New-York tribune., 1876-01-04

the St1tt cltCIlous 'A'N'N -
length upon the necessity for cutting Gown eA-
penses in all possible directions, retreDohihg III
every department OF the Government anu
bringing the cost of carrying on the Govern
ment down to the lowest possible hgures' 80
TINT taxation could be reduced and its necessary
burdens adjusted moro eqmtably. Upon these
nr,mise, Of retrenchment and professions of
reform the people have inIusted them win
the responsibilities of legislation. 1hey pegih
the new year with working majority In DOM
branches of the Legislature; with power 10
cut down expenses where they please, to lop
off sinecures wherever they find them, to re-
trench and economic to any extent that III
their judgment may appear pracucaDie anu
wise. And they have the satisfaction OF know
ing that their efforts in this direction VIII
meet the hearty cooperation OF the Governor
who is committed by his record as well as by
his own professions, to the same policy
They Doed not want to begin their work.
At the very outset of it, in the preliminaries
of the organization. they can find abuses that.
need correction, lavish expenditures that may
and ought tO he cut off, sinccufes that have
no excuse for being and should BIZ abolished
without delay. Find them, indeed They need
not look for them. For some OF these abuses
stand directly in front of them, so naked and
inexcusable as to call aloud Of themselves
for heroic trcatmont for the surgery OF
the knife. Albany to-day is bcsieged by almost
an army of piace-bunters and Olfce-seekcrs.
Every member of the Legislature belonging to
tho dominant party has already been hunted
and coaxcd and worried by these people. who
want to bo clerks, messengers. doorkeepers,
pages, and what not-anything so they get
their names on the pay roll and places where
they have only to support the Constitution and
look pretty. II cost the last Legislature some
thing like a thousand dollars day for per-
sonal attendance, II Is too much to pay.
Morc-take 1t year in and year out, and
considering the bad things done with the good
than the Legislature itself i, worth on an ay-
erage TO the State. 1t is small thing to be-
Gin on, you say to cut down the number of
employees of the Assembly just TO save few
thousand dollars which are hardly felt in taxes.
Yes but 1t il beginning, and above all things
it is the place 90 begin at Prccedcnts which
warrant sinecures, or the employment OF an
unnecessary number of persons to do
the States work. should be di,regarded. The
thing to DO thought of in organizing the LcSis-
lature is not who is entitled to this or tat
place, or how many soft places can be found
for party workers. but simply whit any busi-
ness man would think of in hiring workmca
for him elf in hlrl timos-fow choaply can
this work be done. and who will do it most
faithfully and honestly
The Democratic majority in Congress have
set q good example to be avoided. Coming
into power there, lust rs the Republicans have
in thi. State, upon the most abundant pro
fcSsons of reform anl unlimited prom
iscs Of retrcnchment and economy. they
have shown the country vii scramble
for place and not the slightest dis
position TO make any change except to turn
out honest and faithful Republicans for tho
sole purpose Of giving their places t. hungry
Democrats. The county has looked on the
spectacle with disgust. The party has been
injured by it more than it can compute. The
Republican majority at Albany has I'M Oppor-
tunity to exhibit u contrast in this respect.
Small beginning or not it is one the voting
people can see and understand; possibly
they will appreciate it moro thai sOmo
greater reform by which moro mon might
be saved. And it would not only BE- 'aying
III n pecunlarJ scnSc; u "ouiu oc 80 E'ih
10 political morality if the crowd o. ,olliicll
bummcrs should b. driyon ont Of tho capital,
where their influence and example are only
bad, to honest occupations where they can
earn an honest living. Let The l. ;iSlnture
establish the rule and the precedent at the
very out .ct, that men who work for tlS state
must earn their money, and that tho state
will pay no nan for idlcnrss, and an im?or-
tant reform il nccompli ,hud already.