New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-22
PARTY MACHINERY.

1t were profitless to debate with an opponent
so ill-informed or so careless as The Times pro-
claims itself, in cOnfounding-not merely once,
but persstently-" the Hodges TaxLevies
with those actually passed by our late Legis-
lature No one is competent to discuss this
matter who is not aware that our City and
County Tax-Levies for the current year were
as follows:
1. The estimates officially transmitted to
Albany by our local authOrites
g. The bills based thereon, as they were
originally perfected in the Senate and trans
mitted to the Assembly;
8. The aggravations thereof, reported by Mr..
A. B. Hodges Republican, of Brooklyn from
the Assembly Committee on Cities and Vii
lagos, adding Sir Millions Of Dollars in
various items to the aggregates in the bills
as they had already passed the Senate,
and giving our City and County officials
Two OF Three Millions more cash to spend than
their mOdesty allowed them publicly to ask for,
though their leaders were on hand at Albany,
priUately plotting and working for as much
more as they could get.
4. The Levies as they actually passed. being
a split-the- difference compromise between the
original Senate bill and the Hodges monstrOs-
ity, some Three Millions higher than the
former and like sum lower than the latter.
(There were some intermediate notifications
or variations, but the above suffice for a clear
understanding of the matter)
The Hodges bill was rushed through the AS
sembly by the vote of all the Democrats present
but one or two, with some twenty Republicans,
whose names we have cOnspicuously printed at
least twice. If any of these secure reGlec-
ton, it shall not be our fault. 1t is very true
that their legal and moral obligation to protect
our taxpayers from spoliation was no greater
than that Of the Democrats who likewise be-
trayed their trust. In party aspect, however,
their cases differ widely. The Democrats were
voting to plumber Republican taxpayers of
large amounts which would III part be pocketed
by our Tammany Ring" but in part be used
to swell the Democratic vote Of our City
and its suburbs, through "repeatersn and
bogus Naturalization Certificates, as it was
swelled last Fall. They had the fearfully poor
excuse of robbing for the benefit of
their party; while their twenty Republican
cOnfederates robbed to the damage and wrong
of their party, as the result Of our last election
had fully forewarned them. If any Of these
Republicans so voted without being largely
paid for it, they are born idiots, and should
be sent to an asylum for the Predetermined at
once. But, weak as some of them are, we are
confident that there is not one weak enough
for this. They did the work of Judas, doubtless
with a clear appreciation of the immense
depreciation in the value of money since
Judass day, and the necessary appreciation of
prices. If one of them failed to secure his
pay before so voting, he is a proper object of
contemptuOus pity as well as loathing.
Atfer the Hodges bill had been driven
through tho Assembly, good men decided that
the Senate could do no better than compro-
mise. We think they misudged as we thought
Gov. Fenton misjudged in signing the kindred
bills of last year. Although the Legislature
had adjourned without day, and veto would
have caused much embarrassment and confusion
Iere, we think he should have refused to sign