New-York tribune., 1886-01-06

the Eoard OF Regents. It's corporate deceptive
and without
public Interests thereby saving TO the State the annual
anomaly of two.headcd educational system and the
confusion OF divided anl sometimes conflicting sujer-
intendence IN the same public schools
laturo wisely established a Department OF Public Iu'
sruction, united In It's superintendent ample power and
an undivided responsibility, and invested his office Will
all the organization and machinery necessary for an ell
cent supervision and administration Of the school sys
| ten OF the State.
recommend that the Board OF Regents DO abolished
that its powers and duties relating to the schools be
transferred to the Department OF Public Instruction and
FOR DO transferred TO other appropriate departments au
Offices already established and maintained by the State
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.
For many years public sentiment seemed to favor the
creation OF state boards commissions for The tansac
iion OF many branches OF tie pubc business OF the
state snch boards consisted OF divers numbers OF per-
sons from three to fifteen, ana upward.
In 1867 the Legislature created body called the
Board OF State Commissioners OF Public Charities,
consisting OF eight persons one residing In each judicial
district SUCH Board vested, among other things
with general power 10 inquire into the charitable ins,Itu
% ,o & Gi ,ho & o.e' t oei % % @ ~ aaa ,nnny rennrt o
the Legislature the result OF their Investigations, with
such recommendations they may deem proper. Their
could be exercised by some one OF the Commission,
crS." In 1873 the Legislature changed tne name Of
tHis Boar that o Tho state Board OF Charities
and increaaed its members by adding ono from the
| county Df Kings aud from New York, ana at tho
same time crested an officer to be called The Slate
Commissioner Ia Lunacy, WHO slonld he x-ollclo a
annual saiary OF $1,000 and travelling expenses who
Board of Charities The expenses of ts de-
parment have steadily increased and they now amount
and expenses OF the Commissioner in Lunacy. =,
1t is submitted tnat the best interests OF the state VIII
he subserved ~ the abolition Of this entire Board TN
cludng the Commissioners Lnnacy and the creation OF
single headed deplrrInent and an Official to be knOw
with Substantially all tue duties now exercsci by such
board, well those performed by the Commissioner
A board consisting of eleven persons aside from
It's ex.onicio bers scattered in various parIS
meets is a cumbersome and unwieldy body. It
cannot perform its duties efficiently or satisfactorily
single responsible head. Its functions cannot DC
discharged economically or expeditously as when III
| the hands OF one controlling executive officer;
The proposed change is directly in line with the e1
pressed sentiments of the people upon similar matters
tion Of the Canal Commissioners and the Board
OF State Prison inspectors, and the substitution IN tner
State Prisons and the superintendent OF Public W0rk
who have sole eharse and re. Gi as ns hee1
acceptable to the people and beneficial IN every respect
the legislature in is7o speaking Of this change
The administration OF the af irs OF the canal anu OF
single officials and responsible heads exhibits the most
satisfactory results No reformation In state anairs
and finance ever more thorough and complete.
This is appropriate tune for tno adoption OF new
system. The expenses OF our charitable si,,n'ions @
these institutions need the constant watchin care OF an
enegetc official whose time and talents can pe
wholly devoted TO the State.
| STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
| In 1880 the Legislature created state Board OF
Health and conferred 1t certain powers and duties
which principally advisory rather than executive
administrative. Since then additional powers have
been conferred particularly the enforcement OF the laws
| TO prevent the aduteration Of food and drugs The
| Board consists OF ten members, namely: three
Health Commissioners, appointed oy the noVernor
Sesith. I1ssG three e1'oico members-the Attorney
General. the Director Of the state survey ana the
elected 10y the Board. The members receive no com
pensaton except travelling EXPENSE but the secretary
by principal executive officer OF the Board aud
has an oiico staf OF six or moie employees
The OF the Boarl seems incongruous and
peculiar II is difficult to discover any adequate reason
why the Director OF the state Survey should lie per
manent member or why the representatives OF local
boards OF health IN three cities should bo selected 10
the whole state, or from all the cities sfthe state
The expenses OF this bureau have rapidly increased
and the entire appropriations available Tor It's malnte-
and for the present fiscal year amount to
When this board was frat contemplated in 1877.
Governor Robinson, In reluctantly suggesting H. sld
am assured that IL Is not intended that any expense
shall be Incurred By tho beyond moderate salary
for the secretary OF the proposed board
powers as the State Board OF Health, and greater
ia not disputed. but ID believed that such powers can
ferred upon single indvidnl rather than upon board
o ten persons who only meet at o9g % asS M
any great emergency believe that the Board OF
single responsible Official, TO be known ns the Health
Coninssioner'' OF the state. who would not bc
secretary statistcan but one compeent 10 assume
sole general charge OF the preservation Of the public
health and give personal direction 10 "hIi'
This official should be potential aud
responsible in his department. as the other oe"', IA
state are in theirs a., , 49,,
for the abolition of and that OF the Board Of
Charities Is not utenied as any reflection upon lhdl
which they have dscharsed their duties hut tho OWLS
to be rcmeied are Inherent ~ the system t-e
,pit,c I hell HlO
have indicated
The Office OF State Engineer ana Surveyor IL ono
created by the Constitution ITSELF The evident theory
OF the establishment of this Office was 10 create de-
parment having complete jurisdiction over all eng neer
ing surveying subjects in which the state Is con-
cerned The practice incOnsderstely adopted by the
Jeeislature a few years ago OF establishing In
denendent commissions bureaus To conduct sur
yeys for the state seems preludicla TO the dignity OF
MS Office aud detrimental to simple aud
eiIc,ent administration OF this branch Of tho public
service clear that the state mas not Tor some
years past derived the full benefit for which this depart
ment of the state Government was created, ia conse
quence OF the invasion OF the province designed ior II
Under the Constitution aud the statutes oy the sundry
commissions and bureaus whicn, IT is believed. nave
been un wlsey formed by the action OF the Leslaure
Within the last years more than $33O0OO has been
expended under the supervision OF such Independent
bureaus and commissions Tor WORK OF an engineering
characttr a very considerable part OF which was paid
ON account supervision such as ne Stae
snryeys nmg' Of the State. About 100000 of thl.
sum was appropriated for the Improvement OF
surreys anc works of drainage to be DONE
dricrnned or supervised by the Board OF Health or by
named for the purpose The interest OF
the Btato obviously requires that WORK OF TINS nature
should have competent engineering supervision, ana
that IL should be given by the responsible head or the
state Engineering Department The remaining SZ3Oooo
ha. been expended nearly equal proportions upon tho
state survey and the Adirondack survey II these sur
yeys are 10 be continued upon the proprety OF which
do not express any opinion they should be cGnti
mad under the general jurisdiction o the state Engineer
and Surveyors Office, and not otherwise IL necessary
they can conducted under bureaus to be established
In that department, and the State Engineer and
Suryevor eau bo authorized to continue or employ
the requisite experts and professional skill os
senkal for tho proper performance OF 5uch
worry There should even In that event De
somc limit prescribe for the expense proposed to be In
cuTred ami some time fixed for the completion OF the
und, rtakiDg These surveys IN tho absence OF appro
nratlons being practically deunct the acts ere