New-York tribune., 1871-12-16
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
RAPID TRANSIT AND CITY REVENUE

SIR have been an earnest adV0cate Oh Uhe
policy Of building rapid transit road for this city, as
city work. still. nee no relief IN any otner
quarter 500 and perfect rolief here Know
how unfsyorabe IA tho moment for urging such policy
now Our city lies bleeding at tho feet OF those VINO
were trusted by and have robbed her. We are es7OoW
in debit and appalled, by vsions of the oppressive
taxation that is before Yet am In favor Of nadhR
this road by the city and Increasing that DEBT Dy
900 900 more necessary, for that purpose Iknow no"
startling how apparently ill-timed Ia tho pfoposuon'
and how earnest and honest 10 the ory for retrenohe
and reform. too am for retrenchment and reform.
Am afraid Of taxes; want to the burden hghteneu
tho taxes reduced We must have relief. Hence, IN
apita OF all the circumstances urge the puons VI '
road-buildngrt immediately building 1t oy ms euv
Let me reason regarding It, We are in the postioh Oh
farmer who has run in debt in he purchase OF sooo
farm which will yield him go an acre. ana speeahy Se'
him out of debt II he has no bad luck. But JUST aS no
ba, cot bs fences made and ground broken up ready
for the seed bis powman has broken into his m stolen
s nopev taken his only team Of horses ana run away
What shall he dot To buy another team ana tue seeo
for his ground will $780, and he Ia ALREADY In deot
nephbor Is ready to lend him the money ana give hm
ample time to pay; and is quito certain that the sum
mes crop will repay the loan ana iea'e manu-
some to apply on the old debt How shall we advise
hint Shall we say "My friend you are very unfortu'
nate You have no money, and you are badly in debt
r. becomes you to rerench and REFORM Don't got Into
debt any deeper but lie down. and perhaps Will
help YOU out" think 1t would be better to say Ior
tho money get an honest servant III your emFio'
and put in double CROP"
The case with is perfectly analogous and may be
shortly stated. We require, s2ScOOCOo to pay our
annual expenses. We paystt from taxation Let us
suppose we have only Of taxable property In
the city to pay with 1t s easy to see 1t would take oil
we have. Let suppose have contrived TO double
our taxable property, and have so0oooo We can then
pay our expenses and have half left II we double
It again we shall have threequarters len 1t has 80
happened that by building streets, docks suoh as they
are parks and have raised our taxable
values to 40 and We are able now to pay our
current expenses with a per cent Of our property Ihs
10 our farm 30 far have worked 1t to advantage
Our burden lghtens our taxable values increase
But now One-half farm Is yet swamp ana r9cks,
producing briars and masInas (taxes and dscon'
tent) With very little expense we can turn 1t into
garden and mako 1t more fruitful than the rest
Let us see at what expense and how fruitful.
We have 10000 vacant lots. These have an aver
ago taxable value OF 5000 EACH or $2OOO00O0, pro-
ducing taxes at q per cent, Of 2ooO0o Bring these
lots now within Is minutes OF Wallst and the City Hall,
with Of transit the most comfortable anu con-
veniont, and We all know that their value would be
auadruped-but 10, say only doubled We have then
valuation Of 100000. producing at u per cent
Cover these lots with buildings OF the
class which would surely result from such an improve
ment and you have their value increased again three
fold giving total valuation Of 81 OOO and tax In
crease at "a per cent OF s 100000 more than now
collected from the whole city, What has been the cost
OF this kind farming to the city Say the road has
cost The interest this sum. at per cent
--hich must ba added animal taxation Is $l4OO
OO0 1ne increase revenue from the lots iaOne Is
G2OO,OO0 Tho increase Of from the lots i'm
proved, t26.OOO.oOo.
All this upon the assumption that the rate OF taxation
remains at q per cent But wetihall Of
have need Of such this. BY tho practice
Of better economy than has hitherto prevailed city
expenses for the future should not certainly exceed
those Of the past including the interest on the
new debt. 1t will be seen, therefore, that the gain OF
values thus shown will have for its immediate effect the
reduction OF rate of taxation to II per cent and In
whatever about the Of road itsef In my
opinion this road adapted to the full wants Of city
transit, followed as 1t will speedily be by compactly
activities with their attendant trains Of prosperity and
wealth. shall In few years be able to pay all
penses and provide ample sinking fund for debt
with taxation not exceeding one-half Of one per cent.
beyond which 1t Will never again 60.
But yOu will say All this Is very we'll but will not
the effect be wrought, If the work is done by pri
vae cOrpOratiOnsi" answer We have wasted ~
Of ceaseess agitation for private corporations to do the
would have cost, and not stone 10 turned Snail
wait years longer Corporations will do only when
they have secured advantages and imposed rates that
make the work when done, oppression upon the peo.
20 cent fares corporation with such powers as this,
with capital to buy legislation and corrupt courts
fastened upon the necks Of the people will ride that peO
pie with mercess oppression and resistess power for
generations to come. We afford to wait, still less
to risk II Is the peoples work. II should be done
keD York, Dec. H. 1871. 5. Z. CHURCH