New-York tribune., 1902-07-14

What He Is and What He Has Done for the
BY AssEMB1YMAN GHERARD1 DAVIS,
State.

list vast. amount Of property hitherto up,avas
Among other things. the surplus of savings -,
taxed moderate sum- This fund wbtrb -
hitherto been free. produces income as W..
repeatedly stated TO the committees on taxatior :.
public hearings, far in excess OF the tax so th..
the banks admitted at the public hearings -
possible harm could result TO the savings bank a..
positors.
The committees on taxation gave endless hsa-.
ines on these bills at the session Of 1e01 as did IN.
judiciary committees on the bills relating to cor.
porations
1t Is an old saying that horse can be readily led
to water. but that IL is pretty difficult job 10
make him drink The same rule applies to the In.
vestment of capital. The legislature. however has
tried to induce capitalists to organize corporations
In this State rather than do so In New-Jersey
There does not to be any reason why our
neighbor should derive such great benefits from
corporate organiza tions. while our state Is neg
lected. The Governor had this matter constantly
in mind and frequently urged amendments to our
laws. While now we do not seem to have worked
out a perfect solution Of the question. much has
been done toward improving the avs ana "hen ms
former narrow policy of New-fork toward corpora
tions has been forgotten the advantages OF ths
new enactments will be more generally appreciated.
IL MAIDS M argument to show that It Is much to
our advantage in more wavs than one to have
corporations organized under our laws Looking
~ the subject solely from the point OF view OF
taxation, II is of course certain that the state VIII
which :, will collect from the new corporations
ra,,t,on and corporation laws. however, wers
NOT the on1v subjects IN which the Governor was
interested He gave his unqualified support to the
Tenement House BILL proposed by the commission
which Mr.. Roosevelt had appointed a measure
which appeaIed to the humanity and sympathy
of everybody II violently assailed by those
who saw a peeuniary loss In it's enactment into
a statute but the Governor was as hrm as Mr.,
De Forest the chairman OF the commission. IN his
support of the bill Again. in connection with the
New-York charter the Governor gave the amend
rnsnts the closest attention. He had many con-
ferences with members OF his party from both
houses on the subject. He spent many hours over
this bill and his well directed questions showed
that he was remarkably familiar with many de-
tails Of this city's government Besides thsss
measures he signed Gn 1soD the bin repeating the
Ramauo company's special privileges; he strongly
urged increased school and good roads appropria-
+ions. and he advocated certain changes in ths
constitution OF the Prison and Lunscy eommis-
sions. changes which have worked out we'll
OF course Mr. Odeli's administration was not all
plain sailing Two m assures at the session Of
1902 which was by no means interesting as the
1901 session. called forth much comment and no
little opposition One. which related TO the ques-
ton Of legal delays and the assignment OF Judges
10 districts other than their resulted. after
various vicissitudes. in the appointment OF
commission. headed by Chief Judge Parker, which
Will inquire into the delays in litigation and sug-
gest a remedy, II remedy there be The other
measure related TO the managers OF the State IN
stitutions for the care Of the insane The Gov
ern1r's interest In this bill was intense. and
he felt keen1y the subject. II his bill pre-
pared under his supervision. and representing his
conclusions after a personal inspection OF these
State institutions. What the practical effect OF
this legislation. which sharply opposed in and
out Of the Legislature. will be. remains to be seen
Brief reference should be made TO the Gov
ernOr's q he varo Tha
instances were two vetoes after the Adjournment
OF the 1s0i session. when he declined. mainly at
the request OF the Bar Association OF Nev--York
City to approve the bin creating a standing list
Of referees in New-YOrk County, and when he
vetoed the West Street Bridge Approach bill. Dur
ing the sessions the fatal rolls OF paper tied with
pale blue ribbon. became a familiar sight Bill
after bill was returned vetoed because II was
unnecessary because it was special legislation
on subjects covered by general law. The
messages were pretty generally distributed among
the members OF both houses and none were crti-
cised as being unjust or unreasonable
OF the Governors appointments little need be
said for they have met with almost universal ap-
probation In regard to his action in removing
the sheriffs OF Erie and Kings countes-both ot
his own party-comment Is unnecessary for every
body knows he did right.
But to refer again TO the legislation on the sub
tect of taXauOn. Its Importance is less apparent
20 the taxpayers OF New-York City because Few II
any notice how much OF their taxes goes to ne
State. although the amount IS printed on the tax
bills A very different condition OF things exists
IN the majority OF the remaining counties of the
state. and one OF the strongest arguments which
the Republican party will have this year on stats
issues IS the reduction OF the State tax to almost
nothing IL will. of curse. require a strong hand
to resist the temptation to spend the States
money. now that sources GA taxation have
been discovered. An unprecedented feat has how
ever been accomplished by the Republicans with
the usual result-their opponents do not like il
As was to be expected the charge was promptly
MADE by the Democrats that the whole question OF
taxation and State expenses has been juggIed
with; that the expenses state in 1902 are far
greater than they were under Governor Flower in
nv and that the Republicans are making use OF
the surplus to cut down the state tax and to mis-
lead the public. These are charges which cannot
be sustained. No will accuse The New-York
Evening Post" OF being a Republican sheet. and
yet that paper IN editorial published on July
completely upsets the statements made by the
Democrats. There IS not a Democratic politician
In the State who will dare to so into a country
school district and attack 1Ir. OdeH and the Re-
publican party for increasing the public school
appropriations. Nor would any one seriously at
tempt to find fault with the large appropriations
for good roads. a work which has made wonderful
strides during the last four years under state
Engineer Bond OF course. II the money were
wasted the appropriations would be wrong. but i IS
certain that the farmers In the state learning
that a good road is a good investment and that
the money is anything but wasted in the consrFuc-
The fact remains that under Governor odsll the
this his administrator is entitlSi 10 great deal
OF praise. There is one point in this matter which
York York City II the State tax can De permanently
law, by which New-York CITY as is generally be-
heved. Is mulcted by the State in the equalization
Of New-York City oushi. therefore,. Certainly to
inSorse the efforts to wipe out the State tax co.,