New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-28
the trust of the Army or the people In the COM
handing Generals whom he continues TO uust'
FACTS AND REFLECTIONS.

The fax rate for this year In the boroughs or
Manhattan and The Bronx will be 24S. as
AGAINST 2.O1 last year and still lower rates in
nreyious wears And that is by no means the
whole story. for the assessed valuations have
becn raised all the way up to so per cent, not
counting extreme cases. so that the taxpayers
Of tho old city of New-York arc compelled TO
face the fact that they must bear burden OF
,o1ation from oneouarter to more than three
quarters larger than they had to bear last year.
Now II il not in human nature to refrain from
asking how this state of things has come about
Tho question "Why?" Is absolutely certain to
no generally and mistakenly asked, and the OBJ
vious. common and truthful answer Will De that
II IL the direct result of tanning through the
consolidation scheme. 1t follows that the man
who ordered that scheme damned through and
contrived 10 have his order obeyed Is the man
who is mainly responsible for the load about to
be fastened on the backs Of the taxpayers. But
in political matters blame and requital are too
often unjustly apportoned. Inc danger Is that
the voters. including those who pay tax In
the form of rent if they do not pay 1t dlrectly'
instead OF holding Mr.. Plat chiefly Responsible
and the eager and Jealous or weak and tlmorous
men who carried out his Instructions response
BILE in a less degree, will ascribe the fault ana
assign the penalty TO the party in whose name
he assumed to operate
There is characterization when IS well
calculated TO excite apprehension. Last year
the people consented by narrow and hesitat-
ing majority that the Republican party should
retain control Of the State Government on the
explicit and reiterated promise OF It's candidate
for Governor and other accredited spokesmeh
that the canal frauds should he punished. There
was. to be sure, an "if possible" attached, hut III
view of facts which appeared to he indisputa-
Bile. and OF the candidates reputation for capac-
itv and moral courage. little attention was pald
10 that condition. Yet now the people are con-
rronted with the frank confession that, ASIDE
from the Controllers spirited refusal to pay GER
Tain comparatively small claims. nothing can De
done at present or presumably at any time 10
redress their wrongs or punish their untalthlui
servants while simultaneously they are ad-
monshed that an immense additional sum must
be raised by loan or taxation TO put the canals
IN such a state that the S9,OOOOOO already IN
vested in an enterprise which is much less than
half finished shall not be irrecoverably lost. IL
NAV possibly be remembered, as 1t assurediv
oucht 10 be- that the man who Is primarily ana
chiefly responsible for this miserable afront ana
default is the man who drove Governor Morton
in his early inexperence and docility to appoint
George W. Aidridge Superintendent of Public
Works. But again the danger is that the tax
payers will attribute the fault and apply the
retribution to the party that was made TO ap-
near in the light of sustaining Mr.. Plat and
NAV now be brought under suspicion OF at least
excusing Mr.. Aldridge.
There has recently emanated from the Orien-
tai Hotel. at Coney Island, an appeal to the
10000 citizens who in voting for Seth Low
voted for good government under leadership
which was not identified with bad government
by both political parties that they should turn
in and help to elect anti-Tammany county OFF,
GERS and Assemblymen this fall under the old
familiar auspices. In view of the foregoing
considerations, this appeal would seem to be at
least untimely.