New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-16
"uIGHTY INTERESTING READING.

The reader who shlnS all STATE Ttpoi'S az"
other official publications as fit only lor al III
somnia cure makes the mistake or his lie IL he
Tins treats the bulletins of the New-1ork o'a'e
Library. For they are often full or the Juicies'
of mental meat and crammed full of practical IN
formation and suggestive facts about TINS anu
tho other States of the Union, such as are cal-
fulated to interest every reader ana 10 ehapie
every citizen far better TO understand the pun
lie welfare and the trend of Governmeh'ai act'-
ities Here for example, is the March Dul'etlh'
markod LEGISLATION No. s. 1t presents III classi-
fod ANALYSIS the receipts and expenditures ol
oil the States in 1890 and in 1895, spanning
half-decade Of mighty moment to TINS country
Oh. saws one, such figures must be or! Us uus''
besides. we know 1t all; it was with the states aS
with the Nation-a surplus in le9o ana uenci'
IN 1sa5 Quite true as to the last point, III the
aocreeste There was an Increase OF - per
cent of expenditures and of only IL per cent OF
income. But did you realize that the Nation
receives and spends about four times as much
ne all the States? That the budget OF THIS city
Of \av-York amounts to 40 per cent OF those OF
all the States put together? Or that the STATE
Of NewYork apart from the city, spends one
ninth as much as all the fOrty-hve! Ana tnal
pennsvlyania stands second and far-of Cali
forn,a third. while llllnois-a province or the
CITY of Chicago-s only eighth on the ilsr' s'anu-
ing below Indiana and Texas!
Rut these are only few random items, au-
dressed 10 curiosity rather than to argument
Of greater significance Is this, that year py
vear taxation on ordinary property Is growing
loss and taxation on corporate capital ana III
herited wealth Is growing more. In these
five wears. as we have said, the gross rev
enues Of the States increased by IL per cent,
while taxation on ordinary property lncreaseu
nv only per cent, and on railroads anu otliei
corporations by no less than oS per cent. wen
worth knowing and considering that III 'hese
DAYS. when the power and privileges ol capr
tal" are so inveighed against. so much lor INC
whole of the States Right here III Ne"-ioiA
tho facts are still more Impressive. III tneSe NV
,ears the revenue Of the state lncreaseu. pu'
tho taxation upon general properiy-upoh ,iie
"mosses." as Mr.. Gladstone wouiu say
creased by more than $3,0OO,0OO, or from 9',ooo'
800 In 1890 to $4,521 ga In 1898; while the TAXA
t,on mon railroads and corporations anu ilieir
+ances-the "classes"-was nearly doupieu' 81
os 10 make up the deficit. More thah haii .iic
revenue CT the State now comes from 'hese h'F
for sources With expenditures LOT loau'
schools. libraries and the general pupiic soou
increasing and taxation Of the general puoiic
ron,d,v decreasing, the burden being shifted
r. corporate capital, the bitter cry or 'he
ponulst and Socialist would seem indeed 70
no voice and nothing more. And this, too'
tn tho State that contains Wall Street and the
gold bugs. ...ouo.t o.,
Neither is il devoid Of suggestive interest W
obcorye that a great share of this Stc'es III
creosed expenditure is due to It's having as
s,,n,ad care of the insane an additional cost 10
,ro State of s., 100000, of which the chlcs ana
oorntias are relieved. The cost OF maintaining
r,isons has decreased. and that or feIorlha-
tories increased-a proptious change. Inc
! State debt has practically vanished oh'y lew
hundred thousand dollars remaining anu 'ha'
| In bonds held by endowment funds or educa'
,,oral institutions. so that New-lork thOugh
hv far the richest of the States, has the shaies'
debt Of all, save only Vermont, New-Jcrsey'
Montana, Wyoming. Idaho, Nevada ana ore
ur Expenditures for schools and colleges are
increasing. as they should. For local libraries
tt,s State DAYS much more than all the others
| mt tooeiher And fnally-for the present Pur-
nose though we have scarcely begun TO dlp INTO
| ,ho oboundinc interest Of these pageS-expehdi-
| tu,es FOR the State Library increased in THESE
| Two veors from SOS, 900 to SAT 900; fact which
M ore who appreciatively examines TINS one
output of that library will for a mon cnt sr"osc'