New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-21
AIMS TO MAKE
GOVERNOR FREE
OF PARTY BOSS
Municipal Research Bu'
reau Would Give Him
Legislative Control,
WANTS FEWER
STATE BOARDS
PROPOSES Eleven in All, Heads OF
Each To Be Named by
Chief Executive.


Albany. June 90. Powers such as
no state executive in this country has
had since the days Of the Crown gov
ernors would be vested in tho Gov
ernor Of New York if the recommen-
datioas Of the Bureau OF Municipal
Research are incorporated in the
states organic law.
The right 10 dissolve the LeGis-
laturc would be given 70 the Gov
ernor-a power the abuse Of which by
George iii was made part Of the bill
OF particulars Of the Declaration OF
Iudcpcndercc- with the single cheek
against any possible tyranny that the
tenure Of Office Of both Governor ana
the Legislature would expire on jan
uary / following such dissolution
Thus the Governor and the Legislature
would have 20 stand for reelection at
the same time, and the issue could De
decided by the voters. The power 10
dissolve the Legislature could be eX-
erciscd whenever the Governor be-
lievcd such action necessary ior the
general welfare Of the state.
The Bureau Of Municipal Research
would also provide that whenever the
Governor and the Legislature differed
vitaIly on a question Of policy, the
question at issue shoul1 be submitted
Is a direct vote Of the people.
Aimed at Boss System.
This programme was announced in
the advance digest of q report, en-
titled "An Appraisal Of the Constltu-
ton and Government Of New York,
issued by the bureau tonight ms
report is the result of many months
of study by the bureau, aided by the
Department of Efficiency and rcon-
omy, and will be in the hands Of the
delegates TO the Constitutional Con-
vention some time chis week. It's
opening paragraph reads:
THE Bureau of Municipal Research
Of New York has just completed re
ports and recommendations for the
state Constitutional Convention De,
signed 10 overthrow the boss system
and the evils of invisible government
in the state administration
The report explains that this can
be done by combining the l69 boards,
bureaus, commissions and departments
in eleven great executive departments,
each presided over by n secretary,
appointed and removable by the Gov
ernor, and by shortening the ballot
10 three Offices besides that Of Gov
ernor-Lieutenant Governor, Attorney
General and Controller.
The bureau believes that, under this
system, responsibility for the admins
tration Of the business Of the state
would be centralized in the Governor.
Governor Not Responsible.
"The present constitution" says the
- e arra
power shall be vested in the Govern
or but the declaration is a dead let
ter. as IL is not carried out in the re-
rnainder Of the constitution nor in the
laws Of the state. II is this lack Of
responsibility which renders II almost
impossible TO hold any Governor or
head Of department 70 account for eX-
travagance or inefficiency in admins
tration and leads TO endless confusion
in public affairs.
"The present system Of government
in New York State has been devised
and enacted into law with the sole OBJ
ject of preventing responsible leader
ship by the Governor, or any other
public official. The result has been the
giving Of control over the admlnistra-
ton Of the state and over the Legis-
lature 10 outside, irresponsible leader
ship, in other words, 20 the party
boss
at is next 70 impossible to bring re-
sponsibility home 10 any particular
state official for extravaganza or inetii-
cheney Of administration, owing to the
numerous conflicting and confusing
provisions Of the present constitution
and statutes Sixteen separate methods
of appointing officials are now pre-.
scribed for various departments, and
in very few Of these can the Govern
or be held directly responsible. And
there are seven widely ulHereh'