New-York tribune., 1911-01-03
GOTEPNOR DIT on STATE FL
N1NCES

Governor Dix devOtes large part OF
his inaugural address to the finances "
the state and renews the pledges when
he gave as candidate of an economical
and buSinesslike administration As a
business man il is the states financial
situation which naturally most interests
him. and it presents enough difficulties to
challenge all the energy that he can de-
vote 10 it, We do not mean hy this that
there has been gross waste or eXtrava-
gance. We do not expect to find the new
Governor able to effect any considerable
economies. But the task must inevitably
he faced either of providing more revenue
to meet running expenses or of cutting
down running expenses by changing the
system under which this state charges
permanent improvements to them.
This task has been deferred from year
10 year by striking out expenditures au-
thorized by the Legislature, and thus
reducing appropriations To an amount
within The estimated revenue for the
wear. But that process has been simply
uostpOnmg the evil day, for many OF the
items cut ont were sure to recur the next
wear. and were of such a character that
provision would have to be made for
them in the end. This has gone on, as
Mr. Dix says until the estimated re-
Quirements for the coming year exceed
the estimated revenue for the year by
S13GNN.COO. Moreover. this is a discrep-
anCv which tends 10 widen. for, as Con-
troller Williams reported. the new taxes
laid last year in the hope of increasing
the states revenue have proved dlsap-
pointing. The situation therefore is one
which requires immediate attention.
Whether the present administration had
been Republican or Democratic, it must
have dealt with it. 1t is not Demo-
cratic discovery. Governor Hughes
called attention to it in his messages re-
lating to the annual appropriation bills,
discussing just as Mr. Dix does the pos
sibility Of the states being compelled to
return to a system of direct taxation.
It is not improbable that such a re-
turn will he found inevitable. for it IS
doubtful if Mr. Dix can check the eX-
listing tendency toward increasing OK
pendtures. That upward tendency Is
found everywhere, No sooner is one
party supplanted by another pledged TO
economy than the new administrators in
an effort 10 give the people all that they
demand Of the government bring in big
GER budgets than their predecessors. The
administration Of this city is an illustra-
ton Mayor Gaynor and his associates
I'm the Board of Estimate are all as
desirouS of economy as Mr.. Dix can he.
Nevertheless the budget has been In
creased and the Mayors Tax Commits
siOners are eXcrtipg themselves to eX-
pand To the utmost the city's borrowing
capacity III response to the demand for
additional public improvements.
The state situation with which Mr.. Dix
will have to deal is briefly this: ENpendi-
lures ore increasing rapidly in obedience
10 a universal tendency. Income, srring-
ing from indirect sources. Is inelastic
and cannot he readily made 10 bear any
close relation TO requirements, and con-
stitutional obstacles in the way Of rOr-
rowing practically drive the state to
charge an important part Of It's perma-
nent improvements TO running expenses
Governor Dix will deserve well of the
public if he merely brings about better
adjustment of the states iscal system.
even If ne does not succeed in effecting
the great savings that he expects 20
effect.