New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-06
TAX BILLS PASS ASSEMBLY
HELD TO CAUCUS PLEDGE.
Nezc-York Protests Did Not Dis
turb the Rural Members.
ter rnLraaApH 10 THE rnIsrvE.I ]

Win Republican protest the assembly passed
the two tax bills. one fixing tax OF 50 on every
transfer Of one hundred shares OF stock and the
other hve mill tax on all new mortgages. by
party votes OF 81 to a.. and o. to 81 seldom
IN the history OF the legislature has the power
OF party caucus been so strongly shown, and 81
all the Republican assembIyrnen from New-York
City and Brooklyn. only Assernblyman Hartman
Of the 18th New-York District lifted his voice
in anything like emphatic protest against the
bills. and then backed ii bv HIS vote. his action
being greeted with derisive jeers that nearly
drowned his voice.
Hartman and Cotton. Of Brooklyn. the
only Republicans that voted against the stock
tax and Pendry. Of Brooklyn. and MoreIand %
Chemung, Joined them IN voting against the
mortgage tax
Il came here to represent ny constituents
They wanted me 70 vote against this Mortgage
Tax BILL which lays an additional burden on the
poor and the thrifty pleaded Hartman. II
have laid awake nights thinking or what I
ought to do. but have decided to vote against
the bills and represent my constituents" Then.
amid derisfve hoOtings and catcaHs. he sat down.
only the Democrats a2pIaUding this revolt from
party caucus
"The Republican party has gone on a tax Jag
declared Assemblyman Pendry. Of Brooklyn
who stood out against the caucus rule on the
mortgage tax proposition.
The fight on these bills will long be remeu-
be-ed in legislative annals From N O'Clock
until the debate continued. and at its close
the Assembly Chamber doors were closed The
merpbers not permitted to leave the cham
ber. ard absent members were brought back.
so that of the 149 members but three were not
recorded. The Democratic opposition. save on
| the part Of Tompkins and Salomon. OF New
/ York. and Fuller. OF Brooklyn. was based on
/ party lines These Democrats discussed in de-
| tail the effect OF the bill and even their party
/ opponents listened with attention to their pre-
/ dictions. But ii from the Nev-York Coun-
/ ty Republicans together with Assemblyman
/ Wainwright. OF Westchester. that the strong
est protest came. Fresh from a talk with the
Governor. mention of which Is made in another
| column. these members stood up in
turn and told Of the effect the bills would have
on the Republican party OF New-Yorz City and
upon themselves. Assemtlyman Prentice
| summed up this position. Il have opposed these
/ bills" said he passionateIy. II went into the
| caucus and fought them there. believe they
are wrong in principle and that they viii do
great harm to the Republican party in New
York. 1t is easy for you men upstate to vote
for these bills; they are rot hurting your dis
tricts II they were hurting you half as much.
YOU would stand here protesting with me. You
are driving the Republicans OF New-Yor< City
from the party: you are destroying the chance
| I believe we had Of electing a Republican
/ Mayor you are doing Republicans OF New
York City a harm they will not soon recover
from believe these bills are wrong and that
they are unjust" Then Mr. Prentice voted for
the bills.
Il protest against these bills said Mr.. Agnew
lust before he voted for both Of them, they are
unwise and as detrimental to our party as bills
we'll could be. The stock tax will soon be a dead
letter and the mortgage tax viii bear heavily
upon the poor borrowers
I vote aye said Assemblyman Wainwright
OF Westchester in the same funereal tones.
with the firm conviction that they will be re-
pealed at the next session
Il have heard from $500 OF my constituents"
explained Assemblyman Stanley, pointing 70 q
pile of postal cards on his desk II am voting
for these bills against their expressed wishes
THE legislators of Pennsylvania or Messa-
chusetts representing the interests OF Boston
and Philadelphia are the ones that ought TO pass
such a bill against New-YOrk state; we are
legisating against our own interests" declared
AssembIyman Fuller. Democrat. of BROOKLYN
"Of all outrageous tax bills these are the worst
Let US nest provide a stamp tax for shoe
shines to be gently but firmly affixed to the
soles of shoes suggested SalOn1on, Democrat.
Of New-York
.Tbe fruit Of this stock tax should be rotten
/
| of New-York There is no use in saying the
bill can be carried to It's extremity; it can't
The bucketshop will still survive II will place
a check on industrial enterprise; il will drive
wealth out Of the State; it viii send business
from Wall Street 70 other states; it will put the
room trader out of business
These bills deal serious blow at business
interests in New-YOrk.' said Assemblyman
| wainwright THE Republicans went into that
caucus with mistaken sense Of party fealty.
and now they are bound TO vote for these bills.
Irp-State Republicans have not been trapped
this way; they stayed out OF canal caucuses-
Inst whs1 we have been winning Republican
victories and the prop for eleeting Republican
NIavor in New-York you deal our hopes this
death blow Then he voted for the bills.
The heavy artillery OF the upstate Republican
party was unlimbered. and on Rogers. Wade and
| Hooker fell the burden OF the argument for ths
| bills ON Mr.. Hooker as the champion Of mort
case taxation the burden OF the task fell He
| contenaed that the borrower would not pay the
| mortgage tax. declared that the burden OF taxa
tion upon real estate had been greatly increased
| nv exemptions Of personal property and estt-
| mated that under the new law the real estate in
New York city would save S2OOOOOOO annually
| after Ave years. and that rents would be re-
| duced. He declared that the cry that New York
city would remain Democratic was the familiar
song once raised against the Raines liquor law.
Assemblyman Wade defending tho same bin.
| declared that its purpose was 70 reach class OF
! DroDertv which in many localities escaped tax
| alton. declaring that he believed that a small
annual tax would pOpuIarize this class of secur-
| itv and beueht both lender and borrower
Human ingenuity Is too fraH TO suggest a
-. - tovotiou that will not rouse ODuo-fffOu's