The New York herald., 1879-12-28
WEST SIDE PROPERTY OWNERS.

TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS DISCUSSED BY MEN
WHO PAY THEM-NEw LAWS NEEDED.
A large and important meeting OF the West Side
Association held last night ut the rooms OF tho
society. No. GI West Thirty-fourth street. Mr..
Dwight H. Omstead occupied the chair, and an
nounced that he had invited number OF gentlemen
we'll versed in city affairs to address the association
the subject Of the evening being Taxation and
Local Assessments" or the gentlemen invited tho
Chairman said he observed tnat of them. who
particularly well informed those subjects. Mr..
George H. Andrews. present. Our tax laws. the
Chairman continued. should be repealed and new
enacted. An important question is as to the
extent to which unimproved properly should be
taxed Heretofore there has been no distinction in
the tax laws, and unimproved lots have been made
to pay part OF the assessments for the improvement
Of downtown streets. There other questions to
whether improved property ought to be taxed at ALL
Whether foreign residents to be taxed is a matter
OF importance. On these points the Chairman was
not prepared to express opinion but of one thing
he certain-that the tax laws Us they aow stand
absurd.
At the close OF Mr. Olmsteads 8 remarks the follow
ing gentlemen were elected members OF tho associa-
ton :-Isaias Meyer. General j. W. DE Peyser John
l.. Parsons. John J.. Clancy. j. NJ. Hartshorne,
Lewis J. Phillips. William A. Cauldwei. Miss susan
Oelbermann, j. Il. Dillon. George Bliss. Eilwood K.
Thorne, j. w. Feeter. Matthew Bird. Abraham
DOWuney A. GloDlnss William ii. nays anu JacoD
Hays.
Mr.. ANDREWS ADDRESS.
Mr.. George II. Andrews said that while holding
public Office in this city some years ago he sub
mitted scheme OF taxation which he thought was
thoroughly equitable. For the purposes oil taxation
property was to be divided into three classes and the
taxes graduated accordingly Strictly improved
property tho highest class and ought to pay the
highest rate OF taxsay ut the rate OF 100 per cent
The next class suburban property--property
not improved, but suscs sptible to Improvement, to
be taxed at the rate say OF sixty-six per cent The
should pay the lowest rate say thrty-thr
per cent. He was opposed to excmpting
unimproved property altogether The, result
would be blight on the city's growth IL o
premium were offered to the miser to abstain from
improvements for the purpose of escaping taxation.
The great grief OF the ages has been taxation II
alton is equal, however, it is just and equitable.
The trouble is that often IL unequal. In our own
case moro money is wrung from the people OF tho
city than from those OF the other parts Of the State
Tho tax laws are in tho worst possible condition.
They threaten everything and reach almost nothing.
Too few people come under their operation. There
is only way 10 remedy the evil, and that Is to
place i'll the hands OF every in the State list
OF property or every KIND ana require IT TO DC ne
mp by each person with what he actually owns.
On tho west side the requisites are men and
money. These are OF more consequence than
the rate OF taxation. There are two ways to
get these-one is to tax everything and the
other to tax nothing. The true policy for tho
city of New York is to charge the emigrant who il
willing to come here nothing for his money, whether
he brings $1,000 or $10,000.000. He will soon be
taxed on everything that he requires; and this the
speaker VI persouS
vino loft the city aud went elsewhere to live simply
because they taxed directly all they owned.
Our tax laws, he said. useless for revenue but
powerful TOR evil Speaking Of corporations he said
he would impose tax upon them to be collected di-
rectly by the State There must be q change in our
tax laws. Either we must tax everything by inqus-
itorial enactments or we must tax nothing in the
way OF personal property. He argued that in the
latter real estate would not be injured,
because population would be attracted.
ON WEST SIDE snANrIEs.
At tho close or Mr.. Andrews address q series of
resolutions adopted in favor OF the removal
OF all shantes tine west side before the 1st day
OF May next. Mr.. II. ii. Cammann. who recently
carried on the shanty war ut Seventy-ninth street
and Ninth avenue, is the most active mover in this
matter, and property interested requested
to enter into agreement upon the basis OF the
resolutions.