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

Itouclt 10 be i atod in fairness ihit the figures
for lie two years of Governor Iildon embrace
some appropriations for asylums, but they 90
not appear n a distinct Item IN the tax
levy. which has been carefully followed, as
thev do IN the years of Governor l'iN. In ihe
case of Governor Robinson have ascertamcd and
made the deduction. With these notes the figures
cover all the running expenses of TIE Government
elias. ofcXp,-diureS which furnishes hc trnr test
Of economy Al the others aro fixed by the Cous,i-
f,tion or are beyond the discretion and power oi
tie Governor. In these expenses, which ere
within thc review Of The Governor IL VIII he no.
ticea that the amount under lilacn even with the
deduction above indicatcdl was larger than under
Dix that for one year of Robinson, also, It was
larger. and for the other about the same. And this
notwithstanding Governor Robinson gets tie bene-
it OF the reduction in prison expenses, VII cii are
included within the iirnrcs-a reduction that comes
through the constitutional amendment changing
thc system Of prison management, which was
passed 10y The Republicans against a united Demo
cratic opposition and which went into operation IN
1877.
CONCLUSION.
The State tax Is now about seven mill rs loss
than il was in 1s7I and the facts here presented
prove that nearly five millions of this reduction are
due % the complete eXtmluisl.ment Of the Bounty
debit for which "a tax is no longer required; that
about two millions are due 90 the constitutional
amendment which since 1874 has prohibited tax
alton lol canal expenditures that NO part OF the
reduction is due TO any action of the Executive;
and ,hat he clam on behalf OF Governor Robin
son that hc has produced this saving is as hrazen As
AZ is uuiounded. Governor Rohin,on's clam Is the
more audacious when we remember that on
.ho j., of January, 1916, be succeeded
SIR. Hopkins. who had been the Republi-
that he transmitted to the legislature
the final report OF his predecessor ndorsing 1t as
exhibiting the condition Of the finances Of the
S.atc"; thatiu this report Controller Hopkins said:
As the present financial administration witnesses
the practical extinguishment Of the State debt. so
it may be TIC high honor Of the present Legislature
10 effect reduction Of seven millions In the State
tax >; that tie tax for the year 1873 being mills,
Controller Hopkins recommended that for 1876 1t
should be mills or only one-half that the Ecpnb-
lican Legislature practically adopted this recon-
nendation; and that the great reduction of
tax was thus effected. In view If these
truths, the claim that Mr.. Robinson as
Governor since 1877 has accomplished what as
Controller in 1876 he Endorsed rs already then con-
summated. is a piece Of monumental eiironteTy. Nor
are Governor Robinsons professions as an "econo-
mist sustained by the exhibit of his own Office.
display his frugahty. But what shall be said when
he shows an expenditure of $4,000 during term
where Governor DIX only expended $40 4OOY Aud
if we cast aside his salary Of 800 00O which he does
not himself throw over his shoulder the Office still
costs the State several thousand dollars year more
than under Dix.
The Republicans of New-York may safely chal-
lengea comparison with the Democrats in any field
of administration. While both parties worked
upder the old systems the Republicans showed inn
mcasurably better results and the reforms of the
new systems come from the constitutional amend
mcnts which they proposed and carried. The Re
pubhcans paid of eleven millions of Canal debt In
the same length of time that the Democrats paid OFF
two millions. The Republicans spent l.13l. las
wear on the canals where the Democrats spent
SI.724,sGO. The Republicans produced surplus
revenues of three millions year where the Demo
Gratis produced only eight hundred thousand. The
Republicans maintained the canals at n cost of
% per cent on their income while under Demo
cratic rule the cost was 40 per cent. And so of
the Bounty debt the Republicans paid nineteen and
n half millions during the same length of time that
the Democrats paid five and half. That was the
contrast when both administered the same trust
under the same system. Time brought the necessity
of reform. The Republicans responded by planting
il in the Constitution itself, and the Democrats
claiming the fruits of their work.
CHARLES f. SMITH. Editor Albany Journal.
Albany Oct. 4, 1879.