New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-27

OR DO THE PEOPLE WANT GOOD
GOVERNMENTS
In the admirable letter in which Colonel Andrew
d. Baird accepts The nomination for Mayor IMAM
lm0usly given to him by his fellow Republicans in
Brooklyn lie has this TO say of the rate for the
present year. of the most important issues of the
campaign TO every voter, whether direct an I'm.
direct taxpayer:
The taX rate Of his year throughout the city; as
am crcditabiy Informed, IS to be considerably larger
than the rate Of last year, notwithstanding an In
Of the assessed valuations which such rate
Is based and nOtwhs andng the Improvements made
during the present administration have been provided
for by boTow wing on the bonds of tic city To rho
in the affairs of the city stand pledged With the
yearly increasing value of taxable property believe
the burden OF taxation can be seDSO reduced by the
application Of ordinary business economy
1t is Instance OF Mayor ChapinS juggery with
public affairs that the for this year has
yet been made public The Board OF Estimate for the
last two years has been entirely composed of Dem.
ocrats, that the full responsibility for the increased
burdens laid upon the city rests with Mayor Chaplin
and HIS associates Tho budget of city and county
expenses is adopted by the Board OF Aldermen on the
hrs Monday in October, and the assessed valuations
are made early in the summer the rate should be
announced at In fact in former years the
tax rate has been computed approximately
without waiting for the formal adoption of the budget
after IL Is prepared by the Board of Estimate as tho
Aldermen have no power to increase the amount, and
seldom make any reduction. But last year under the
direction Of Mayor Chaplin the tax rate was not known
untl October 18. This year the announcement IS
made that It will not be known until November 49,
only fortnight before taxes are due. The object
Of this plainly is to keep the increase an unknown
quantity until after election. But public attention
has been directed TO the subject and it is probable
that the Democratic officials will not dare delay the
announcement until after election their constituents
are demanding knowledge on the subject
1t is reported good authority that the tax rate
Will be about SO % for each 800 of valuation Last
year the rate 81 70. The rate of ~ 90 will be
tho largest pad in the city since 1877, when
taxes were still paid. The tax rate from 1867 to 1877
ranged about 50, in 1871, when
1t was 90 "A Mayor Howell made des-
pcrlte effort 10 reduce the rate by
failing 70 provide new schoohOuses and other needed
improvements. and managed to get the rate down TO
- SO. Under MAYOR Low the rate increased slightly
in order to meet the expenses for things left unpro
v'Ied for by Mayor Howell. and the highest figure was
~ 30. Under Mayor Whitney slight reduction oc
Cured the rate being - IS for year, and - 70
acd vaaGns al Major sn0r cSap @sGs
year ctsite all efforts by raising assessments the
rate Is nearly ~ one OF The chief cause, for this Is
ne increase In salaries ram TO the servant: OF me
city. the greater part OF the cost OF CITY improve
remains for tho voter, to determine whether change
in the head Of thu els government and strict economy
result in a reduction % their tax bills. BESIDES the
increased Of taxation, nearly every prOpsrty-
owner will have to pay upon Increased valuation
that ffOm hind 10 a hall more VIII have TO be
paid in taxes than last year. Since Mayor Low,
time the valuations Of property have nearly doubled;
Mayor Chaplin has been Endorsed by the Citizens
Protective Associations OF both the Western and
Eastern Districts, under which the associations
II liquor dealers disguise their real character. They
have adopted resolutions 10 the effect that the al.
ministrattOn of excise affairs under Mayor Chaps
Is satisfactory to them. The condition OF affairs hf
the city may be judged when the liquor dealers *
Am in p@l fha anti af
Several largely attended and enthusiastic meetings
wore held 10y the Republicans In various paris oil
brooklyn last evening. In the Sixteenth Ward As
sIstant United States District Attorney John casey
John H. Green Lester W. Ee3Sley and eX.POlce Jus'oo
Charles Naehor spoke in Turn Hall. ia Meserole ~
\ meeting al Ceniral-ave. and TIUutman ST. IN mo
Eighteenth Ward, was addressed by John j. I'M,
the Rev. :. Miller lageman. George Wrr inu cans
nand De Wigne. The Twenty first Wand fteppnned IN
met at Park and TOmpkns ayes. and iissen and
Henry W knight, aHd Messrs. Clancy o w,o NO
Wren. EXPark Commissioner f. r. se", III ueak
poses to speak in every wart OF me cg tganin
and set forth the true character of Mayor N""i'".