New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-08
MIR. SMITHS LETTER.


To the EdftOr OF The Tri0une.
SIR. IL was early announced that the Democrats
of New-York would fight the battle of this year on
:" State Issues" Following that strategy, their
whole campaign Is made to turn on the single claim
that Governor Robinson has reduced the State tax
and expenses. This is tho sole argument Of his
parrsans for his election. As matter II
act the claim is unfounded. In spirit and in SUBJ
stance it Is disngenuous and untrue. The reduc-
ton OF tax and expenses Is due TO causes with which
neither Governor Robinson nor Governor Iilden be-
fore him had anything TO do The credit for putting
these causes into operation belongs rather to Re-
publican Legislatures. In compliance with your
request shall resent from the official records the
facts which establish this truth.
In 1874 the State tax was S15 ,727.is2 Os In
1873 IL was S14,2O66sO 81 In 1876 it fell 10
S. $780, ia 80; and last year it was SOIL 07 9f.
1t will be observed that most Of the reduction camo
at one stroke. 1t produced by causes which
may best be classified under three heads; First The
extnguishment of the Bounty debt and the
relief of the State from all further tax for its
requirements. If Governor Robinson paid tho
Bounty debt, which was all liqnidated before he
became Governor. then he deserves the credit Of
this reduc tion-not otherwise. Second. The three
Constitutional amendments which prohibit all
taxation for canal expenditures. and change the
system of canal and prison administration. IL
Governor Robinson passed these amendments,
which were adopted before he became Governor
then he caused this reduction-not otherwise.
Third The introduction of the contract labor
system in the prisons which has increased their
ceipts and essened the deficiency made mp by taxa
ton If Governor Robinson wants to boast that he
brought convict labor into competition with other
labor, then he may claim the credit of this saving
not otherwise. The chief reduction is al the hrst
two causes
THE BOUNTY DEBT.
To understand the reduction OF tax. it is ncces-
sary to note the of the state debt. J he
Bounty debt, created in the suppression of the Re-
bellion amounted on the 1st of January. 1865, TO
S25, sO7 800. The Democrats on that day acquired
full control of the financial administration Of tho
State and retained lt tor four years, until January
/, 1872. From 1868 more than Si,oOOOOO were
raised every year by tax to meet the principal aud
Interest Of the Bounty debt. But instead OF apply
ing it to that object. the Democratic rulers pur-
Joined a large proportion OF the amount from tho
sinking fund. aud used it to meet the current
expenses of the Government. which 80
extrayagant aud wasteful that they dared
not levy a sufficient tax 10 provide for theIn. Dur
ing the four years the of appropriations over
the reyenucs-the amount spent beyond the tax 10
meet twas - 1888 467 81 see Controllers report
for 1879. OF this amount nearly S3.OOO,OOO were
diverted to sectarian purposes. In special mes
sage 10 the Legislature, Governor Dix stated that
of SI5 80 9Ol 90 constituting the sinking funds
for the payment OF the public debts at the limo
when Democratic rule ceased, nearly two-thrds
existed only Oh paper. and that the moneys beloug
ing to them had been consumed in dcfrayng the
current expenses of the government in direct viola
ton of the constitutional requirements and of the
plighted faith of the State" The result was heavy
deficiency While more than : 10. 100000 had been
raised by tax during the four years of Democratic
rule for the principal and interest of the bounty
debt the actual reduction of that debt within that
period was only $5,546.744 %.
WHAT THE REPUBLICANS DID.
Through the overthrow of the Tweed Ring AT tho
election of 1871, the Republicans, on the 1St OF
January 1872 came into full control of the LegIs-
laturc and the Financial Department of the State
retaining the financial administration for four
years aud the Legislature except one branch for
one year. down to the present time Besides other
delinquencies, they found direct deficiency of
more than six and half millions in the Treasury.
Counting all requirements there were, As Governor
Dix 81 ted in his annual age - 900 900 to DO
replaced" TINS deficiency the Republicans made
good The taxes they honestly levied were swollen
in order to restore what the Democratic mSrulers
before them had plundered. They further met
all the obligations and demands of their own years.
So that, while the Democrats in four years rom
1868 TO 1872 paid of only $5,54G, IA 90 Of the
Bounty debt the Republicans IN four years from
1872 TO 1876 paid of $l9.55i. 773 56-uearly lour
times as much IN the same length o time. he re-
suit of this fidelity was that sull holding the
| Legislature when the Republican control Of the
Financial Department closed January l. 1915. it
left only sos 9S2 30 remaining To be provided for.
The amount was really evea less. because tho
premium realized on some of the investments
| proved to be larger than was estimated.
TIE PRUITs IN REDUCED TAXES.
A. the result OF this practical extingushment or
| the Bounty debt, there was an immediate and
large reduction in the tax. TWAS NJ longer neces-
sary 70 levy tax for that purpose. In 1879 tho
tax for the Bounty debt alone was 81, $4,000. In
1876 1t was only 1922 0s0-belng more than the
amount remaining unproyided for because the
State valuation was increased and produced iarses