The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-02
Governor whitman Strikes at the
Real Evil.

Governor whitman Strikes at the
Real Evil.
Two facts uf large significance stand
out in the address Governor WHITMAN
delivered Ut Albany yesterday. lie
recognizes that the grave conditions
created by wnsteful, uncoordlnated.
unchecked governmental expenditures
constitute the supreme problem for the
American people to solve; he does NOT
seek to liz on any political party the
responsibility for the situation that ex-
lists. Carefully pfraining from any
effort To make Republican capital out
~ what has been done, he declares the
necessity of immediate intelligent cor
recton. not in the interest Of any party
or faction. hut for the relief Of the
community. which. regardless Of politi-
cal affiliations and partisan proposes
Sions bears the burden extravaganza
and ignorance have put upon the tax
payers.
There is nothing of the political nos
trum vendcr. no hint Of the social
cure.all, in u recitation of such sen
fences HS these:
"Thr figures in regard TO public eypen-
dtures spcnl, for themselves. and surely
they contain a warning which we cannot
longer disregard.
Twenty years ago the State debt was
practically nothing now it is over sl59.-
1000
','r,...r,t, ,...,.. IN, .l,. .r,.,.,1 i,,,,-.s,
rharg, of an" state was practically moth
ius uuF 1t H. sG.3S5.IO0.
Invent! Years ago the authorized state
expenditures were Sll,2OO.oOO; in 1913
thcy were Sia.7oo,0oo.
Twenty Years ago the Number OF state
employees was about $500; now they
uUmhcr over $1,000.
Twenty years ago the net debt OF what
NOW constitutes the city OF Greater New
York was approximately sl5o.OOO, OOO to-
day it is over Sguu. 100000
Twenty years ago the annual interest
charge Of what now Constitutes Greater
New York Was approximately S7,0O000O :.
in 1871 II WAS S8s,o0O, 900.
Twenty years ago the authorized an
nual expenditure tor Greater New York
was approximately $50. 900. 600: in 1914
the appropriations from revenues alone
were siee,s95,5Oo."
Nor did the Governor, in giving the
outlines of the plan he supports for
the relief of the taxpayers. seek to pre-
sent himself as n miracle worker,
wizard of finance. a man with pana-
cea. Instead. lie put himself at once
in the leadership Of those who see that
the evils which have brought us to the
alarming situation we are now in can
he remcdcd only through the appllca-
lion of business principles TO govern
ment enterprises. the regulation OF
expenditures not by the ambitions Of
enthusiasts but by the actual needs of
the state restricted to the performance
IT It's Legitimate functions and by the
adjustment If Outgo to income. There
must he a programme, u budget, a con
tinTng realization Of responsibility, a
definite object ana purpose
How completely the governments, ma
tiOnal, state and local, have dlsre-
garded the fundamental principles Of
N'NlHl 'NNllN'NN I"ll'N II - lulllt ~ re-
peat. That under popular rule they
should ever approximate the practices
~ large Industrial establishments Is
perhaps impossible. But that the
vicious conditions which now Cypress
the citizens must hr rcctificd even the
most needless will acknowledge. n
we do not undertake this reformation
ourselves, and for our own benefit,
they viii bring bankruptcy and ruin
on the country.
In that essential work Governor
WuTMNN S"hcrly aud hecomingly Of
fcrs to take the lead aud calls for the
@ssi>luur" und support Of all We as
sure him that he can count upon the
"jnIrlig"nl citizenship 10 which he ap-
rrnS aud thut hc viii have their dis
terminating support in every measure
of economy aud efficiency that he nm.
dcrtnkrS IN the admirable temper In
which his preliminary discussion Is
conceived.