New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-24

did not pass the resolution of the Senate for
the submission of an amendment to the Con-
stitution making permanent provision for such
an Office. No legislation is certainly preferable
to bad legislation, and of this negative sort of
praise the Legislature of 1875 is not undcserv-
ing. If they have failed to do what they
should have done, they have equally failed in
doing many bad things which they might have
done.
The passage of Mr.. Husted's Rapid Transit
bill may and may not give us the desired
boon. 1t all depends upon how much we want
it, and how much wo arc willing to give, or
risk, or do for it. The Rapid Transit bill may
perhaps be properly classed as one OF the gen.
eral laws passed in accordance with the re-
Quircments of tho amended Constitution. This
portion of its work the Legislature has faith
fully performed. Judge Robertson in the SEN
ate and Messrs Prince and Kennaday in the
Assembly have tho reputation of being very
competent for the task Judge Robertson and
Mr.. Prince have had an honorable career at
Albany and the people of the whole State are
indebted to Westchcstcr and Queens for the
services and example of these two men. The
mass of private and local bills pressing on the
Legislature has been sensiby diminished and
will tend to grow less and less as the people
become familiar with the new order of things.
1t is hardly surprising that in this first session
after the changes in the Constitution, the Gov
ernOr has been called on to veto several
bills the purposes of which can now be accom-
plished without legislation.
The aggregate of the State taxes to be levied
for the next fiscal year is six mills, against
seven and quarter mills last year. Each mill
produces little over two million dollars, of
which more than Onc-half is collected from the
inhabitants of this city. The reduction from
the amount levied n year ago is therefore a
little over two and half million dollars
mainly obtained by cutting down the appro-
priatOns for new work on the canals and APP
proprating the revenue of the canals for the
payment therefor, instead of levying special
tax, as has hitherto been DONE There is dan
ger that at the close of the fiscal year 1876
there will be no surplus revenue from tie canals
available for the payment of interest on the
Canal Debt. Upwards of four million dollars,
or One-third of the six mill State tax are for
the Bounty Debt, which will be paid off il
1877, and the people will then be forever re-
icved from taxation on account of thatindebted
ness. The completion of the new Capitol will
take off another mill, but that event is proba-
bly, several years distant. The Legisla-
ture has appropriated literally for the various
buildings now in process of construction, but
it seems next to impossible to finish any OF them.
The most conspicuous demeIit Of this Legis-
lature was its failure to deal energeticaily
with the Canal Ring. The public mind has
been informed and popular Indignation has
been excited against the robbers and corrup-
tionists, but that seems to be all. People have
received lesson in regard to the neglect of
their duties as citizens, but to the Legs-
lature, or to the majority of that body,
it has doubtless seemed ridiculous to
make such fuss over little thing Both
the Governors message and the report OF Con-
troller Hopkins treated infinitely and perspicu-
ously of abuses in the State Government but
what has been done to remedy Them Prison
management is probably as bad as ever, and
the same may be said of the mode of assessing
the value of property for taxation. If Gov.
Tildcn is inclined to do it, he has abundance
of material to keep the pot boiling for another
year.