New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-02

Continued from first page.

TAX vas S3Ol,6IO on deposits and surplus or StO,-
oOOOOO The Connecticut law imposes a tax
amounting TO one-fourth of per cent on de-
posts. exclusive of surplus and certain invest
ments. AS l have stated, the rate eXacted by
New-York amounts TO only one-fourteenth Of
/ per cent upon the total deposits We have
taken nothing from the depositors at all, because
the tax is levied, not upon the deposits, but
upon the surplus in which, I have shown
they Go not participate in the slightest degree,
except as such surplus is a guarantee against
loss through depreciation of assets. give these
examples to show that We are not taxing the
depositors.
The Democratic party promises to repeal these
various revenue laws, which would mean that
you are TO have again placed upon the city OF
New-York direct taxes Of over $6,OO0,OOO. With
the improvement of the canal, TO which both
parties stand pledged, and with the repeal of
these laws instead of the city of Newly ork
being called upon to pay less than SJO0,OOO of
State taxes, as II does now IL would be called
upon to pay over S10.O00,000 a year for the sup
port of the State. The Republican party believes
that in imposing this small tax upon the savings
banks, which is not a burden upon the poor
man or the savings institutions, and in other
directions, that the people OF this state Will De
more generally benefited than by the repeal or
these revenue laws which would bring back the
conditions which existed during Governor HllIs
administration, when they were much more
onerous even than under Governor Flowers ad-
ministration, in 1898.
TENEMENT HOUSE LEGISLATION
There is another subject which interests the
people of New-York particularly in the CITY OF
Brooklyn. Under the administration or Gov
ernor Roosevelt, and in response to the demands
OF those interested in the welfare of the great
population in this great city who are Obliged
to have their homes in what is known as the
tenement house district. laws were enacted fol-
lowing the result of Investigations. designed to
give the workingnen and all those who ma de
their homes in the tenement houses greater Sc
curty and protection of their health and of
their lives; and what are known as the Tene-
ment House Commission laws were enacted at
the session of 1901 and were amended in l9OZ-
The conditions which existed in the boroughS
of Manhattan and The Bronx which these laws
same in this city of homes, in the Borough of
Brooklyn; and ii may be that inJustices nave
been W. rked upon the people who are interested
IN sucn property in your city because OF tne aL-
plicatiOn of laws which were intended for local.
ties where property was more expensive and
where greater returns were necessary IN order TO
pay fair rate of interest upon the investment.
If such conditions exist. and If the health and
welfare Of the citizens of Brooklyn can be con-
served without too stringent application of the
laws enacted, there can be no possible objection
to such amendments as will encourage the
building up of this borough, provided, 1 say.
il can be done without jeopardizlng the health
or the lives OF the citizens of Brooklyn.
Without entering into the details of the SLAM
ders connected with the Democratic camp align
so far they refer to the administration of the
charitable institutions of the State, but for me
purpose or presenting a fair statement OF the
laws which have been enacted, superseding laws
in existence prior TO the recent lunacY ana
charitable legislation, shall give you some or
the results produced. both under the operation
OF the old law and since the enactment OF the
new one The charitable institutions of the
State you will understand were separate and
distinct from the institutions for the insane. as
they are to-day The State Commission in Lun-
acy was created upon the recommendation OF
Governor Flower. and followed the taking over
from the municipalities and the various counties
throughout the State of the care OF the in
sane, placing them entirely under the dlrec-
ton OF the State. Under the laws prior to lSVl
the Lunacy Commission was charged with the
enforcement Of laws which it found itself
at times powerless to do. The superintend-
ents and stewards of these institutions were
selected by the various boards Of managers. A
a
felt themselves to be the appointees of the au-
thority which had placed them in office. rather
than Of the commission which was created lot
the purpose OF supervising these institutions.
An equally natural result was that during the
administration OF Governor Cleveland. down 70
and including that OF Governor Flower' therS
were constant complaints of extravaganza ana
lack Of discipline which led those Governors
at various times 70 suggest changes. But II re-
manned for that sturdy Democrat Governor
Flower, TO carry them into effect through the
enactment OF what is known as the State Care
ana control over the insane of the state did not
occur until the administration of Governor MOT
ton Boards of mana gers were created. and. IN
the great majority OF cases, so tar as posslols
TO- them TO do so. they gave 10 the discharge OF
their duties faithful attention. But IL was I'M
possible for them TO give the same attention that
naid oA1ciaIs of the State would whose whole
time was devoted to this service. and so long as
the slperintendents of these institutions were
subject onIv to the board of managers unfortu-
nate conditions resulted which could not have
existed if they were under central control
DIRECT CONTROL BY LUNACY COMMITS
SION.
This led TO the suggestion that the system
should be changed and that the superlntehoehIS
ana stewards should be placed under direct con-
troll of the Commission in Lunacy. and that the
duties Of the board of managers should ne con-
fined TO visiting and inspecting tnelr respeco,vS
institutions and reporting 10 the executive ana
the Commission IN Lunacy the conditions rouho
With the object OF more speedily bringing ABOUT
improvements wherever they are required. TOO
Lxe1 these
mere local monuments. and extravaganza or the
neutrality-suspicious. character existed. While laws
were enacted which placed the per capita cost
OF construction at low figure, yet the elaborate
and ornate administration buildings aoueu
greatly TO the expense and extravaganza whlch
prevailed II was suggested by me that the SUI
perintendents and stewards should be placed d.
rectly under the Lunacy Commission, and that
they should be held responsible to that body
II nav be Of interest TO state here that the Com
nlFsion in Lunacy against which so much critl-
cisTn has been aimed. is absolutely non-partlsan
in its character. II is made up Of a Democrat
OF Independent and a Republican. and that
they are faithfully performing their duty. and
that they have brought about important re-
forms. is the universal testimony that have
received from those in a position to know what
is being done. am also informed upon equal
authority that there has never been so little OF
unrest or more perfect and efficient administra
ton than that existing to-day. The board of
macagers or rather. the board of visitors who
have been substituted under the law. are
made up largely of the members of the old
boards. and they possess all the powers Of the
old boards except the appointment Of those two
officials.
These new boards wer- appointed by me, and
are absolutely non-partisan and -sectarian
and they are giving to the discharge of their
duties both intelligence and earnest effort. To
sum up the situation, the change IN the law has
brought more direct responsibility TO the Lunacy
Commission for the proper administration of
that department The superintendent and
stewards who are accountable to them, are
protected by the Civil Service. and it is i'm
POSSIBLE to remove them except on charges
fully sustained and substantiated. So, as I say,
with these exceptions the law remains it
was before, but there comes to the executive