New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-04
Saws Proposals VIII Make
for Economy, Safety
and Accuracy,
ooNo AND BUDGET
MEASURES ENDORSED
c.nn;ttec Chairman Declares
people Of state May Now See
How Affairs Are Run.

...,~, Oc, 3. Henry l. Sumso1'
60 NJ the Committee or Finance
,.t. late Constitutions. Convention.
,s.e~e-t issued here to-day calls
-..,..sl reforms in Che proposed
..., constitution sound and far
$50, and vast Improvement over
~, old methods The proposed
-..,o5 o. borrowing money Tor PEI
..e,, state improvements. by sink
fa,s bonds. De praises for is
..-.s.sr. accuracy. safety ami
....-,s. Extravaganza corruption
Id .,or,.sirb.edness viii be ehmi-
...,5 hy che financial proposals Mr.
s.~.o, saws in conclusion.
M. greatest objection recently
-,5e 20 the new constitution came
80. Edgar II. cullen. ex-chicf judse
~ .be Court OF Appeals. who, in "a
....em,-. issued SCI Ncw York yester-
s,y based bis opposition on the
49, r allows Go military tribuna s..
80 Cullen expressed astonishment
.ss+ trc trainers o. che new consti'u-
..-- .loulc have GisrcEardco the eN
-erierce OF tte past ~ regard 20
.srss, committed by military court
er8 ID regard 90 the perils 20 inert
,tieb would result from the fallu-a
81 r-obibit military courts from eS-
,,e.s-rr Jurisdiction over a ciVilsn.
..,'sss engaged In military or naval
-,,,i,e while The regularly constituted
..,.e courts are open 20 administer
.,st;cer Judge Cullen asserted that
,-;o0 'abo-'s rights would be greatly
.-,e-illes bv this measure in the con
sututioa.
Bond Reform Promises Economy
w S.mson. in his statement, dis
uses New York's per capita public
ssb. and the mounting cost Of state
government 90 show the ineficiencv
I'D extravagance Of the present meth
oss Of handling New York's financial
r-oblems He takes up the proposed
.s-isl bond reform 20 show how econ
orr and safety may be substitutes
',- wasieful and dangerous methol Is
IN state finance
~Tbe rroposed constitution" Mr.
Samson declares. gives authority to
rsfurd present sinking fund state
t'nds with serial bonds. II this au-
forl.y be used snd the existing canal
l.b. be refunded with serial bonds
saving Of over 100000 can be
Tec,ed under this one provision.
The axiom Of sound public Anarco
a. bonds must not run longer than
~. lise o. the Improvement they bry
also contained in the proposed con
tuition. Tie importance OF this pre-
sal can De easily seen In the pest
10 have issued ffty-year bonds for
10 construction of highways Some
70 per cent of the proceeds Of these
bonds hsve gone into The construction
~ tie surface Of highways which
cannot last more than from four -
eight years This means that for
'o-ty years. after al advantage OF
70 loan has been used up. the tax
ayers viii be paying interest on TIE
can i is the worst kind OF ire
possibility and extravaganza. II The
-'w constitution is adopted. the life
r. he bond must be adapted 20 the
e a. the Improvement
Calls Budget Reform Farreaching.
Nr. Sumson believes the article re-
trnor or respous bic bulge, 20 the
legislature 90 be the most fundamental
and isrreach.ug Of al the reforms at
tempted by the proposed constitution.
AT present" bis statement says. "the
'rsnc.al estimates for running the
tate government during the next ap-
r-oschirg fiscal year are made uD by
over $50 departments. boards or bu-
'esss. They are then shovelled into
he Legislature without reduction or
pruning. In the Legislature they are
considered on the privacy of the com
miitee room, and the final sppropria-
ion bills are passed iu the hurry and
confusion o. the final hours Of the ses-
aor Millions are voted away in min
1'es, while the bills appropriating
'aese sums are not even printed IN
'hsir final form. During the last
lWen,y-one years, only once In 1902
Fsre they passed without an emergency
message from the Governor. which dis
psnsed with the formality Of their
beng printed and on the desks Of the
members
NO surcr way could be found for in
Nii'g extravaganza. waste and ire
'1ohsioilty. SO single officer Of the
''aie undertakes the public responsible
~ Tor making these estimates. and in
ms respect VIC violate the fundamental
principles Of civilized government and
A." al successful business.
The only way 20 stop waste is for
ne people Of the state 10 know exactly
shsse fault 10 Is II waste occurs or y
ne cost O. government steadily rises
"ihout compcnsatiug increase in ser