The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-07

Failure 20 supervise properly the acts
of department heads is responsible for
nearly all the evils ot the present day
government" Delaney asserted. What
Is needed IS one central, overriding
board. which state department heads
would know Intended to hold them up TO
the strict letter Of the law. This board
would have to I've above coercion, and
should. think. hc chosen "a the Regents
by the LEGISLATURE
Mr. Delaney said that State officers
don't stay IN office long enough to learn
how to run their departments.
Jacob Gould Schurman. v!ce-prea ident
OF the convention. suggested that II might
be well 10 have this State board OF con-
troll composed OF the Governor and tho
heads OF the State departments, as they
ARE the men who are experts IN their
own departments and know what should
be done"
In answer to this Delaney showed that
when the head OF tho Matteawan Asylum
applied to the Legislature for $4,000 ito
furnish overcoats for inmates" the Eth
cheney and Economy Department found
that $4,000 of this requested appropria-
ton was intended for increases IN sal
aries, $4,000 for repairs and about $1,000
for clothes
At Bedford there was cry that the
inmates were not receiving proper food
and care and an appropriation OF
$4,000 was asked. Delaney said. An
investigation showed that sll. 900 of
this was for salary increases and addi-
tional employees. and the other 81 900
for food The retiring Secretary of
state asked for more money and IL was
shown that he increased the salaries of
pra ctically every employee in his de-
partment
That is what your experts do" COM
mented Delaney.
NJ. Deldncys suggestion In ttat the
State government consist Of these depart
ments: Legislative, Executive. Secretary
OF State, Comptroller. Treasurer. Attorney
General, Judiciary. Board of Control,
Banking md Insurance. Taxation and
Revenue. Public Welfare, Public Utili-
ties. Education, Elections. State Militia,
Agriculture and Conservation, Public
Institutions. Public Works and Public
Buildings and Grounds.
Mr., Delaney declared that despite the
law making 1t misdemeanor for State
officials TO contract debts for which
there is no appropriation 1t was the ex-
ception when State official failed to
exceed his appropriations.
THE education department Ia tho
worst offender" he said.
would CentrnIisc Power.
Mr., Delaney recommended abolishing
tie office of state Engineer and the
State Commissioner of Highways and
ccntralizng the power of these depart
ments In the Department OF Public
Works lie proposed to combine the
state Bank Department and the State
Insurance Department; to put In a
public welfare department the inspection
powers of the labor. health and agri-
cultural departments; then to merge tho
Conservation Commission and what Is
left of TIE Agricultural Department.
urging the abolition Of the farmers In
stitute work of the Agricultural Depart
ment as obsolete; consolidate every
agency OF education; give the Attorney
General all the legal work now handled
in separate bureaus for the various de-
partments; take the collection OF taxes
from the Comptroller excise. executive,
Secretary of State and other depart
ments not empowered to collect taxes.
and vest all that power in department
OF taxes and revenue.
The State needs State militia de-
partment and an election department.
Mr.. Delaney said. but he declared tho
manage ment Of all the State charitable
institutions and tho State hospitals
should be vested in a single department
instead OF having them run by twenty
boards, commissions and bureaus, as
they are now. The Public Utilities De-
par,ment could take over the work now
done by the Public Service Commissions,
Delaney said declaring he always fav-
ored single commission.
Arthur J. Baldwin OF New York pro-
posed an amendment the effect Of which