New-York tribune., 1871-04-14
THE OPPORTUNITY At ALBANY.

THE OHPORItNJII n -
The Republicans in tho Legislature w
been pronpt TO take advantage OIL 'ho opPo-
tuDity Mr. Irving has gwen them, anu ~
unon TIE TBIBUNE's advice. lhey ha'o ,"o'
in coucus and resolved upon plan ol "o,ion'
which. for the present at least, makes '"o"'
masters of the situation. We have some preV'y
moor timber in the RepulHcan representative
but none, we fancy, poor enough ana pi'I1n
! enough TO take the risk Of selling out 10 tho
! Democracy in the face of the manifesto prlh'eu
elsewhere, and the certainty OF the oIahu VI
infamy therein promised.
But the trouble with the action OF the
caucus is. that thus far the policy 1t decides is
only negative. Our representatives have told
lis what they will not do; it behOoves them
TO 60 further. Take the question of taxation,
for example. They are not more sensible than
we of the evils lurking i'll the Two per Cent
bill, which we have done our share to expose
But Republicans must remember that how
ever vchemently they may oppose this par
ticular measure, their duty is not to defeat
Tax-Levy, for that would expose us to heavy
costs for salaries &C., that should be but
could not be paid, while it might cripple the
municipality and afford excuse for ineflciency,
if not lead 10 anarchy. We urge the Repub-
lican members of both Houses, who have al
ready determined what they will not do, to
meet at once, and, after due consideration, de-
eide what they ought to do. Let them resolve
that our City shall for once havo an honest
and frugal Tax-Levy, wherein there shall be
TO plunder for the Ring, the Supervisors, the
Lobby, or any one else. There must be knowl-
edge and experience on the Republican side
sufficient to set forth, not merely what should
not but what should he done. If this shall be
found to involve the baniShment from the
Legislature of all future Tax-Levies, SO
much the better. At all events, let us have
this matter now and heDcefOrth made ex-
actly right Let such men as Messrs. Parker,
Wood, Lewis, Alvord, Littlcjohn, sclllrog,
Hustled, Goodrich, and their associates
take the business decidedly in hand, and,
amending the pending bill as they shall deem
proper and Just, say to their political adver-
salies. " Here is such bill providing for the
assessment, collection, and expenditure Of
taxes in the City as We deem right and SAFE ;
"accept this and help us pass it, or abide the
I" cOnsequences.r The Republicans have a
great opportunity let it be nohly used to
protect and benefit our long-suiieing tax
payers.
On other measures against which the Rcpub-
! lCan caucus has resolved 10 act a somewhat
different policy is admissible. We can better
afford to let the Registry law stand as it is
! than permit the amendments now proposed,
and may very well therefore rest content
with defeating them. As to the Election Law.
all that need be sought is its defeat; and per-
haps the same may he said of the other OBJ
noxious measures. The one point we desire
to impress upon our Republican friends il
that there are some vital matters, involving
the maintenance of government, on which
more than negative action Is re-
oured that if on these they simply
rest content with blocking tho whecl'
of legislation, the Democrats may
find therein warrant for their proposed
action in attempting to force through bill
ordering special election, and holding ovel
the session until the fraudulent majority which
they lost through Mr.. Hving's blow can be re-
stored by the election of Mr. 1ryiDg's SIC
cessor. Violence has destroyed what fraud OBJ
tanned for the Democrats in this Legislature
the time has now come for Republicans to act
HonCefOrth they must not only oppose, but
propose