The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-25
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Mr.. Wlckersham Discusses the Pro-
visions Relating TO State Finances,
10 the Budget and TO Serial Bonds.


cost of the State government has been
the subject Of grave concern on the
part OF many citizens. Not only have
the aggregate general running ex-
penses Of the State increased from
s12.000,0 900 In 1895 to sac, O00, 900 in
1914. upward OF 366 per cent, but the
per capita cost has arisen from $2.47
in 1895 to S5.41 in 1914. an increase Of
235 per cent, whereas during the same
period the assessed valuation Of prop
erty in the State. a large portion OF
which does not represent Q real in
crease in property. but is due to new
methods of taxation, like the special
franchise tax, or to increases in per-
centages of assessment. rose only III
per cent. The per capita cost OF gov
eminent In New York State in the ten
years from 1909 to 1913 increased up
ward OF 200 per cent, much more than
that of any other State in the Union.
The population OF the State has only
increased So per cent. since 1885. The
Committee on Finance Of the Constitu-
tional Convention. under tho able
Craftsmanship OF the Hon. Henry L.
Stimson. from whose report the fore
going figures are taken, after an ex-
haustive inquiry reached the conclu-
sion that the chief defects in the pres
ent methods of financial legislation in
the State and the chief causes OF
waste and extravaganza in those meth
DDS were the following:
/. Lack OF responsible revision OF
the departmental estimates;
2 The fact that the Legislature Is
not the proper body In which TO pre-
pare financial estimates:
3. That under the present system no
complete financial plan or budget of
annual expenditures is prepared.
The present method of making ap-
preparations for state purposes con-
sists In the various departments, bu-
reaus. boards, officials and other aren-
cics which expend state moneys an
nually sending a statement OF their
requirements for the ensuing year
To h Comptroller, who has no power
TO revise or correct them. but who
merely transmits them TO the LegisIa-
ture. In the latter body the annual
supply bill, carrying appropriations
for the ensuing fiscal year. is made
up AS the result OF personal inter-
views. hearings. negotiations and log
rolling. OF which the public has but
fraGmentary and scanty information.
and finally the measure. the contents
or which often are completely known
to but two men. the chairman OF the
Ways and Means Committee and
the leader OF the minority party. is
passed, under one or more emergency
messages from the Governor. without
being printed $ 70 hat members can
49, ~ ~ u Z hllN StIlI u ne
Governor. who, during the period Of
thirty days after the adjournment of
the Legislature, examines the bill, and
in the light of such information as
he can get, cuts out items which an
pear to him to he unnecessary or i'm
proper, and then approves Il.
There is still another factor which
contributes to the unsatisfactory ma
ture OF tho present system. The Con-
%stitution OF 1894, while providing in
general that no bill shall he passed or
become a law. unless il shall be print
ed and upon the desks OF the members
OF each house of the LEGISLATURE in its
final form at least three calendar leg
islative days prior TO it's final passage,
added as an exception unless the Gov
ernor or Acting Governor shall have
certified 10 the necessity of its imme-
date passage" Such certificate, known
as the emergency MESSAGE. has come
to be responsible for great abuses in
legislation. n to be used to facilitate,
as nothing else could do. the passage
of appropriation bills the contents of
which are unknown to any hut one or
two members of the Legislature. Mem
bers OF both political parties In the
convention, including the leaders OF
both parties in the Assembly OF 1915.
testified that the possibility OF getting
bills passed under emergency messages
has led to the ~postponement OF i'm
portant legislation until the clostOg
hours OF the session, when. by this
means, bills could be forced through
without opportunity TO scrutinize
them. II is generally admitted that
the pressure brought to bear on Gov
ernors, irrespective OF political com
p~leXlOn, is so great that to an in
crcasing degree resort has been had
to the use and as a consequence the
great abuse OF this method OF passing
bills. The revised Constitution abol!shes
the emergency message.
But the existing evil goes deeper
than the mere passage of unconsidered
bills IN response to emergency mes
saSes. Primarily, there is no system
attic study of the financial needs of
tho state: OF whether or not, from the