New-York tribune., 1891-10-15
STATE TAXES ONCE MORE,

by the Legislature OF 1871 Is the lOWeSO WHICH
has been given to our people in thirty-six years.
1t is a most creditable achievement; the party
which can fairly claim the credit for II has
earned the confidence of the voters. To whom,
then, does the credit belong? "Oh," say Gov
ernor Hill and the Democratic organs the
credit belongs to the Democratic Legislature OF
1872 This contention is unqualifedly false
that's the plain English of it. Let us see If
it isn't.
]. The Legislature of 1891 was not Demo
cratic Legislature The Senate was Republican
and the Assembly Democratic. Consequently
no bill passing the Senate could reach the Gov
ernor and become law unless the Assembly
also passed it, just as no bill passing the As
sembly could reach the Governor and become a
law unless the Senate also passed it. On joint
ballot the Democrats did indeed have slight
majority but since no bills originating in either
house are ever disposed of by joint ballot, the
contention that the Legislature of 1891 was not
Democratic Legislature, so far as lawmaklng
was concerned, is not at all affected by that
ballot. All this is elemental it is within the
knowledge Of every schOolboy. Nevertheless,
we constantly hear Democratic editors and
stump-speakers talking about " the Democratic
legislature of 1872 Could dishonesty 60 any
further without straining itself2
>. For the tax-rate as it was fixed this year
neither the Republican Senate nor the Demo-
cratic Assembly was largely responsible. True,
an examination of the record OF the two houses
will prove that the Senate was the more eco
| nomica body of the two, since it killed large
| number of useless or extravagant financial meas
ures which got through the Assembly. Fur
thermore the Senate passed the bill providing
for the sale of the States property on Ward
Island. and the Assembly, by refusing to con-
cur kept two million dollars out OF the treas
| ury. which, if the bill had become law, would
have gone into Il, thus sen'ibly relieving the
taxpayers. Did the Assembly feel called upon
10 kill bills, which it received from the Sen
ate. for the expenditure of money! Very few,
| very few, indeed. The only one OF consequence
which we can recall was the bill-whoSe passage
was demanded by the boatmen, the members
of the Canal Union, and others interested In the
prosperity of our great canal system-appro-
priating about half million dollars for lock-
engthening and otherwise improving the Erie
and other canals.
But to our main contention. The low tax
rate for 1891 is not in any large measure
referable either to the Senate or the Assembly
of this year. The tax-rate as fixed by the
successive Legislatures depends upon the esh-
mates and items furnished by the Controller.
What were the estimates which the Controller
sent to the Finance Committee of the Senate
and the Ways and Means Committee OF the
Assemby-of the Legislature of 1S91-those
being the two committees of the Legislature
which are charged with the duty Of looking
| after the finances? These were the Controller
estimates and items:
| Increase in receipts from the Corpora 80 ~
ton Tax law for 1891 over 1e0O..... S3oo,ooo w
| Increase in receipts from the Collateral
n9S In9erance LAX 10" i0l 100000 90
lifjeSse tea oIraninsiion rr Tax $4,000 90
Estimated returns from the new Direct ooo ooo M
Total neEtdSe snTpl1s 1aA in tSs nS State Treasury
(availablc as the result of the steady
inflow Of funds into it through the
Operation of the tax laws above men,
toned the Controller n notes oso 6se as an an
The available surplus
| oct. /, 1880, was. l1o4'oo2 ~
Increase 1891 over 1890. ............. oa5, 1894 So
| Amount derived from increased revenue
by reason Of the increased Valuation
Sog ,67a s96 io' 12e,o5o 90
Apppopriations GGciGit1aS by the Legislature Of
1891 less than those OF 1o0o-...- o32'aoo %
Total . So, sos, ,9O4 80
Now all these new and main sources of in
come were discovered by Republicans, were
proposed by Republicans and were pushed
through the Legislature by Republicans, so that
they were as dStinctively Republican measures
as the Schaaif Liquor bill was a Democratic
measure. And in view of that fact, and of
the related fact that the entire reduction OF
| taxes in 1891 resulted from the increased in
come derived from these new tax laws Except
the item of S126, O5O 20. standing for the en-
hanced valuation of property, and the item OF
S532 ,459 SO, standing for reduced appropna-
tions by the Legislature), what becomes Of the
pretence of Democratic organs and sump-speak-
ers that the Democratic Legislature of 1872
can read It's title clear to all the credit that at
taches to the reduction Of the tax-rate?
The Democratic canvass is typical Tammany
canvass-that is to say, it is canvass of Doodle
and false pretence. Unless Roswell p Flower
can compass his election by buying voters whom
he cannot deceive, and deceiving voters whom
he cannot buy, he will never reach the Execu-
tive Chair
VEST INDIAN REFIVAL.
Sir Ambrose Shea is leaving nothing undone