The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-27
MURPHY ON THE TAXING GAME
ALBANY As USUAL GIVING NEW
YORK CITY THE WORST or 1T.


Gov. Higgins seems 70 the TAmmany
Leader 60 he In as Had q Way with Ills
Promises OF RetFenehment ~ With Ills
savings Bank Tax Repeal Promlie.
This State administration, said Charles
F Murphy yesterday, lis faithfully follow
ing out the recognized Republican policy
Of always giving New York city the worst
Of IL, Tho Savings Bank Tax law the Mort
gage Tax bill. the Insurance Policy Tax law
and the Stock Sales Tax bill are all examples
OF this policy Of making Democratic New
York city suffer for the benefit Of rural
Republican constituencies. In every one
Of these the proportion Of tax that falls
upon the people and business Of this city
is unequal, unjust and burdensome. With
out exception they impose hamperinR dis
ordinations upon this centre Of business
The savings bank tax affects the deposits
Of the thrifty poor. The people Of this city
own about rs per cent, Of the savings bank
deposits in this State and we therefore pay
about IS per cent.of the tax. This is about
the proportion OF all so-called indirect
taxes that our people here pay, though in
the case Of the stock tax the proportion
l. even larger, as the business affected Is
more largely centred here than any other.
Candidate Higgins promised the repeal
a. the Savings Bank Tax law and the Re-
publican State platform held out the same
expectation. Now. we are told that this
cannot be done, and we find that the Legis-
ature is seeking new sources OF revenue.
Instead Of economy and retrenohment
a. promised the administration Of Gov.
Higgins and Odell's Nixon Raines- Malby
triumvirate goes further in taxing our
city interests with reckless disregard Of
the economic effect OF the eHactons
Every holder Of a policy recognizes
that this new insurance tax interferes with
contracts already made reduces the cal
culated return on life policy and impairs
the security OF all policies. The proportion
of policyholders is, OF course, greater
here than in the rest Of the State.
The Mortgage Tax bill simply proposes
a TAX on new buildings when erected by
those who need to borrow money for the
purpose. II seems well calculated to dis
courage enterprise in our rapidly growing
suburbs Of The Bronx, Brooklyn Richmond
and Queens.
The general economic effect Of this Re-
publican policy Is as bad as the specific
results we complain OF in this city. Ex-
travaganoe Is encouraged when taxpayers
do not feel the burden Of recklessly in
creased expenditures. Our State admin
istrations under Odel and Higgins need
no such encouragement. IL we had an
economical State Government, its expenses
could be easily and equitably pSOvided for
by trifiing direct tax falling evenly on the
whols State and the business and people
Of tbs city need not be uniuStly discrimi-
1sted against.
Gov Odell's record Of extravaganos,
reoklessness and corruption was so bad
that Candidate Higgins made q point
Of pledging retrenohment, efficiency and
economy on the stump. This seems 10 be !
like his promise about the savings bank
tax. Not only IL there 70 be no reduction
in expenditures, but the desperate search
OF sources for revenue (sven a bank check |
stamp tax - disoussed) would indicate
that deficiency In the finances ofthe State
has been concealed and must be made |
good II would be well. in my opinion. 20 /
revive the WAtohw0rd Of Judge Herriok's |
campaign Open the boohs.''