The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-25
URGES SIMPLIFICATION
OF STATE MACHINERY
Gov. Moses Alexander of Idaho Favors
"Short Ballot" and Elimination
Of Useless State Boards.

Boston, Aug. -Simplifcation OF
state governmental machinery was adj.
vocated by Gov Moses Alexander OF
Idaho, in his address before the COVER
nors' conference here to-day. He IA
yored the short ballot,m elimination of
useless state boards and commissions, and
vesting more power in the executive de-
partments of the states.
There must be absolute responsibility
fixed somewhere" Gov Alexander said.
"While it may seem good to the elector
to have long ballot and to vote for a
candidate for every office, the result is
that the responsibility is shifted from
the practical heads of institutions and
government to the minor and subordi-
nate officials, which are merely cogs in
the wheel of government and not the
directing power.
1T is essential that the executive de.
partment of the state government should
be clothed with more power and more re-
sponsibility and held directly amenable
to the people. Whatever power is vest
ed in the executive department check
could be had upon the executive through
what is commonly known as the recall,
SO that where a bad government is Sc.
lected by electors it can be corrected by
them.
"Boards and commissions are often so
constituted that they thwart the win of
the executive and of the people. They
are frequently created for the purpose
of aiding some particular interest and
not to serve the general welfare. They
give some special organization an OPP
portunity to participate in the admin.
istration of public affairs.
with the short ballot and with the
people made fully cognizant that they
were voting for business manager as
well as for an executive head. even il |
it were necessary TO vote for two of |
three other executive department Off |
GERS workable government would re-
suit, but executive power must be cen.
tered somewhere 20 bring efficiency and
economy. The short ballot will bring
this about.
"The placing Of larger appointiye au.
thority in the hands OF a responsible of. |
fetal who can be made easily answer
able to the people increases, rather than /
decreases the power Of the electorate
20 express its win. How often has il /
happened that the people have made an
apparently successful fight upon some
issue through the election Of an official
whose Office was such as 20 command
their attention and whose duties and
powers were supposed by them 10 be
such as TO enable him TO accomplish for
them the things they desired accom-.
plished, only TO find themselves blocked
by some other Official elected by them
selves al the very same time but whose
position was believed TO be 40 insignii.
can't A. not TO merit their attention and.
therefore, did not receive H.
4 believe in the right Of the people 30
express their viii and ] believe that that
will. having been expressed should be
carried into effect !, therefore. believe
IN enlarged powers for those officials
whose positions demand and reeeiye pub
hc attention and iesscned power for
tbose officials uhosc positions DO not re-
GIVE due attention from the voters. and
hence. ! favor the removal from the bal.
lot - 81 names whose preserve can sc-
comrlish nothing but g. confuse"