The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-20
3l,56O, 769 "a

.$42A7S 30 sI,5So $50 "a
These show that the State has already paid
by the terms OF The contracts. though this eX.
cess amounts to more tnan million OF dollars
no prospect of complet,on' it also snnears that
Of the expenditures OF $1,560, 1863 81. only $42a,
7s5 81. less than one-thlrd, was submitted to =
BY maneuvres OF this character the cost OF pub.
lie works Is run up TO extravagant sums. APP:
to be paid by new appr0 prIations, and the people
are loaded down by taxes
REMEDIAL MEASURES.
Desiring to cooperate WITH you In q reform of
existing abuses and Of the systems which nave
cOnduced to them, submit to your cOnsid Grafton
me ada pied 10 meet the wishes and protect the
interests oil our common constituents.
ENGINEERS ESTIMATES.
Methods oug1t TO be devised TO make the esti.
mates OF the Kinds and quantities OF work, exhip-
to con orm 10 the actual work to be done. On 4
change OF plan or specinca Ions OF contract
and new letting should take place.
BIDDINGs.
the law authorizes the Canal Board to make
regulations as to the blddiugs, aud one OF those
regulations provided for dlscarding bids wnlcn
show bad latin upon their faces. AS the officers
who let the contracts have not enforced this regu-
laton. except in recent case law should DO
passed defining their rights and duties IN this
spect. recommend mat hereafter the bids be
opened and the awards OF contracts be MADE by
the Canal Board. 1t IS a larger body, ana con-
tans the ohcer who is charged with the fiscal
administration OF the state, and also the State
Engineer. 1t was Formerly vested with these
duties, and the cnangc was only made to serve q
temporary party OBJECT.
OFFICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
In the organization Of governmental powers
two conditions seem essential to the well working
oil the machinery o. administration First, wniie
undue concentration OF powers should be avoided,
the concurrent action VI several persons are pre-
served, certain unity OF functOn and OF or
ganizaticn is necessary TO enable the people TO
enforce any real Responsibility.
An ISSUE in regard to the conduct OF public
onicers, or In regard to policy OF administration,
should be submitted TO the p opie VITA the SIM
pllcity OF an issue to a jury to common law. The
million OF voters IN the state cannot resolve them.
selves into a committee OF investigation to aun t
out by long and tedious search the particular
wr0ngdOer. They cannot convert themselves
into a court to 20 through complicated and pro-
tracIcd trial. Amid numerous and changing OBJ
jects oil interest which attract their attention,
they cannot devote themselves to single specific
measure OF ordinary Importance Tor three success
sive years All schemes Oi administration which In.
voIve suca mpractcable demands for the cooper.
alton or such vast numbers oil individuals discard
the IDEA Oi representation in government. They
compel the whole voting mass W conduct the COM
snares invented TO destroy the bower OF the PEG.
pie In their own government TO neutralIze tho
elective principle ana to create Official irrosponsi.
billry.
THE CANAL BOARD.
The members OF The Canal Board. other than
the Canal Commissioners and Leutenant Gov
ein0r, are all CHOSEN at one election. The elective
power OF the people Is e1ectual TO make cnange
OF persons or policy. But tue Canal Commission
Clio arc cicStcu Ouc cdCu ytht, uuL 10 tdhcs inlVc
years to make a complete change. They have
practically ceased TO act as Board. Each one
carries on his administration over his division OF
the canals az II he were totally independent au.
tnority. They make three separate reports. Each
one prepares a separate annual estimate Tor future
expenditures. .hey formerly sat as members OF
= Board OF Canal Commissioners. who Consulted
decided ana acted as one integral body. Their
most important functions were performed as
members OF the Canal Board or IN concert with
the Canal Board, winch embraced the great ON.
GERS OF the state, including its fiscal representa-
fnttNp, WHO ~ unupr ever active III assure TO
make both ends meet IN the financial aBeirs oil
the state. rney we're practically subordinate TO
the fiscal members OF the administrator
SecOndty--It Is fundamental that the spending
officers must be SUBJECT to The influence and con-
troll oil tue officers whose duty Is 10 provide the
ways and means. NO great corporate business,
no private AFFAIRS, could be conducted successfully
on any otner plan. Tue experience o tne state,
under system IN which the oifcers VINO initiate
/ expenditure ana control the Application VI the
pupllc money ana the execution oi public work
nave neen independent ana practically irrcspon-
sIblc mas been fruilui OF Irregularities, eNtrava-
gance, waste ana corruption. There nave been
several futile impeacnments, but no real remedy.
IL does not seem eApcdient 10 walt Tor cnange
which involves an amendments oil the CONSTITUTION,
and viii, therefore, take several years. There arc
measures within the competency VI the Lcglsla-