HOW TO DO IT.

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less, this was the proposition which was brought forwardagain under the most specious disguise, in the legislatureof 1891, under the name of the'Linson bill.

This bill, which seemed to have a fair chance of passingas a mere reenactment in that legislature, was the sameas the existing tax law, with the one exception that theparagraph allowing the deduction from the assessmenton personal property of all just debts owing by the persontaxed was to be stricken out by a slight amendment.What the effect of this would be is shown by the follow-ing example: The merchant having $100,000 in capital,and a stock of goods worth $500,000, would be assessedupon $600,000. Now, the rate of taxation in New York City for last year was $1.90: accordingly the amountwhich the merchant would have to pay would be equalto 9.40 per cent, upon his capital; in Albany, with a taxrate of $1.74, it would be 10.44 > in Rochester, 12.00; and

“ The undersigned respectfully request their representatives to vote fora law in accordance with the following principles : (1) This county shouldbear its fair burden of the taxes, and should collect them whichever way itthinks best. (2) Stocks of merchandise, money owing or used in business,should not be taxed, because honesty and trade should be encouraged. (3)The consumers pay the taxes, and every one should know how much he hasto pay and what he pays for. (4) Taxes should be mostly on real estate,because these taxes cannot be dodged and are least hard on the industrious.”

This was circulated in a way believed to be new—it was presented toevery shopkeeper on both sides of Third Avenue, from Forty-second toForty-seventh Street; of Sixth Avenue, from Thirty-third to Forty-secondStreet ; and in Broadway, from Twenty-fifth to Thirty-second Street.About ten per cent, would express no opinion, but of the remainder not twodozen declined to sign it.