New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-03

intercs, n the subject OF good roads. 1t provided
In substance for the so-called optional county-road
system and agitation FOR the adoption Of Its pro-
visions by boards OF supervisors has gone on in
many counties and Is likely to be more effective,
as supervisors are chosen for two years instead Of
one as formerly. \ radical change cannot be ex.
pecied 20 be effected in short time. but the local
discussion when the roposei adoption Of the coun
ty-road system has called out Will in time
crIi minor defects in the Law relative to the
operation of the money system In towns
tenn shall be adopted. These will be brought to
your attention and should be speedily corrected.
CHANGES IN ELECTION LAWS.
Repeated experience with the recently enacted bal
,ot law has suggested several desirable changes to
promote slmplicit, In voting. The most important
change needed Is one to avoid the multiplicity Of
ballots placed in the hands Of the voter The pres
ent system leads to confusion. mistakes ana annoy
ance. / recommend the adoption of n so-cailed
"blanket' ballot, with the names upon 1t so ar
RANGED and printed that me eie''o' can easily vote
Laws governing the selection Of election inspectors
and resulns their duties neeI strehgtneihs III
the Interest - honest eiottions inese ~ ~
not only weak in some important respects but they
no; uniform throughout the state 50 FAR at least
tho Iropriety ~ law which sh all apply uniformly
throughout The STATE AMI snail II deemed best pro-
vide FOR non-partisan board OF election tspec'ois
IN each election district T.. ,.-
Of requiring personal registration all over the state
~ q means of determining those VINO are entitled
Gently DEMONSTRATED In Il striking way ~ me ~
legged election ovtrases IN the town OF HraVfsend.
OF the number Of legal voters, ana tne charge
WAS that fraudulent votes were 10 be OF we're, ctst
in large numbers by persons assuming the names
falsely oi the REGISTRY This would be . scandaous
cogCii ion If affairs in any community yet there is
ami evidence hat il occasion ,lly prevails. ana 1t
Is always possible under The law az II stahi to-day
guards which the law throws around the determina-
ton ~ voters IN cities should not he etenied to he
voters o. the villages and towns OF the state. the
requirement of personal annual registration as
necessary preliminary To the exercise or suffrage ma
been mos; effective influence in dimn!shnS fraud,
ulen voting IN cities and the people of towns and
villages should longer be excluded from protec-
woa also ssi the Pr9prety Of re9 I S the the
election This would be an acditlOh' precau iIoh
eant frAggent votng suh TeqGreRb s n ne'
proved a wise safeguard. Although expensive. IL
would permit every citizen to inspect the registry
renew the recommended tons contained in my last
annual message the of money in elections.
* defect in what is known as our Corrupt Prac
tces act is that political committees are not re-
and expenditures While the statute compes thi:
duty the part of candidates, it leaves political
committees and agents conceal bOth me
source of their revenues and the purposes of their
eNpeniures Tn, extension Of the provisions, Of ne
the financial transactions Of such commlttees a ma,
ter OF public record as aey shoD a be- ana w1
Of money ~ ndivd1as Such law Is nov IN torGf
should be drawn with rigid provisions which wouii
Another proposed remedy for the evil Of corrup-
ton is such legislation will make proof OF bribery
on the part Of candidates their political agents or
committees sufficient cause for forfeiture Of Office
Great Britain has such law. our laws alrcauy
disfranchise those who arc convicted Of brlbng vol:
this crime BY leaving him in possession Of the office
unless it can be proved that the ribbed votes wniGn
plurality Candidates and committees would hesitate
to e5pdnd m9Rey co1 for ONCE Proper admins
tered such law might be complete check on
T'aese suggestions are again submitted for your
consideration.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
IN endeavor has been mide to carry out the full
spirit and letter OF the Civil Service law during the
year and with good results. As the law stands to-
day however, 1t would seem 10 be Incapable OF en-
forcement. should appointments be made in viola
ton Of it's provisions. TO guird against such fail
ure. | suggest amendments which will o. compel
the Civil Service Commission certify to the State
Controller all appointments made In pursuance OF
law (2) prohibit the Controller from paying salart
to yersas whose appointm mt IS not 50 csrtliisI
opportunity TO compel the Civh Service Commission
mcn 10 ne Controller, in case OF failure or refusal
on the part Of the Commission 20 thus certify These
al,er,s ants would considerably assist the thorough
administration Of the law.
STATE CARE OF THE INSANE
When in 1890 the bill passed establishing the
policy Of STATE care Of the dependent insane. its en-
actrnent came only after a thorough discussion
throughout the State and in the Legislature. On he
one side the humantarians. and on the other
were the men with selfish int rests and those who
believed that s. great an und ar;dhing by the state
tryasant in practice The portrayal of the horrors
OF the county system awaken public sympathy,
however and the humanitarians won. Now, Il Is
safe to say few citizens would wish return to the
One Of the Inevitable results of the new system Of
State care was that the central State board should
be Win 1n DI os o RS 81 ' Sse
Care act Of 1880 was passed, am when each OF the
a t commlttec in iSs2 composed OF senators William
T.. Woodin Charles 4. Fowler am Edmund l.. Pitts,
who investigated the condition Of the insane asy-
lums. reported that should have "a central su,
pervsory luIacy commission IN England. SAID
thirty and forty years. and 1t in that time
wrought many changes and Instituted many valua-
BILE reforms in spite of superintendent and oilcers
Of asyums who at first were jealous OF any inter
ference" And again said this report 1T Is further
suggested that the powers Of such commission
should be broad enough to "na)ie them to look
after not OILY t S be xoavcrs in the mats
Of Cnditure. both in the er zion OF buildings
and niaintenance of institutions. The committee are
earnest H. their recommendation that some new
and ample supervisory board authority be Gre
ICES Rut even before this Controller Ocott. in
1873 after an investigation into asylum management
recommended that Il central board should pass upon
all appropriations and expenditures for asylum pur-
II was newt BILE also that the creatcn Of such a
central heard with broad powers should lead to more
less conflict between It and the local boards OF
ard whose official life in most cases considerably
an tedated that OF the state Commission That con-
flict was quite marked and spirited Immediately
after the adoption of the State Care act. but subs
nu.nf;v subsiled after the courts had upheld the
powers assumed by the commission. IL has arisen
again however, within the ias; two months. and
therc seems to exist to-day anything but cordial
feeling Of cooperation between the State Commits
sion in Lunacy and the local boards Of hospital
managers. ,, - =. 4, +,
the matter Of expenditure Of state money The State
Gar. act Of 1890 had directed that as soon IA all the
Insane In the county poorhOuses had been trans
ferred to the State hospitals the state should there
after assume the whole care and maintenance OF
tbe dcneudrnt insane. previously the State had
hu Inc hospitals. but the counties or individuals
had maid for the maintenance of their insane IN the
hosnitaIs or in county instiutionsD This transfer
s,.s nnallv effected In September last, and on Oc
'nher ne stat formally assumed the undertaking
FOR which 4. had been for years preparing
nm mat date the State owned eight great los
ri,nis costing $40 i26l2 and containing about 5000
tns@ne paticnts The Legislature appropriated Sl,Si3
co for the main tenance Of these 800 patients dur
ine the fiscal year beginning October last. This
a'n7ornf II was thought. would be- sufficient, to-
e"iher with the receipts from private patients and
o.ter sources IL was the first appropriation under
me- state Care act for the maint .nlnre + the de-
-. dent insane Unless the States declared policy
he