New-York tribune., 1911-01-05

a state Of affairs Is pointed out in sharp
fashion by men familiar with the states
business for many years. In the first
place. sbolishing the State Highway
Commission would throw all that work,
with its millions of dollars worth Of con-
tracts, into the State Engineers depart
naent without an adequate check on It.
John A. Bensel, of Tammsny, friend Of
Charles F. Murphy. is State Engineer
The Skene scandals, occurring the last
time a Democratic State Engineer had
anything to do with good roads con-
tracts. still are fresh.
Board Result Of Canal Scandals.
The advisory board of consulting engi-
neers came into being as result Of the
So, 100000 canal scandals about fifteen
years ago. The board was created In ac-
cordance with the recommendation Of a
| legislative committee which investigated
the system of letting canal contracts.
and found inadequate protection of the
public's interests. There are five men,
hers OF this board; chairman at $1,000
year and the other members at $500.
They are appointed by the Governor, but
must be confirmed by the Senate, and
are removable on charges. Plans and
! proposed contracts for canal work are
prepared by the State Engineer. They
are submitted for approval to the board
Of consulting engineers.
| If approved, the plans and contracts
! then go to the canal board, made up OF
! elected state officers, for formal official
approval, after which the Superin-
tendent Of Public Works let's the con-
tracts. The board Of consulting engi-
neers keeps in touch with the canal
work, supervising it and ascertaining
that 1t IS being performed according to
| contract Adjustment Of the board
would leave the Superintendent Of Pub
lie Works and the canal board wholly
dependent on the State Engineer for
technical advice. That system, legis-
lative committee once reported, had Gre
ated conditions which made the S9,0OO,-
600 scandals possible. One man, an
elective official, would have in his power
the preparation of all plans and con-
tracts. with nothing save a formal ap-
proval of them by non-experts as q
check on him.
Adjustment Of the State Water Sup
ply Commission and transfer of its
duties 10 the Forest, Fish and Game
Commissioner might also place the
preparation Of plans Of vast moment and
the awarding Of contracts worth millions
of dollars in the hands OF the State
Engineer. The state Water Supply
Commission has its own engineers, and
has worked out and submitted for ex-
ecutive and other discussion fairly gen.
eral plans for state owned and controlled
development OF water power. OF course,
| Governor Dix did not go into details
about the working out of this proposed
scheme of transfer. Critics Of his plan
are wondering very hard how the I'M
portant engineering details and the mat
ters Of state control and compensation
TO the state would be handled In q good
| Democratic bill.
Possibilities of Bureau Liritless.
Then there is the central purchasing
bureau. Possibilities II that system,
it's opponents point ou., are limitless.
They wonder If the stale has forgotten
yet the hubbub created when OdelIs bin
for the centralized purchase of supplies
for the state ssylums was proposed. and
the howls Of graft and the cartoons OF
| Odell as the groceryman.
! Not all of these objections were ex-
pressed by Senator Newcomb to-day
He confined himself to criticism OF the
abolishment of the water supply COM
mission and the creation Of the central
purchasing bureau. He made up in
| tartness of phrase for combining the
scope Of his criticism.
Can the Governor seriously suppose"
| he asked, that he Is strong enough to
open an avenue to plunder and in a
moment bar it with his arm from the
csmoring horde in whose eager sight
he has opened it,"
Senator Newcomb sprang up as soon
as Patrick Z. McCabe. the new Senate
clerk, had finished reading the Gov
ernor's message. He said he wished to
discuss two startling propositions which
stand out clearly against the somewhat
vague and shadowy obscurity" of the
message These policies were such as to
make the Governors friends pause, he
said and startle and shock the thought
full people of the state. Mr.. Newcomb
continued.
| find in the message z thorough sppreci-
alton Of the value Of our great undeveloped
| water powers, but not one word 70 indl.
cate that in the judgment of the Executive
that value belongs TO all the people of the
state and that the process Of development
should recognize al every point the right
and interest OF the state and its people 70
the Dement'S resulting from such develop
ment
The conservation and development ot
natural resources for the benefit OF al
have become In the last ten years . vital
States We of the East are urging the
yet undeveloped West, without retardins
development, to avoid the selfish exploits,
ton which In our own experience has
passed TO indefensihle private ownership
countless millions Of value belonging pri
marily 10 ell the people.
II read the Governors message Alright
~ means private exploitation OF the water
powers of the state without regard 20 the
rights and interests of all the people In the
fruits OF their development BY proposlng
20 abolish the Water commission and hy
his failure 70 mention the right OF all ths
people 10 share in the benefits of water
power development he turns his back
as i has shown itself in the legislation
Of this state, which is.in line with the mos
enlightened sentiment upon this importsn,
subject throughout the nation.