu
Hnt saws TIE TRIBUNE "The hundred days Of legisla
tive lie are running like the sands OF The retired phy
sclau but the great taxblls OF OVER TWENTY MILLIONS
or DoiLARs which are To- be wrung chleny IRON tne ~
boring OF this city In the shape o ehlS Ioou' anu
clothing still persisently held pack , I, Al, tho
Aud why these taXbills stu held Dacki hsA to
representatives OF nearly every chafltaDe III
he city who are IN correspondence with MT irea'
earnestly importuning him To DO rememDered u iho le
nrt Ask flc managers OF the various medical colleges
which have been expressly Oundeu TOT Io @ ~ o. 81 ~
moor WHY the Committee have not hurried up thelr
nor for the consideration OF the Assembly ~ well as or
the accommodation OF a. numerous SUIT Oh e'oQuSil' ~
slders who supposed TO De spolhs ior us' va % ~ C
"Tax.Leyy" as the proud representatives ol the Slu.
zcns Association An 90 these pertinent quesohs
will reveal 10 the readers OF THE TRIBUNE an amount oi
& The irauir,Ts for tho report, and would silence ali '
Kind danlneiaOns In that direction especIur wien wien
eIpauating from source of snen @
as US h In,e !, ,,, ~, ~. ,ntniou OF an oLp rAXPAYER.