New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-11


from the Brooklyn Bridge ons-third Of which IS INC
property of the City Of New York Tho earnings OK
tho Bridge for tho year ending December i, 1857.
elusive OF the purchase OF real estate and additional
equipment, amounted to $4,000 ga, showing WI an
third OF which might have been paid TO the City OF
NewYork. II the additional expenditures ior rea'
es alto and new equipment amounting 70 So4o+eo 90.
had been provided for from the capital account ~
has been suggested by the Mayor OF Brookyn th n
the earnings Of tho Bridge should DC Annually , o'
vded between the two cities in proportion TO ,hc,r
respective interests, and that the money repu n 10,
taxation or by the Issue OF obligations on tho part OF
the Bridge Trustees redeemable by SINKING ,nn'
thus spreading tho expenditure over series Oh
and in that way relieving current taxation there
Is certainly no objection to this propsnion an 50
far as the City Of Nowyork is concerned II should 10
asscnted to- il tho city OF Brooklyn should deem it
for Its interest to change the present system % i ns
amount Of Rridg, bonds oustah mspsst amounts to
s565761 81. Tho net earnings OIL inc uscsn 70 nav
4 snn" n, lily h niaqs nrS accrng and with
improvements in concentration and tho rapd grom s
Il business this interest rnn tSe TAXPAYER In this
connection may add that agree WIN .o 80 The
Brooklyn in tho opinion maj .ny that the number
OF trustees can be advantagcously rcdutea d the re-
the management would be more e s th" 1r'dce we're
placed in the hands OF single executive, , 1s'''
Be approved by the Snyors been Is ne called 10 the in
Justice TO which this city Is subjected BY thD ra"ne
the state Board OF assessors n to the CITY and
rnnntv ~ New York 1t Is well known thar me ane
tons in this city are upon .' comnty in the state,
nd vet at tie last meeting OF the stae boaro rons
was added the valuations OF ths CITY deSncted from
sun y, - 81 Kings County the sum OF
How far this action was inucncen gs alive ON tho
sate Roard Of Equalization, although II pays , Nv Vas
cent Of the state taxes. and that h,ms who has
,nt,na,e eoouph to have representative Ny Ny .itv
been raised TO the Chief Magstrary of ina. CITY
do not know but steps nave we acton and TO secure
for thIs CITY simple Justice In the mater Oh ' ''
pibnfion to- the expenses Of the state Tho nr,nci
re TINS po s Which taxation ud be Levied bnt SAW 10
view Of recent utcrances, It may 20 The ano,Iti, 4
hat I'VE cS po m'" personal property Tho amount
thus collected at this time Is aeou. onnaI property,
whole d haOn shares were relieved of taxation n
would not be necessary to aaU last year would
10 .no onr,ed n 40 of one PER cent, thus ra'sng
be total TAXATION TO $50 Instead OF 2In, dd,t,on
actually PAID There her S wsnr O of real but
many of these also taxpayers upo o,n p than
property the addition would DC H those who do not
subs antia But in the case OF thoS ADVANCE in the
paw taxes upon personal property, me rahIv follow
Tor moro than compensate for any sn'tun ~ ~ roo,
amount which wonld then rs DE taxes in this
om,d attract TO II the capital Of the whole wor n
We are the centre OF exchans o,,J he the clear
mo bonse for the commerce OF the GLOBE III .no
city of New-York, therefore could max % might he
with the rest of the State by which J. msn nron
agreed that lien of taxation upon 6dea one
CITY for state purposes ses S nmnn real estate the
present embarrassment in regard to the % ~
personal property would al al c SS in this city
- IL donbtfl whether onefth Of the tota, amonm'
which ought to be collected II me law Tho Those who
ought 70 nav the most part of 1t pay th" NJ lie
he humble citizen who Is unable 9, amount Of law
@ The estates Of widows and orphs,s
and wards 9asa. Ghan''ry required by law
nItbomcb in most cases It be least afforded wne
bloatedr capitalists either entirely escape This con-
compromise for very madeq ~ cannot no continued
without snbiecting property to attacKs wn1m Great
be founded in Justice, and wn,cn 70 the taxes on
nronerv were repealed. 1t would not oe d,n
cn TO system OF taxation o, "'n NOT he
tSsm and which would more than MAKE up me ne
amount thus cancelled In that case a To estate and
bo of the rural portions OF me S'aS %
have no ground for complaint aeans, Inn 90 cats
nnsod 70 tba city, and the general feeling or sH,s
,sctIon which would then exist in the pnb. n ,o
wouId bo vat relief to the officers charged WIN ln
,ssnsement and collection OF the revenue ANY prop
ason bnvver 70 impose taxation uron what people
or corporations instead OF on wnst my 49,,
e absolutely nnsound and II Is dlfcn't 70 unnersanu
h What nrocess Of reasoning this policy IS advocaed
According the conclusions OF the nest nna' Eu
tborItics actual property should alone ne taNeo .'
dences OF debt should never be taxed because ~
rule thcy only represent properly whch ma aii. t
baan fave
proner exen,ntions Of small incomes. IS the most nst
mode raising rcvenne although 1t ongh' hot 10
mind can however he educated upon this polnt ana
an honest return NJ income he secured without oVe
inc tho prvate affairs Of individuals no sounder svs
tenn OF taxation for local or state purposes can "n @
vleed than that which practically pms the TAX npo
tangible and visible property. and upon puhiic ran
cb,sos which have an actual cash value. shown by
their earning power. In whatever form raves NAV
no posrd so long as me total ncT rcsc o., Of tax
~tion will necessarily upon nrodncfion athouen N
The first place II Is raid ont OF c,n,fa, ara snoe
,.st anaIvsis therefore taxation falls rrodm"tion
md Is divided rrncples. more or less eautao,e,
hrtween the carifal ard the labor rmnl1ven ~ M
work. ~ rrodction Tho sn Of tho LEGISLATOR there
fore shorld bc directed as for aS possible ~ rNrc
but .bis cannot he dome bv any ~ imposition
~ taxation unon dobt. for The debtor nsnalv INC
who Is most actively engaged IN the WORK OF pro
durt'on. - ,, A.,
In this connection, It may be well to consider the
action of the Department OF Taxes ana "
which VIGOROUSLY inadequate In many ms ahJps
Formal charges preferred to me by ctizehs cta
inc to be taxpayers against tho action Of two of the
Commissioners Of Taxation In reference TO certain cor
poratons and individuals whose sp s real value
on investigation, after hearing the COMMISSIONERS,
was satisfied that the plain inlnnctons OF tne law
stances at least. could not be successfully contro-
yorted Under ordinary circumstances II would nave
hoo nv duty on being satisfied of these facts to have
removed the commissioners complained OF from once
But could shut my eyes to the iact ,hat .no OK
iot,n, laws never had been executed ana fhere was
no difference Of opinion among those who had studied
No question that they be executed as they
stand sho IN this city The Commissioners therefore
ara confronted with legal duty impossible OF per,
formance II I had removed them from Office. could
onlv have appointed other persons who would have
been confronted with precisely tho stame obstacle
Inasmuch as the good faith and sound judgment OF
the commissioners now in office had not been I'm,
nupned there was no reason therefore, why shonld
simply shift responsibility from one ser OF onicer
70 another who could not possibly be more snccessi
in the enforcement of the law. When VIC are brought
face 10 face with an embarrassment OF this kind, the
Conclusion is obvious that the law ought to be so
amended as TO enable II to be executed by consclen-
tious and faithful officers. In the absence OF such
amendment very great injustice must necessarily pre-
vail and lond complaints founded upon valid basis
he made only be by the confession on the part
OF the public officials that they are poweress to com
lpy with the obligations Of the law This brief stare
'mment furnishes an unanswerable argument for tho
amendment OF the and for tho adoption Of some
such plan as I have briefly indicated
shall expect to follow this message WIN com DID