New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-11
COLLIN A DIX. MYSTERY
Continued from sirst page.

supposed to have to do with legislatloh'
under the constitution is TO recommend
II, and when the Legislature has passed
measures to sign them or veto them
| Governor Dix early announced that ne
was going to be constitutional Gov
| ernor,' and would refuse TO INTERFERE
| with the legislative branch Of the state
government. Later he denied meaning
what several newspaper men understooo
him to say-that he intended TO haF'
bills drawn under his supervision !"
| carry out his recommendations and nav
| those measures presented to the Legs
lature. Yet if this Legislative branch VI
the executive department means any
thing, it means just that, ana cons''
tutes an utterly unheard of piece OF 60
ecutive interference with legislative
privileges ana procedure.
Tammanyization of Government
In its practical working out, politicians
familiar with conditions and the lactS
in the case say it means a great ue"'
more than that 1t means, they dccldie'
the Tammanyization of the importah'
agencies Of the state government par
ticularly those having to do WIN Ino
spending OF money and the giving Oh
contracts. The Canal Terminal com
mission, body Of four RepublcaHs'
present and former officials, is about 10
present a report after long ana careiui
Investigation. recommending a plan Tor
building big terminal basins and piers
for the enlarged barge canal The bill
urged by Mr. Collin seeks to ada I'VE
Democrats Ia the .commission--the state
Engineer the Superintendent or Fuoiic
Works, the Lieutenant Governor, the
Attorney General and the Speaker al
the Assembly-all new I'm Office. and All
unfamiliar with the work of the com
mission. This bill is understood to nave
the executive sanction. Mr. Collin also
advocates. and is supposed to have draft
cd. the bill abolishing the Canal Board
Of Advisory Engineers. recommended by
the Governor As a substitute, the Dill
permits the State Engneer-the state
Engineer is a part Of every scheme pc
IT noted-to hire advisers from time 10
time as he deems 1t necessary.
The Murtaugh-C Collin highway oil Is
commonly reported to have been drafted
by Mr. Collin. Assemblyman Collin, one
of its sponsors, is his brother That hlh
abolshes the present Highway Commis-
sion. 1t substitutes board made up
of the State Engineer-again the state
Engineer, who just now is Tammahy
MANTLE Superintendent. of Public
Works, an appointee Of the Governors
and superintendent of highways, 10 ne
appointed by the Governor.
This same general scheme is 10 he
utilized i'm creating the new department
of conservation which Governor Dix has
IN mind TO replace the present Forest
Fish and Game Department and thc
Water Supply Commission. Mr.. Collin
is now at work preparing tho bill to ac-
complish this, and Is said also to be
drafting a special message to accompany
it, which Governor Dix is to send 10 the
legislature.
Right here be it said that before
Thomas Mott Osborne consented 20 ac-
cept the appointment as Forest. Fish and
Game Commissioner at the Governors
hands, he obtained promise that he
was to have the bill to make these
changes drawn under his directions, or,
at least, that the executive was to ac-
cept no bill which did not meet his COM
plete approval. Mr.. Osborne is almost
socialist on the question Of state
ownership and control of it's natural re-
sources, of which water power prob
ably is the chief. Governor Dixs atti-
tude is not go certain.
Details OF Proposed Bill.
The bill Mr.. Collin is preparing, It is
board or council TO head this depart
ment, made up of the State Engineer
again the State Engineer--the State
Health Commissioners, the Superintend-
ent of Public Works and the Forest,
Fish and Game Commissioner or Con
servation Commissioner as the title
might be. Then there would be a Super
intendent of Construction, appointed by
the Governor, who would have charge.
with the State Engineer. Of the work Of
building the vast water storage reser-
voirs contemplated. Mr. Osborne would
be one-fourth or one-fifth part of the
commission.
Osborn and Osborne apparently are to
become mere window dressing for the
less presentable portion Of the Dix Tam
schemes are carried through. Already
they have been elbowed aside from
places of some Importance as adviser to
the Governor, and their places taken by
Boss Murphy of Tammsny and others Of
his Tx 1t is known that both of them,
and many other Democrats of their type.
were grieved and angry because the
Governor shelved John " Carlisle 10
give State Chairman Huppuch. his bust
ness partner. a $1,000 job as member ~
the upstate Public Service Commission.
That was Murphys doing. largely. II is
no secret here that both have considered
seriously the advisability of showing
publicly their disapproval of the Cow
ernor's course by resigning. but have
held on so far i'm the hope of heing able
through advice and suggestion to pre-
vent him from complete and abieot sur
render to Boss Murphy and Tammany.
Whether they viii continue in office after
the Governors most recent ventures with
collin IS a question of much interest
here.
NJ, .t.ttf,,