New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-25
MAYOR OUTLINES DEBTS1AYING PAYASYOUGO PLAN

saddled upon us a direct tax OF about
$4,000 900. We have about half the pop
ulation of the state and only small mi
nority representation in the Legislature;
and we are apparently helpless when Al
bany orders statewide tax, to be ap-
piled mostly to upstate uses, and we must
pay 70 per cent Of it.
In a recent public statement l have
gone carefully into the detailed purposes
of the direct tax, showing that many items
were extravagant or unnecessary, and
that all the money legitimately required
for such purpose as continuing canal
work could be provided by other means.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR INCREASED
BUDGET WILL REST ON
STATE TAX.
If our budget is increased next year 1t
will be directly on account OF the state
tax. If the tax rate rises above 81 1t Will
not be our fault.
What can we do in this case? Pile the
extra burden on real estate, thus causing
an increase in rents? l think real estate
has been burdened enough already. Shall
we then economic by reducing the ser
vice which the government renders to the
people of the city? Take the service in
education, health, street cleaning, FIRE, po-
lice. Suppose we quit all public recreation,
drop the infant milk stations, cease medi-
cal supervision of school children, cut
down police and fire protection. Apart
from such facts as that child hygiene and
the milk stations caused decrease in in
FAINT deaths between 1909 and last year
from 100 thousand births to only 9S
thousand-forget such salient facts if you
can-we must still remember that many
of our protective activities are like chain,
only as strong as the weakest link. To
drop a few features in such work as
health protection, for example, may mean
not only specific damage but the crash
of the entire structure. There lies a seri-
Gus peril Moreover, the economies
realized would be trihing compared with
the burden to be lifted.
Another way out is to find new sources
of revenue through new taxation. l am
most interested in this solution OF our
problem A committee, OF which Alfred
E. Marling, Professor Seligman and Pres
ident Purdy are members, has been study
ing this question and has sought light on
it throughout the country and has made
some preliminary suggestions to the
Board of Estimate. We will soon let the
people know the details of these sugges-
tons. and will ask them to advise us in
regard to them.
FREEDOM FROM UPSTATE OVER
LORDSHIP
think our best hope and biggest need
at the present time-although all citizens
should ask their legislative representa-
tives to avoid the direct tax-is to gain
home rule for New York City from the
Constitutional Convention now sitting.
If we can once acquire our proper and
legitimate freedom as great municipality
we will solve all our problems and have
no fear for the future. We want chance
to run our own household without inter
ference by Albany. Home rule would
abolish the upstate overlordship. 1t
would not only protect our pockets from
tribute takers, but do away with good
deal of political corruption and govern
mental confusion and waste, and would
permit our rightful progress in every di-
rection.
Let no one think we want more for
New York than she is properly entitled to,
nor more than other grown-up cities in
the United States have We would like
as much home rule as the cities of Ohio
had conferred on them by the constitu-
ton of 1912 We ask freedom not only
for ourselves but for all the other cities
of this state. 1t is a shocking fact that most
of the States of the Union have grant
ed more home rule to their cities than
the State of New York has allowed to its
cities, including this the greatest of all
IL ~ ~