The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-11
Changes Urged Will End
Present Wasteful
Government.
OBSOLETE SECTIONS
HAVE BEEN REMOVED

was chairman. and Seth Low. A. T.
Clearwater. J. q. schurman. Morgan ].
o'Brien and Ledyard p. Hale were
members. The address follows:
The delegates Of the people OF the
State Of New York in convention as
sembled to revise ard amend the Con-
~stitution Of the State present TO the
people a revised Constitution OF cigh-
teen articles.
We la In the revised Constitution
submitted retained the general frame
work OF the existing Constitution and
lave recommended such notifications
as In our opinion are essential to the
Improvement Of the government OF the
state and to remedy the most striking
deficiencies OF the existing system.
Besides striking out the obsolete
matter we ave considered upward OF
500 amendments proposed and nave
adopted thirty-three.
Less Important Bills.
Besides tho ten principal articles a
number OF other matters OF only less
Importance have been embodied in the
proposed amendments.
l. The notifications We recommend
In the organization of the executive
department present to the people "a plan
for ending the present unsystematic,
wasteful and irresponsible State gov
eminent. under which It's executive and
administrative agencies are distributed
among more h a $50 bureaus. depart
ments. commissions. boards and Of
ficials. Many of these involve dupli-
ra tim NJ tha usnrk ~ nthara W. cub
stitute for them "a concentration OF all
such activities INTO seventeen depart
ments. or these TWO, namely, the De-
partmtnts OF Law and Finance, are to
be administered by the Attorney-Gen-
eral and the Comptroller. respectively
four, namely, the departments OF Labor
and Industry. Public Utilities, Conser-
walton and Civil Service. are under the
direction of commissions composed OF
ono or more commissioner appointed
for terms extending beyond that of
the Governor. They are vested with
both legislative and administrative
functions. Fol- these reasons the con-
sent of the Senate is required TO their
appointment by the Governor. and they
are made removable by the Governor
only for cause and after an opportunity
to be heard. The Department OF Edu-
cation is continued under the adminis-
tration of the University of the State
OF New York. with powers to be ex-
ercised by regents chosen by the two
houses of the Legislature voting Jointly
for terms of nine years. one OF them
expiring each year. Each Of the remain
ing ten departments IL placed under the
direction OF a responsible head APP
pointed and removable by the Governor.
short Ballot Principle.
We have applied the principle Of the
short ballot, by taking the Secretary OF
State and the State Treasurer out OF
the class Of elective officials and abol-
ishing the Office of state Engineer and
Surveyor and transferring his duties
to the Department OF Public Works.
the head OF which is TO be appointed by
the Governor. The elected State officials
will thus be the Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor. Attorney-General n
the Comptroller. all for the term OF
two years.
We have provided that at the session
Immediately following the adoption OF
the Constitution the Legislature shall
provide by law for the appropriate as
signment to and anong these seventeen
several departments OF all the civil. ad-
illustrative II executive functions OF
the State government. except those OF
assistants In the office Of the Cover
nor that no new department shall here
after be created and that any bureau,
board, commission or office hereafter
created. except assistants In the office OF
the Governor. shall be placed In one
Of the departments SO enumerated.
The elective state officials in office
at the time the new Constitution takes
effect are 10 continue in office until the
end OF their respective terms.
II. We have extended the classes OF
private or local bills which the Legis-
lature is prohibited from passing so as
to embrace bills granting TO any cor
poration. association or individual the
right to prove a claim against the
State, or against any civil division
thereof, and bills authorizing IN civil
division OF the State to allow or pay
any claim or account. We have for
hidden the Legislature to audit or allow
any private claim or account against
the state or n civil division thereof,
while authorizing 1t TO pay such claims
and accounts against the State as shall
have been audited and allowed according
TO law. We have provided that no pub
lie moneys or property shall be APP
propriated for the construction or I'M
provement OF any building. bridge, dixie,
canal. feeder, waterway, or other work,
until plans and estimates of the cost OF
such work shall have been filed with
the Secretary OF State by the Superin-
| ttIllCIlt Vi u ubAA WV ~ NObtAAANA .
a certificate by him as to whether or
not in his judgment the general interests
OF the State then require that such
Improvements be made at state expense.
We have abolished the provisions for
messages by the Governor,
and have required that no bill shall be
passed or become a Law unless Il shall
have been printed and upon the desks
OF the members In it's final form at least
three calendar legislative days prior to
its Anal p passage.
We have required zach house of the
Legislature not only to keep a complete
journal OF It's proceedings. but also a
record OF ITS debates, and promptly to
publish the same from day to day.
$4,000 for Lawmakers.
The salary OF members of the Legis-
lsture was fixed at $1,000 per mum
in 1875. In view Of the changes In the
value OF money and the largely In
creased cost OF living during the forty
years since chat date. we have increased
that compensation to $4,000 II year. be-
sides the actual railroad fare OF the
members paid In going to and return
ing from their homes not oftener than
once a week during the session OF the
Legislature. An additional reason for
this increase was furnished by the ar
gument, earnestly pressed upon us. that
many competent and desirable citizens
cannot AFFORD to become members OF the
Legislature at the present rate OF com
pensation. We have also increased the
salary of the Governor, after January
/, 1917, to $4,000 a year, az more
suitable to the dignity and responsibility
Of the office OF Chief Executive OF the
State