New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-03
THE last WEEK.


Our Legislature is expected to adjourn next
Thursday, and is pretty certain not to outast
the present week. AS yet, few "big things
have been put through, though many have
been attempted, and good will to pass them
on due consideration, has been manifested
But the leading operators trust neither their
employers nor each other very far; and no one
is willing to help another out of the woods on
the strength of a mere assurance that ne shall
be helped in turn. So one job waits on another,
and nearly everything has drifted over to the
week of adjournment. Henceforth, each day is
freIghted with its Millions, and those mem
bers who will neither sell their own votes nor
allow others to do it with impunity must re-
double their vigilance and summon all their
courage. They must be impervious to en-
treaties, to whispered suggestions, and to vague
assurances that this or that bill is - all right"
They must work much harder than mechanics,
and for less pay; but the responsibility Is upon
them. and they must meet it like men.
The Tax-Levies for this City are now in the
Assembly, and will probably be reported from
its Committee on Cities to-day. They were
cut down in the Senate nearly One Million
Dollars from the Municipal estimates; we hope
House. We hope, but not without fear; Tor
so many personal axes have been sent up to
be ground-part of them Republican axes
that we shall feel great relief when We hear
that the bill is through the House in shape
that promises Reform. IL there be not reso-
lutte effort to make it better, there is moral
certainly that it will be made for worse.
| 1t may be that some of the axes presented
| for grinding are good ones; but that fact Is
| not decisive. If the Assembly begins to raise
salaries or increase appropriations OF any SORT
no one can say where it will stop. The only
| safety is in not allowing the fioodgates TO be
| opened 1t is not the business OF the Leglsla-
| ture to raise Municipal salaries, &c, except on
| the application of the Municipal authorities.
| It's power over the Levics is revisory and linn
| iting; it was never intended that the Legisla-
ture should increase expenditures; its business
il to approve or reduce them. We beg the
unbribed members to consider this as for the
other sort, we appeal to their constituents.
| Why the bill to upset the Tax Commission
| should be so desperately urged we can guess,
but not why Republicans should be found
| pressing it, unless paid to do so. Notorously,
undenably the chief end of this bill is to
| legslate two or three hundred Republicans
out of Office and fill their places with Demo-
Gratis. If those Republicans were corrupt or
inefficient, or incapable, this might be plausbly
done; but nothing like this is pretended. Our
Taxes are promptly collected, and at a
very low percentage of cost. The Com
missioners are capable and experienced.
The entire machine is in good working
order The hill now before the Assem-
bly, makes no promise Of Ietrenchment; on the
| contrary, it begins by increasing the number
of Commissioners, and empowers the Commission
to increase the number of clerks, &c, indef-
nitely. We feel confident that the cost of col
lecting our taxes will be increased 100000 per
annum by the passage of this bill. Why Re-
publican should vote for such a measure, I'M
less for cash in hand, We cannot imagine. If
the object were simply to Obviate all doubts
OF cayils as to the legality of the present Com
mission, why not enact that the two Commits
sioners longest in service should henceforth
constitute the Commission, and so reduce in
stead of increasing the COST The bill as it
stands retrenches nothing, improves nothing,
guards against abuse or prodigality what
ever. 1t ought to have no chance in n Repub-
lican Assembly yet we are by no means sure
of its defeat unless Time prove its mortal foe.
The Assembly has not passed the Senate's
bill to punish frauds in canvassing or stuflng
ballot-bOxes neither House, we believe, has
passed the bill designed to punish the issuing
of fraudulent Naturalization papers or attempt
ing to register or vote thereon. The submis
sion of the New Constitution has been made
in the worst possible shape-every person wish
ing to ratfy the Constitution being required to
vote four separate ballots; when it would have
been simply fair to allow every one DESTROYS
of voting either for against the New Constitu-
ton as whole to do 80. From the beginning
of the session. save in the choice of U. s.
Senator and in ratifying the XVIII Amend
ment, we have seen no evidence that the Re-
| publican party had a majority in either House,
or that there was any predominant desire that
the Republican ascendancy in our State, so ia
tally undermined should ever DO restored.
With the New Constitution ratified, we shall
hope to elect better Senate and far better
Assembly. - -.