New-York tribune., 1901-01-03

of the permanent guests of their houses This
renders it still possible to colonize and cast
fraudulent vote. / would suggest an amend
ment TO the Excise law by which the Excise
Commissioner may at all times throughout the
year call upon the hotels under his jurisdiction
for such list of permanent guests as are then
domiced, and that he may be empowered 70
make such additional regulations as Will at all
times place MIN IN possession or such lhlorhla-
tion as he may be called upon to furnish by the
Superintendent of Election others.
PUBLIC WORKS.
Your attention is directed to the report of the
Superintendent of Public Works for detailed
statement of the operations of this Depart
ment. The expenditures this year were H39aui-
925, as against SS6i Jas III for the year 1893.
This increase was due to the Eight Hour law,
which largely increased the payrolis, eSpecliiy
for lock and bridge tending.
The repairs of the canals and structure for
the current year include the grading of l30
miles of towing path of which lightweight miles
were raised and gravelled; also, the repairing
and building of a large number of structures,
namely, waste weirS, culvertS, vertical and slope
walls. bridge abutments. aqueducts, DAMS etc.
A large number of special appropriations are
made annually and the work hereunder is in
most cases required to be performed under the
direction OF the Superintendent of Public WORKS
Under these special acts by the Legislature the
amount of S211.32 IS was appropriated, and the
cost of the completed work was S1o9.5lt %, eX-
elusive of the cost of engineering. Three con-
tracts under special appropriations were COM
menced and completed to date in 1900, the ap-
preparations for which were Slo.996 l3 and their
cost S9916 IS Twenty-eight contracts have
been awarded this year, under which work is
proceeding, but not completed. The apprOpria-
tions for these amounted to 03.426 81 The
contracts were awarded for S3SO,529 IL. From
these figures it would seem that this Depart
ment has been managed in businesslike man
ner, and that no undue extravaganza has been
permitted.
The tonnage of the canal for 1899 was 1886
0J1. For 1900 to october i 1t was 2.S6S,oZo
tons. and the estimated tonnage for 1900 is
3.349.4 461 TONS showing falling off for the sea-
son of 336,590 tons. 1t is supposed that this is
due in part to the fact that the Lake traffic did
no Of which
unusually late. The Superintendent believes
that large part of the canals tonnage may De
reclaimed by the repeal of so much or Chapter
035. Laws of 1896 as prevents the formation OF
canal transportation companies with more than
$4,000 capital 1 recommend that such action
be taken by the Legislature.
STATE PRISONS.
The number of prisoners confined in the vari-
Gus prisons during the last year averages 3,3lb
The expenditure for maintenance during the
fiscal wear was S46O5 52S O2. A somewhat larger
appropriation for and maintenance will be
required for the coming year, for the reason
that the Eastern New-York Reformatory at
NapanOch will come under the charge Of this
Department. II has been found that approx
mately 1,600 prisoners have been engaged in
productive industries. Al 1rsI sIaeoe tuas .ts
prisoners idle. Such was not the case.
however. The others have been employed, but
not upon productive industry. If the State and
it's political divisions would make greater de-
mands for manufactured product, more prisoners
could be employed on such work, and their laoOr
would contribute in a larger measure to their
support. The Superintendent reports the Struct-
ures at Sing Sing and Auburn as unsanltary'
and in such condition TO prevent the ap-
pcatiOn of a comprehensive scheme of grada-
tion and classification of the prisoners and the
attainment of refOrmatory results that might
be obtained IL proper buildings were provided.
II is hoped that from time TO time the work of
the prisoners in the production OF the necessary
materials for new buildings. we'll as in the
construction of the buildings themselves, may
permit their enlargement and the betterment OF
the sanitary conditions OF the prisons without
great expense TO the state.
II is gratifying to note that most Of the prison
labor is now fully employed upon industries not
interdicted by the various laws for the prOtec-
tion of free labor which have been enacted dur
ing the last ten years. The Bertlllon system
der the present Superintendent not only renders
II much easier 10 detect and identify criminal
who has previously served a term OF imprison-
ment. but IT also makes possible the enlarge
ment 10 a greater degree OF the scope or the
law which was passed last year perflIIIlns Iii
Judges 20 fix indetermlnate sentences Wniie
the application of this law rests entirely within
the discretion of the Court, It's scope snouId pe
so broadened as to be made mandatory In the
case Of conviction for a first offence Tor all
crimes except those against the person. This
would enable the Prison Department carefully
TO watch and hold out inducements to those who
had taken their first step In crime, and when IN
their iudrrnent the prisoner had shown sufficient
signs of reformation. liberty could be grant
ed. This could be done without any serious
menace 20 socety at large and would relieve
the congestion which now seems to render neces-
sary the erection Of more prisons in the near
future
MUNICIPALITIES.
The influence Of good government in munich
palities Is OF such character as TO afect the
people of the State. and therefore its consldeIa-
tion by the highest lawmalxing power under
our constitution is proper and necessary. we
may expect to find that whenever extravaganza
exists as TO local government II VIII nave a
similar bearing upon the action OF the repre-
sentatives from such a centre on the expenses
OF the Commonwealth. While IL is true that such
remedies as are permitted under system OF
government be used by the voters them
selves TO correct and rebuke, yet IL is at the
same time your province to assist In restrain
ing and correcting evils which. though local.
may by their bearing upon other sections be-
come the evil Of the whole state.
The Legislature Of llUo authorized the ap-
pointmenI of commission to redraft the char
ter of the city of New-York, and also author
lied the appointment of a commission 10 in
vestigate and report on the tenement houses
of the greater cities of the State. Both OF these
commissions were appointed by my predecessor
and both will submit reports TO this Legis-
lature. Matters of such grave Importance, af-
fectng the great municipalities. should be care
fully considered and such recommendations as
may appear feasible in the direction of better
city administration should receive favorable
action. These two commissions have had under
consideration two very important subjects. One
has to do with the government, the other In
effect with the morals health and physical we'll
being of vast number of citizens
While the revision of the charter has for its
object an Improvement in NewYorS City gov
eminent. yet it has not fully met all eNpecta-
tiOns, particularly to expenditures and the
outstanding of the resources of the city Every
department of New-YOri needs corrective legis-
lation. Especially is this true of those depart
ments whose administration is confined to
county lines. In this direction / desire To call
your attention TO the fact that many of the
public officers in that city are receiving larger
remuneration for their services than that which
is given to the President of the United States.
Your attention is called TO q few instances of
this character The Sheriff OF the county OF
New-YorlS receives ala annual salary of $4,000.
and one-haf of the fees, which are said to