New-York tribune., 1877-03-07
WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE.

sURANCE COMPANIEs-REFORMING THE GOVERN
MENT OF NEw-YORK-sTRIET CLEANING IN NEW
YORK-GRADING THE POLICE FORCE.
IFROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBuNE.l
ALBANY, March 6.-In the Senate of the State
Legislature there was long debate to-day Senator
Hammoud's bill authorizing the taxation OF tde stock
holders of life, fire. and insurance companies
Mr.. Hammond said that the insurance companies were
exceptionally prosperous compared with other tfades
and Ought to bear their share Of taxation lie OH
simply carry INTO effect what was already the law
Of the State it was nothing The testified
that more than 50 cent OF all the taxes paid were
drawn from real estate. If taxation was a pun
ishment, it was only fair that il should fan
alike on all. Now nearly the entire burden Ieli
upon the farming community, fact which proved that
the present system Of taxation was failure senator
BiSy said that the only effect Of BILL his opinion,
would to the surplus Of the insurance companies
and therefore would weaken them Senator Mccarthy said
that il was his opinion that the insurance companies
onght 20 oe further taxed hut he did not forget that
there were interests 10 he considered-tat OF the
insured as well that Of the companies lie was op-
posed 10 the bill because it provided for the taxation OF
Government bonds which formed twO-thrds OF al the
securities Of the companies Such bonds were
the t possible protection that the insured could have
and no action should taken calculated to discourage
that kind Of security Senator Coleman th"uEht Ihao
there could be no objection to placing insurance compa
mes on the same footing banks rs regards taxation
unjust discrimination. He was In favor OF the bl Sch
aor sckreg said that general demand on the
part Of the public that all kinds OF property should pear
lis share of taxation II clear that sOne legislation
was necessary 10 compel insurance companies 10 pay
more than they pay. In Albany, Tor example teIe
were two or three insurance companies ana what was
the measure OF their taxation in comparison with that OF
the banksi The Farmers and Mechanics Bank was
taxed per cent on ts capital Of S3J00O0 thus paying
Sl7 SEQ per year the state The insurance companies
OF the city with gate capital OF S6ooOOo pdohy
II 500 1t was indeed very clear that some leSsatloh
was needed order that insurance companies should ne
made to bear their just share OF the public burdens
senator Harris said that the great demerit OF
the hill was that it would give the foreign
insurance companies an advantage over the Insurance
companies the state. Ii would Xiii the Lomt insurance
COMPANIES Another objection to the bill was that IL hhd
or tS sole object the taxation Of Government securities
The law now provided that the insurance companies
should be taxed their capital stock less than their
Government securities, but the insurance law now under
consideration proposed tax shares making no de-
duction for securities That Is proposed 10 TAX
Indirectly what the law said should not be taxed The
foreign companies and companies or other states paid
ma taxes TO speak OF 10 the state of NewYOrk They
paid per cent their premiums for local purposes
but did not pay dollar into the State Treasury 1t Was
therefore clear bin proposed To place burdens on
tie home companies altogether out OF proportion to those
resting upon foreign companies Under reciprocal law
ltey passed the state Of NewIOrk had agreed not to
Lax foreign companies in Of the amount levied on
them in the State III Which they were Incorporated
Vgdcr this law many OF the foreign companies had been
substantially relieved Of all taxation in their home
states and therefore paid little nothing to our own
! state. Progress then reported on the BILL
Central Park is again threatened with an invasion
through bin presented by Senator Bixby. II is pre-
cscly similar 10 introduced in the Assembly by Mr.
Langben authorizing the of that part OF the park
known "a the green or the ball ground" by the First
Division OF The National Guard parade ground, at
| least once III each year between May and July l.
Every day brings It's bill for the reformation OF the
government Of New-YOrk Senator MOrrissey was the
author of one introduced to-day. 1t is similar IN plan 10
one presented by Mr. Hustled fortnight Ii merges
! tho Dock Department in the Department Of Public
! Works The Excise Department in the Police Depart
mont the Building Department in the Fire Department.
The bill also deprvcs the Police Department of the duty
o clean the streets and gives every department except
the police only one head The Board Of Aldermen lose
the power Of confirming the nominations Of the Mayor
far the head. Of drrarmcHs The terms Of cice Of the
heads NJ departments are begin and end with the
! Mayors.
f., the Assembly tnore was a debate of some length
over SIR COwln's bill authorizing the Board Oi F0hce 10
make contracts for the cleaning Of small portions o the
citv such portions oeXceed police precinct IN size
% hill is intended TO give contractors Of small means
ouprtuniiy 10 make contracts for cleaning the streets
Il Is holcd that under a contract system OF this klnd
instead Of giving the contract for the entire city street
cleaning To one contractor Of great weata (which has
alav resulted work being poorly dohe that the
stree n will kept far cleaner than al present This
nome MIR Covdin stated IN speech explaining The pur
nose Of lie bill. NJ. Mitchell opposed the bih on The
ound III A. the Police Commissioners, by thcir own con
f.ssion did not desire 10 have tbe cohr" oI street
cleaning. Nj. tspwdlh rcliru that ne We I". nm IN
L,t II would De well 20 akH away tue stree am De
pri ment tie Board OF Police Ihe boai9 OF IOce
w." uO,i-paltsu body AMI was thus not subject 20 Ae
emutatiOn Of using the Suect-ceanlnS DePai uc' Ior
n.I'iiral pu,pOse5 COmm-aOners smith ana Ifhdrdt
a,rroyed of the h ana also Ca II Clerk liaWiey VINO
I had observed lhe Workings oi "a great many street
| cleaning departments Progress was hhtLN IcpoIlcH
wien polics Commissioner Lrbardt of .New-l0rk was
before Tie Committee on Cil' Of both 5rll ana A'eCih-
bly 70 tugnt De- said mat tlr StIe' t'i'ahns De
Par,meut ld not Pr9perp Gt.ohE 70 ,no i L J
rtIt, aud tnal the Ponce tolh, = ~
H. he l1d Of It's care. bill introduced by Mr Mitchell
viii accomplish ths desire II II ptcouheS ld, ia", ~
esfaJIes street cleaning department 10 ~ Iu4cu "
comm .soner % appointed 10y the Mayor lhe ne"
officer is upon his duties the nist u'S VI @ 'le
"nth after the ac il passed, ana 10 serve ior Two
years At any time ne may DE rShO''G ~ ',lcf y ~
for cause. ms 'a"St' II o""i ,ToTt M.
duty or bad performance OF the Woih' ho
3o,t, nov, possessed by The Board OF POce. AT the
same meeting ~ the Committed Oh Cues rlrfeu 20 oiDo'
~ ,Iic,fneu 4 oil tins purpose was Introduced
t-ldy hy Mr. COrsa. IL provides thai dh'te 5l" @
sfirr 'De three grades II patroneh, ntst seCouu
a. atbiri" and that promotions shall strictly follow
the order named, the "nrst being the hlghesJ sT@ue
sw1 thc ono from wich rOundsncn mus; he tikcl lhe
"sccOnd grade are never to n,''o'i % IN y, .' 'a r.,
trd OF the total number Oi patOh' a. nor any on. "
be promoted thereto, or 10 tue nist sfahe uhI tnc
rnter M the rst grade has been reduced To or below
Ont-fhi rd Of the total NUMBER oi p1I"ho. no % .
first Grade" ~ exceed IN number One-JhIu OF Ihe
total NUMBER Of patTOmeD wnen once th IG'o S411 g.
Members Of tine force are tO nc ds1ilsseu Vny .i',
written charges have been made anu ] ,iiai MAJ
The pairOlmen OF the first grade are 10 % - "a
Of 81 200 each patrOlmcn OF tle seconu S'A' % 80, ~
patrolnen Of the third grade 500 AtacG ~ y. ,t o nt
there Is also section making 1t the duty VI thc alpoE