The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-01
The Budget System, the Short Ballot
and Home Rule.

The Budget system, the Short Ballot
and Home Rule.
1t Is we'll to keep n clear notion OF
the perspective Of events at Albany
in this most important week Of the
convention. In making over the Con.
stitution OF New York the three great
reforms most to be desired by honest
citizens are:
l. The curtallment Of State expendt-
lures and the checking Of the extrava-
gance and waste and graft that are
now increasing ut so frlghtful n rate
that bankruptcy for the State seems
ahead of us, with the alternative OF
taxes almost contiscatory.
2. The destruction of "invislble gov.
ernment," meaning the boss rule
which for many years attended and
uis6idttu inc administration VI AZ
fairs in the Empire state. and the
Capitalization of responsibility to the
greatest extent possible in the hands
OF the Governor and in the presence
of daylight.
3. Home rule. in greater degree.
for the cities, taking away from the
Legislature a good part Of that su.
pervision of local affairs which prop
erly belongs to local authority.
OF the three great reforms here
catalogued the first two have been
put practically beyond doubt of &C
ceptance by the convention:
1. The remedy for financial evils is
found in the new budget system with
its more scientific apportionment OF
responsibility both for the initiative
estimates and for the appropriations.
The new system has been perfected
by the committee of which HENRY
L. STIMsoN is chairman.
2. The destruction of invisible gov
eminent is To lie accomplished by the
Short Ballot. That Is TO say, instead
Of voting for a considerable number
Of executive officers, about whose
character and qualifications the or.
binary citizen can know little. he is
10 cast his ballot only for the Gov.
ernor, the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
Comptroller and the Attorney-General.
The other department heads who are
now elected are 10 be appointed by
the Governor, in whom authority and
responsibility to the people are thus
definitely concentrated. The twelve
dozen and more existing State depart.
ments are to be r~eorganized into n
dozen or fifteen. with chiefs directly
responsible to the Governor. This,
roughly, Is the Short Ballot which is
expected to reduce TO a minimum the
dangers of bossdom and the evils OF
invisible government. The retention
of the Comptroller and the Attorney
General as elective officers. contrary,
for example. to the Federal system,
Is more or less in the nature OF com
promise, The practical assurance Of
the success of the Short Ballot prof.
ect is due to the patriotic efforts OF
ELIHU Roof, eliminating in his won.
derful speech night before last to the
convention.
There remains the question of the
reform of c~ity-State relations.
8. A proposed constitutional amend.
ment concerning cities and villages
and their powers Of self-government
which has been introduced by the
committee on cities and has been nd.
vancel to a third reading. 1t pur
ports to strengthen local authority
by making a constitutional distinc
ton between matters of State NON,
Germ" ana matters OF municipal gov-
eminent" ana greatly tightening the
hand Of the Legislature at Albany
upon the latter class OF affairs; also
to enhance local influence in the peri
cdical revision of the city Charter.
The attitude OF the municipal ofi.
cers of New York toward the entire
project Of home rule" extension Is
expressed in the protest which Mayor
Mitchell has submitted to the conven.
ton. Our Mayor in his memorandum
not only points out uncertainty after