New-York tribune., 1907-04-06

SPEECH At GLENS FAILS.
Defends Utilities Bill Clause Citing
Him RemOraI Poser.
lBy Telegraph TO The Tribune.I


Glens Falls. N T., April 5.-Before an audiences
which included many influential legislators. Gov
ernor Hughes made tonight a forceful appeal
for cooperation and public support in the i'm
Dortant reforms he has undertaken Taking as
the basis Of his speech the responsibility OF the
Governor for an efficient administration and tie
consequent necessity for giving him adequate
power and able support within the party organ
ization and from the general public. Governor
Hughes applied himself to the existing Ieeis-
lative situation. He drove home pOint after
point in his argument with direct references 20
the Kelsey case and a defence OF the Cover
nor's power Of removal Of the public utilities
commissioners in accordance with the original
draft Of the Public Utilities bill.
This was the second step in the Governors
appeal 70 the people" which he promised last
fall If he should find his policies endangered.
II was rendered especially significant by tho
presence Of a large party OF Senator's and AS
semblymen who had accompanied Senator En-
erson. of Warren County on trip to his home
and then TO the dinner Of the GIens Falls Club.
where the Governor spoke There should be no
misapprehensiOn in either house Of the LegiS-
lature regarding the popular agreement with
the Governors ideas after this dinner. As tho
Governor ran through sentence after sentence,
crisp. full of direct application to the present
situation, his audience followed him eagerly. ami
round after round Of applause burst from tho
four hundred guests. business and professlonal
men of this city and vicinity. whe he han
finished.
EXISTING CONDITIONS DISCUSSED.
From the very beginning of his talk the Gov
ernor dived deep into a discussion Of existing
90 Hsons-
-ss citizens you are interested in having gov
ernment well administered" he declared. A few
sentences further along he declared that tho
state itself would end existing abuses IN gov
ernment and in the administration Of public
service concerns. and emphasized his declaration
with the terse dictum. Those who oppose this
just sentiment chant their own requiem
Then he began hts defence Of the cause In
the Public Utilities bill which permits the Gov
ernOr to remove commissioner without the
sanction OF the Senate. which must approve that
commissioners appointment He argued that
the Governor already had greater power in
other important affairs. since he could remove
az pleasure sheriffs. district attorneys, various
important appOintive government officers and
even the Mayor of New York City He touched
the Kelsey case. directly naming officers
whom the Governor might not remove without
the Senate's consent. declaring: There should
be no distribution Of authority between the Sen
ate and the executive"
Again, he said. with considerable significant
'"The situation now is that an INSCRIPTIONS
Governor may attain his ends by misuse OF
power. while a scruprlous Governor is blocked
In his efforts to attain results II Is a grea.
mistake be so intent on preventing bad ad-
ministration as 70 make difficult a good one. It
is also mistake TO distrust the people"
THE GOVERNORS SPEECH
Governor Hughes spoke in part as follows:
As citizens. you are interested in having the
government well administered On this question
there is no division along party lines. The peO-
pie appreciate the Importance OF insisting upon
efficiency and of improving the standards OF
administration They are willing to give gen
erOus support 20 those who stand for their in
terests and they will not fail to call strictly 70
account those who seek. on one preteXt or an
other 10 block efforts 20 accomplish this result.
They are alsc-aside from the relatively few
whose personal interests and ambitions in
vOlved-pract2cally united In the demand that
the powers of government shall not be prOsti-
under public control. shall be exercised for pub
lie benefit.
Those who desire to insure the stability OF
honorable business enterprise. those who desire
10 maintain an orderly society, secure against
the success of insincere and infammatOry ap-
peal those who desire to maintain our institU-
the law and with their blessings OF opportunity
realize that the time has come when the state
must assert it's power firmly and justly IN put
ting an end to existing abuses both IN the adj
ministration Of government and in the manage
tality from public franchises. Those who oppose
this just sentiment chant ;heir own requiem.
The paramount need in the administration OF
the government of this state Is 70 make Il more
largely responsible government The effort
should be to fix responsibility so that account
ability to the people cannot be- escaped SOIue
assert that for this purpose all administrative
heads OF departments and members Of admins
tratIve commissions should be elected. do not
assent % this proposition believe that on the
one hand II IS destructive Of necessary unity
in administration, and on the other increases
the opportunities for manipulation and intrigue.
Experience shows that in a political campaign Il
people upon a large number OF offices. The
election OF all administrative heads and mem
bers OF commissions would tend. in my judg-
ment, greatly to increase the difficulty OF secur-
ing responsible government
On the other hand, the people take deep
interest In the selection OF the Chief Executives.
In connection with this Office public opinion 20
the largest degree asserts itself with reference
10 the selection of candidates. A system which
fixes upon the Governor responsibility for tho
administration or the governments and clothes
him with corresponding power Is the system
which IN the long run Will insure 20 the people
the best administration.
RIGHTS OF GOVERNOR.
The constitution provides that the executive
power shall be vested in the Governor. who
shall take care that the laws are faithfully
executed. In the popular imagination the Of
Ice IS invested with those powers which the
people instinctively associate with the first or
ice In the state. But in reality. while the ad-
illustrative powers and responsibilities Of the
federal Executive have increased, those OF the
state Executives have diminished. This IS q
mistaken state policy. AS Governor Hoffman
said, ITO bestOw on the Governor Of this state
he power necessary to enforce the laws OF the
state, and on the Mayor Of the city all neces-
iary executive power in the administration Of
he affairs OF the city, that Is concentration OF
power in the proper hands; power adequate q
he duties and responsibilities is imposed. With
this concentration there Il no real r1Si