New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-12
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TAXES.

Democratic newspapers throughout the State
have placed at the head of their editorial col
umns some figures which they evidently suppose
are to be of service to them during the approach
ing campaign. They are the figures which
stand for tax reduction, and these Hill organs
have the effrontery to pretend that tax reduction
for 1891 is a Democratic achievement The
publio is accustomed to see partisanship express
Itself in extravagant statements, but it has
right to demand and to expect that leading
newspapers, even if they do train under the
banner of so INSCRIPTIONS a politician as the
Governor, shall not wilfully deceive their read
ers. Now the journals in question are too well
informed not to know that there is no warrant
in truth for the claim that the Democratic mem
hers of the Legislature of 1891 are to be cred
tied with cutting down the tax-rate from 234
to 1877 IL. 1t might as well be held that these
Hill lawmakers discovered the law of gravita-
ton. Yet such papers as 1.-THE Albany Argus"
rendered reckless by the prospect OF Repub-
lican victory in November, from day TO day UNI
blushingly parade this bogus manifesto
Republican tax levy, 1890. %
Democratic tax levy 1891 ..................lo I-%
DomocraHc savnp .........o 90 1-2
Lowest In SO years.
As has already been remarked, the employ
ment of such tactics is an insult to the lntelli-
gence of the voters. The tax levy of 1891 was
not "DemOcratic'' tax levy; the saving OF
.96 1-2 in the tax-rate was not Democratic
saving. What are the facts? First, the Sen
ate contained Republican majority of six; the
Assembly a Democratic majority OF eight. Vi
course. no bill could pass without concurrent
vote. of the two houses. That disposes of the
tale for the marines that the tax levy for this
year and the rate saving for this year was
" Democraticn Some fasehoods are self-refut-
ing. This is one of them. Second, the decline
from 2.34 to 1877 II was not due chiefly to the
course pursued by the last Legislature. The
Democratic papers are working like beavers to
produce that impression, but they will have their
labor for their pains. The people are not to be
fooled. The sum total of the appropriations Tor
1891 was only little over half million dol
lars less than the SUN total of the appropriations
| for 1890. Obviously, that comparatively small
decrease would not bring the tax-rate down from
234 to 1877 1-2. Hence the main factor in
| the reduction must be sought for elsewhere
| Where is il to be found? 1t is to be found in
the estimate of revenues to be derived from the
Inheritance and corporation tax measures. In
1890 these yielded S4,346,s32 20; in 1891
they are estimated at S7,267 1915 95-an in
crease Of nearly three million dollars. When il
is added that the tax laws which produce thi:
immense revenue were introduced by Repub-
icans and passed by Republican Legislatures, sc
that they were as distinctvely Republican meas
ures as the Infamous Rum bill which was put
through the last Assembly was Democratic
measure the arrant knavery which goes with
characterizng Ia reduction in 1891 as a" Dem
ocratic' saving stands out in bold and brazer
relief.
However, the Republicans can contemplate
these glanng msstatements of their opponents
touching the taxes with equanimity. a party
which resorts to such means simply paves the
way for it's own humiliation and defeat. j
practically confesses that it cannot hope to wiz
on its merits, that its record will not bear (;
candid examination.