The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-09-29
Governor of New York State
Denies All Charges.
SAYS CUN1EEN HAS BEEN UNFAIR.
Statements False, Says OdeIl-GrOwth
In Expenditures of state, Taken
Item - item, Can He Easily
accounted For.

nave IHdu AllOllltA 'itlltlul Nul-
mems remarkable statement in the
press Divested of its generalities it
makes the following charges: That
public funds have been diverted in an
unconstitutional manner to the beet
sugar industry of the state; that the
board of canal commissioners, con-
sisting of the lieutenant governor, the
comptroller, the state treasurer, the
secretary of state the state engineer
and surveyor, the attorney general, all
elective officers who act with the SUI
perintendent of public works, the only
officer appointed by the governor. had
made an award of $1S.GlS in excess
of that which he claimed to be proper;
that in the appointment of the board of
appraisers, provided for by legislation
of the last legislature had fixed the
salary contrary to statute. That he
claimed was an indication that the
$101 100000 appropriated would not
be sufficient to pay the place holders.
because the salary of those employed
in this and expert engineering work
now was S60S3.3G a month, although
no contract for the work has yet been
allowed.
THE attorney general began his
statement by dsclaiming responsibility
for the authorship Of that remarka-
BILE document known as the Demo
cratic state platform. OF this | am
glad. because | do not believe that he
has the slightest conception as to its
truths. so far as it reflects upon my
personal or official endeavorS. If 9th
ers, however who mask behind it will
be equally as specific in their charges
as to my official conduct | shall be as
ready and glad to meet them as | am
to meet the specific allegations of Mr..
Cunneen. The statement of the at
torney general as to the beet sugar in
dustry is ingenious in so far as it
would create the impression that it
was the product of one of the legisla-
lures which had served with me dur
Ing my four years of administration.
THE contrary, however, is the ease.
because this law was first enacted in
the year 1897 and amended in 1898, the
latter provision stating in explicit
terms that 1t was the avowed purpose
of the state TO encourage for term
of not less than five years the cultiva-
ton of sugar beets by the farmers of
the state and their manufacture into
sugnr. Both of these laws We're signed
by Governor Black. The appropria-
tions during those two years, amount
ing to $4,000, were made for this pur-
pose. Surely Governor Blacks ability
as a lawyer would have led him TO dis
approve of these measures If the mar
row construction had been placed upon
Il in those days as the present attorney
general gave to ii in 1903. President
Roosevelt as governor continued these
appropriations during his administra-
ton. During the second year of my
administration | objected to the bounty
which was paid to the sugar manufnc-
tory rs being excessive, and by the
laws of 1903 the bounty was reduced
to one-half cent per pound instead Of Il
cent. as heretofore, with the distinct
understanding according to my recol-
lection. that this bounty should cease
with the appropriation of 1904.
Has the attorney general been en-
tircly fair. however in his treatment
objected to the appropriations in aid
Of the agricultural society of the state,
get they fall under the same inhibition,
1r that there was any objection upon
his part to the appropriation for the
Buffalo University For the Study of
Cancer, to the Albany Medical hospi-
al. to the Alferd university. to encour-
age the pottery industry in westcrl
New York and to the appropriations
made for the support of the Juvenile
society, private organization, of
which be is member, and to other
similar appropriations that have been
made during his term of Office. Mel
Their is there any objection, so far MS
know, on his part to the appropriation
which has been growing steadily to
the agricultural department for the eX-
termination of the San Jose scale,
Wnlcn IL IN the interest OF tne OrcnHTu
owners of the state and is as much in
the direction of the encouragement of
agriculture as is the aid given to those
who cultivate the sugar beet.
"All of these items also go to show
that the growth of the expenditures of
the state, taken up item by item, can
be easily accounted for. In reference
80 the charge that $4,000 was diverted
from the public treasury by the unwise
action of the canal board, do not be-
lieve that the attorney general means
to reflect in any way upon the integ-
rity and honesty of his associates up
on that board. The people of this state
should not be misled by statements
which lack substantial and specific di-