New-York tribune., 1873-02-07
ALBANY.
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND PROSPECTS.

ALBANY, Feb 6.-The Legislature is 1OOhed
with petitions for and remonsrances against the reapea
OF the Usury laws and for and against the bill exempt
ing bonds and mortgages from taxation. The petitions
come from the cities, and the remonstraDces from the
rural districts and Of the latter more numer
ous than the former. II the disparity IN numbers Is
true index OF the prevailing sentiment on these ques
tons throughout the State there little prospect OF
either measure being carried through this Legislature
total repeal Of the usury doubtless an imposs
bty with this any other Legislature that key 70
convene in this State for many years to come
Senator Winslow introduced this morning aicompro-
mise usury bill, which provides that the taker OF
usurious interest shall forfeit the whole amount OF the
interest but the principal as at present THIS Wouu
probably satisfactory 70 the country but 10 Is useless
for the bankers and money lenders OF Wast to urge
the total repeal Of the usury laws until public sentiment
has materially changed from what 1t is at present.
With regard TO the bill exemptng bonds and mortgages
from taxation the opposition Is not so decided kand
strong but tits probably strong enough to defeat any
bill that shall be- like the one before the Legisla
ture general in its operation II 1t were confined 10
New-York and Kings Counties It might possibly
suceeed The objection to it the part of the formers is
that 1t would add TO their already heavy burden OF tax
alton by diminishing the amount OF taxable properly
They would rather property should be taxed twice over
than that the holders Of bond and mortgages who are
usually the best able to pay taxes should escape alto
eether They would be willing to accept compromise
like the following: Pass law that shall compel the
owner OF $4,000 farm which Is mortgaged Tor SOO 10
pay the whole the property as at present. Dut
when the holder OF the mortgage comes around for ms
interest the farmer present his tax receipts ana de
duct from the interest due onehaf the amount PAID as
taxes on the property. This they say would equaze
the taxation according the interest which the respect
I'VE partes have in the property and would be just and
fair all around.
Among the new bills introduced in the Assembly to-
day was one from Mr. Blumentha (5acked by letter
from Mayor Havemeyer asking for its passage authorz
ing the Controller OF the city 10 issue bonds 10 PROVIDE
for the payment of the cs share OF the canal denCehcy
tax also to issue bonds in 1874 for the money required
10 be raised and included in the tax levy of 1873 The
bill also authorizes the Board Of Apportonment OF any
other board that shall take its place, by majority vote
10 reconsider revise and redetermine any estimates or
carving on the city government made by then-sueh
revision TO take place prior TO July l. ls3-and IL may
also transfer any moneys from one appropriation 10
another accordingas majority Of the Board shall deem
expedent. Any appropriations OF any Department tna
remain unexpended at the end of the year may DC trans
ferred TO the general fund OF the city and county
Mr. Herring Of Weschester took the opening step In
the scheme for consolidating NewYork City with its
suburbs by introducing bill for the annexation OF Nor
rsania West Farms, and Kingsbridge to New-forA as
the Twenty-thrd and TweDtyfourth Wards OF the clty
The bill increases the Park Commission to seven mem-
bers one Of whom must be q resident OF the annexed
district Mr. Clark OF New-York introduced bill au-
thorzng the Commissioners OF the Sinking Fund TO lease
the land and property known as Washington and west
Washington Market for the term OF twenty years.
The iont Committee on Public Education held meet
ing this afternoon for the consideration or the Dill reor-
ganzing the Board of Education in New-York The Dill
proposes 10 return the old system which was In vogue
from 1864 TO 1862 with the exception that the members
of the Board, instead of being elected as
hy fba MaVO
absolutely without confirmation from the Board
Of Aldermen or anybody else. Mr.. Boese, the
Clerk of the old Board, appeared before the Committee
in advocacy of the BILL and showed that the average at
tendance upon the public schools OF New-fork under
the present system had fallen of TO the extent OF $4,000
pupils. Mr. Alien OF NewYork also advocated the bill,
and it was opposed by Commissioners Wood and Lewis
of the present Board and by Lawrence Herman the
clerk chief objection TO the bill was that the Com
mssoners are appointed from districts three each
from seven districts instead OF being taken from the
clty at large 1t was claimed tnat Commissioners thus
appointed would try TO egslae for their respective
districts instead of whole city, and that such was the
result under the old system which was abolished by
The discussion in the Senate to-day, upon sec
ton in Utica bill providing for the election 0f non
partisan Board of School Commissioners, Dy restricting
the voter from casting his ballot IOr more
than half the number to be chosen 1t was
caucuses would have the appointment of the boards
aud that individual voter would De pOWetless that
this plan made il comparatively easy 10 form rings,
which could not he broken up. On the other hand, Is
said that some nonpartsan boards OF TINS KIND haa
been found work well Syracuse and other cities
bill to reconstruct the School OF Commission OF Troy
contains similar provision. No constitutional oDlec-
tons were made the proposition though these were
strongly urged ago 10 minority representation as
embodied IN the Committee of Seventys Charter. -
Senator Pamerl introduced, this morning the bill or
which ne gave notice weeks ago. in relation 10 the
mowers and duties OF the State Board OF Charities IL
provides for the appointment OF an additional
member from Kings County and two from the
County of New-York, and defines at great length
the powers and duties Of the Board. The ninth
section enacts that the Board shall appoint Com
missioner Lunacy who shall examine into and report
upon the condition OF the insane and who shall nave
salary not exceeding $500 year. payable quarterly.
The latter sections OF the bill carefully devised Tor
the prevention the incarceration OF any sane person
on the preteXt of lunacy. .
The weilknown bill Of Senator Murphy to allow aliens
10 acquire hold and dispose Of real and personal prop
erty OF every description, the same as native
horn citizens, was again introduced to-day. SEN
ator Benedict presented a concurrent resolution
for a ten davs recess from the l4th TO the 24th
OF February Uuder the rules no action could be
on t to-day. Mr. Benedict also introduced bill TO re-
peal Chapter OF the Laws Of 1871 concerning the
charges Of Hell Gate pilots.