New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-23
Committee Eager to Show
Dif6cultieS Not Due to
Direct Tax.
INQUIRY MAY SPOIL
PLANS OF DEMOCRATS
Municipal Methods To Be Raked
over for Evidence of Waste
Brown Leads Hunt.

Attacked by city officials last win
-. for adding TO the financial burden
= New York City. the Legislature
nod. and yesterday started an inves-
..-,.ion Of the city's financial methods.
senator Elon L. Brown. of Water
..rr Jefferson County. who. as preSi-
~, rro TEN. Of the Senate, had as
u,eb as any single individual TO do
Nth the direct state tax, which will
"A seventeen points TO the city'S tax
..,s was elected chairman OF the legis-
i,,;ve committee. The organization
vas perfected at a meeting at the Hotel
Lorraine Assemblyman William J.
Meier was named as vice-chairman.
counsel. which will be the most i'm
,o-,an, part Of the committee, has not
been selected
While Senator Brown declared that
,,o investigation would in no sense be
rsrtisan or personal, he acknowledged
Kat one Of the principal reasons for
10 appointment Of the committee was
"a rsfute the charges that the greater
r.rt Of the city'S financial trouble was
5De 10 the direct state tax and manda-
tory measures passed by the Legisla-
ture
While Senator Brown was vague as
n the exact time when public hear
rrs would be started. il is understood
,bst there is no intention of holding
many public sessions much before Sep
tember. Some Republican politicians
say the CRY against the direct state tax
raised by certain fusion officials was
attended TO help in the election Of
= Democratic Legislature this fall.
Thew believe that If there is evidence
that the city's wasteful methods are
responsible for much Of its burden a
good time 10 bring II out would be
Wien the Democrats begin the direct
tax CRY in the fall.
Inquiry Committee Named.
The other Senators on the committee
are {. ". Wicks, of Oneida; George
Cromwell. of Richmond, and Charles c.
lockwood. of Kings, Republicans, and
Robert +. Wagner, of New York, and
thomas +. Cullen. Of Kings, Demo
cats. In addition to Assemblyman
Meier. the Republican Assemblymen on
the committee are Francis K. Stod-
dard. of New York: Nathan d. Shapiro
Of Kings; Walter W. Law. jr., OF West
chester. and H. +. II. Brereton, of War
zen. The only Democratic Assembly
man is Alfred f. Smith, of New York.
Another short meeting Will be held al
the Lorraine this morning. As TO fur
Their meetings Senator Brown said:
we Will take an adjournment TO
furnish an opportunity for counsel and
the members Of the committee who
WI devote themselves 10 the lnveStl-
cation 10 prepare and arrange sub
jects for Investigation. 1t will pro-
coed as rapidly as it can consistently
with the preparation for the hearings
with the view 10 closing the investiga-
ton a. the earliest day practicable"
Discussing the reasons for the ap-
pom.mcut of the committee Senator
Brown said:
NO legislation making a mandatory
charge upon the taxpayers Of the City of
New York was passed by the Leglsla-
ture Of 1915 and majority Of the Re
publcans in the Legislature supported
every measure urged by the present
administration of the city. with a view
Of maintaining and extending the prin-
tiple Of home rule, so far as it could
be maintained and extended consistent
ly with the public interest. This course
did not silence criticism Of legislative
action or the charge openly made that
the bulk of the present tax burden of
the City Of New York was imposed
through the direct state tax and man
datory legislation at Albany instead of
by local authorities. To get at the
substance of this criticism is among
the leading purposes Of the investiga-
ton"
Declaring that while the next tax
levy in this city would include $1.7O
Tor each $1,000 of assessed valuation
because Of the direct state tax, SEN
aior Brown said he was informed that
there would be $40 approximately i'm
posed by the city authorities. lie added
that the committee would inquire with
Particularly" for what part of the
rine-tenths locally imposed or manda-
tory the Legislature was responsible.
The investigation will be in no sense
PARTISAN or personal" he asserted. at
Will be the purpose of the committee
70 inquire with particularly as to
what, # any, changes in the law should
be made more efficiently to safeguard
The taxpayers Of the City of New York
from the future imposition of unneces-
ssry burdens"