New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-02
cor. FKyrON AND THe TAX LErIES.


The question whether our City Tax Levy Is
to become law by the approval OF Gov. Fen
ton begins to attract attention throughout the
country. from the fact that some of It's pro-
visions, the most doubtful in law, the most UNI
reasonable in practice, and the most burden
some to our weary taxpayers, are expected To
furnish to the skillful fnanciers 10y whom it
was concOctcd such unlimited means for the
Presidential campaign as to justify the belief
that they can secure the vote of New u rk
against the nomination Of GRANT and COLPAX.
The Illustrated Chicago Neics contains pic
toIial representation OF the treatment 10 which,
"a n patient, New York City is subjected, and
which il arOuSing the sympathy of our West
ern friends. Leeches have been applied to the
recumbent and helpless invalid. A compare
lively small one, marked "U. S. TAX," is at
his temple. Another at his shoulder, five times
as large, swollen and unshapcly, bears the in
scription COUNTY TAX." A third sprawling
and bloated monster, marked STATE TAX"
extends itself from below his knees to the re-
gion of the heart; and fourth, Inscribed CITY
TAX" riyaling in size and hideousness all the
rest combined, rears itself up on his stomach
and buries its head in the liver of the depleted
sufferer. On the wall hang the prescriptions,
"Tax Levy New Court House." followed by
numerals without number, and stretching dimy
into space, while large prescription surmounted
by bears the heading CHARITY BILL" A
Western friend by the bedside, with look of
wonder and sympathy, remarks al am sorry
"to see such promising young man as you un-
"dergoing such treatme mt" ...-
Al, 10 pftI. 70 ria
exhausting treatment simply because 1t
plcases our Common Council. is a mis-
take, and some of our taxpayers have
too readily come to the conclusion that
their case is without remedy and without
hope. No tax can be laid without the consent
of the Legislature, and in the present case the
tax levy authorized by the Legislature is with
ont validity until approved by the Governor.
Dr. Fenton is the consulting physician who,
disappearing the extent to which depletion has
already been carried, can order the removal of
the City and County Tax Levies that are suck
ing the hearts blood of our working classes
The suggestion has been artfully thrown out
that our city government would stop, and
anarchy reign in our streets, If these leyies
were vetoed, whereas the fact ia that the more
important branches are entlrely independent
of this tax-levy The Police Department, the
Fire Department, the Public Schools, the Com
missioners Of Charities and Correction, tho
Board OF Health, and others, are already pro-
yided for; and if the pay of the hool-teachers
policemen, fremeD, and others should be with
held on the plea that the tax-levics have not
been signed, they must know that the excuse
will be false one, only invented for the
purpose of creating pressure upon the Gov
ernor The Inconvenience that might result
to our citizens from temporary stoppage OF
the other supplies would he trifng compared
with the inconvenience Of being laden with
the present and future burdens most inn
properly imposed in those leyes.
Take as a sample the New Court House In
1874 al appropriation was asked Tor OF 100000