The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-05

OF managers in general charge, through
the superintendent, Of the internal affairs
of the hospital
Tho present overcrowding of the State
hospitals, the large increase in the number
Of the insane each year, and the expiration
next September-of the lease OF the build
!ngs now occupied by /. 200 patients at the
Long Island State Hospital, at FlatOush,
make il imperative 20 take action during
the coming session for material enlarge
meut of State hospital accommodations.
This can prOhably bcst be met IN part py
additional accommodations in existing hos
pitfalls. and in part by the establishment OF
new State hospital In increasing the ac-
Communications In existing institutions the
Importance Of providing for each state hos
pitai building especially adapted to the
treatment Of acute insanity should always
bc borne In mind.
/ also recommend that suitable legisa-
ton be enacted to enable the state Board
Of Charities to transfer in proper cases
inmates from one charitable or reiorInatory
institution to another. where 1t appears
that such persons more properly Delohg
I'm an institution OF the State other than
the one To which they were originally com
tnittcd Different classes of detectives
should not be allowed TO remain in the
same institution If by proper system OF
transfers they can be so distributed as 10
receive the best and most scientific care
ELECTION REFORMS.
II ia the aim Of the State 80 to guard
the ballot box that an honest expression by
tho voters can be obtained In the larger
cities colonization. intimidation and false
registration are the principal crimes against
the franchise Laws for the punishment q
these offences have already been enacted.
pronor means for the detection OF such
crimes. however. have not been provided.
In the smaller localities the general nc
Ouaintanoo which exists among the residents
in-ures sufficient protection against Illegal
voting but in the larger centres Di popula-
ton moro perfect methods OF identification
should be provided. The Law now provides
that upon offering his name for registry
the elector shall tate the place from which
he voted last i wohd suggest that IN
addition to this he should be required TO
state the time when he voted last. in the
large cities the principal colonization frauds
are perpe,rated from lodging and furnished
room hou ses. ! would recommend that
provision bo made for reports from these
houses similar TO those made ly hotels
under the LIQUOR Tax law To the State
FXciee DEPARTMENT This might be effected
under a licensing system at a nominal
foe based upon the number Of beds, and
might lie placed uuder the direction Of the
state Department of Health. which now has
some nirtherity over such places.
Furtherrlean Standardization Of natural
lied citizens should 10 provided for in the
registry books 50 as TO require either an
absolute statement 81 tho time OF natural,
igatiun and Of the court which performed
tho act or the production Of the naturAli7a-
ton narers themselves. so that the election
authorities could verify the statements thus
made Too much latitude has been per-
mittcd in this direction in the past During
the ,ast u ction il WIS discovered that great
numbers - alleged naturalized citizens
had no ron, 10 vote. either having been IN
uo4el Upon or having been parties 70 the
aiteirpt 'rauts. The naturalization laws
af our state are much more effective IN
.,.nrdinr q gains such abuses than are the
United Sta IS laws One of the principal
methods O. securing fraudulent naturaliza-
ton uapcrs has been for the holder OF legal
papers 70 ~0Dlv for duplicate papers and
hon Z 20, such duplicate papers 70 persons
not entitled to possess them The law
ehou q be amended in this direction 20 that
duplicate naturalization papers could be
procured only upon an order OF the court,
entered after a due presentation Of the
facts a. to the lost certificates. This whole
subject OF further guarding the elective
franchise Is commended to your consdera-
ton. and hope that such laws may be
enncted "a will more eTectually guard the
purity and integrity If the ballot.
7 recommend TO the consideration OF the
Legislature both the extension and restI1c-
tion 81 the right to vote at special tax elec-
tions in cities Of the third class TO those
residents whose MINES shall be on the
assassroent roll without limitation "a to
sox. II the right 10 vote at tax elections
is TO be limited to property holders 1t would
seem but m act Of Justice to extend that
right to women property holders as well
"a to men
The bids on six test contracts for parts of
the work on the CoO-ton barge canal seem
- warrrnt the belief that the entire con-
struction can be completed within the en-,
rineer-' estimates of the probable total
cost Of the work II Is gratifying TO know
that this great expenditure, ordered by an
overwhelming popular vote, viii probably
prove adequate 80 far NJ concerns that
portion If the entire cost set arart m the
estimates for construction, and Il Ia 70 be
hoped that the estimates OF damages for
tating Of property will prove 70 he equally
accurate.
The ENLARGEMENT Of the canal system Of
the state will i5e On rricd ont to cons iderable
extent 10y the cana,ization Of the rivers
and oth r nayirable waters ~ the state.
II Seems important at this time to call
attention 10 the fact that the United States
Government has expended yearly IN the
United States for river. and harbor I'M
rr5ycmouts vast sNms Of money, Of which
81. State Of New York has received but
trihinr perCo ntage a. compared with the
percentage which the commerce OF Now
York bears to the total commerce Of the
United states In the past twenty years
the Unibd States has expended nearly
$500, oOOc7J in river and harbor improve
rlpnts, Of which lcss than per cent has
been cN.endfd in the State Of New York
u would seem proper that the Senators and
g,prssontatiye-, Of the State OF New York
in TIE National Congress be memoTialiaed by
tho LEGISLATURE 10 press tho claims OF this
state for larger appropriations for the
Improvement of natural waterways in
connection with the canal system Of the
state
Tho Constitution ~ tho State ARTICLE
VII Section s. prohibits the sale Of the
E-io Canal the Oswego Canal, the Cham
plain Canal the Cavuga and Sereca Canal
or the Black River Canal. and imposes upon
the State tho perpetual management OF
tho same Whenever Il appears that any
portion Of the canal system has 80 far sur
,fved it, usefulness "a TO make its main
tenance Nv the state n burden with no
! corresponding benefits. the Legislature
should submit to the people the proper
constitutional amendment 10 permit the
| Abandonment az such portion.
The Black River Canal from BoonNle
north IL now practically an abandoned
waterwny. serving no useful purpose er-
con, 10 those employed 10 mann &c II under
Tho UNCONSTITUTIONAL mandate above referred
70 I therefore recommend that 80 much
81 said carnl he leased. sold or otherwise
IN sposed Of. and that the question he sub
rittcd to the people for their determna-
ton.
BANKS.
The whole number OF State banks OF
deDosit and discount in busines' Septem-
her 9O 1904. was 1855, against 1870 at the cor
raspondinq date in 1903. Their resources