New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-25
MESSAGE DEMANDS
RIGID ECONOMY
Warns Against Expenditures for
Any Purpose Except Abb
solute Needs.
Lrrom -, az corr,,ponarnl Of m, rribun.I

Inc message uttldiVh '"PNJ
claim made in the last campaign by
Governor Glynn that he had saved for
the state s11.OO0,000. It pointed out
that the Glynn administration appro-
priated only S47,899, 527 70 run theagoy-
eminent until the end OF the fiscal year,
while s63 ,694,527 will be needed. Inc
estimated revenues are SlO,813,3O3 less
than this. oooo
The state must contribute 100000
to the sinking fund, which, with the
deficit, must be met by a direct tax
that will amount to about l q mills.
bill covering deficiency and sinking fund
payments will be introduced, probably
next week.
Governor Whitman told the Legs
lature it should not appropriate dol
lar for any purpose except IN extreme
Claim of Economy Empty.
Careful study and investigation on
the part of officers of the administra-
ton, the results of which | desire TO
present 10 you, demonstrate that the
fnas cial situation is very grave. The
statEs fiscal year is not coterminous
with the calendar year. 1t begins On
October / and ends on September 30
The present fiscal year began October
1. 1914. IL is assumed that each Leg
islature, In making appropriations for
a fiscal year, will at the same time
take into consideration the full amount
, of legitimate demands TO be made
against the state during the whole OF
that year and provide adequate revenue
therefor.
"The administration Of 1914 failed in
this regard. 1t unwarrantaoly depleted
the cash surplus Of the state. Inc gov
ernor vetoed q direct tax measure
which passed the Legis lature, when tax
should have been levied to meet the
sinking fund and interest charges on
the states bonded Indebtedness. APP
propriations which must now be maze
were postponed.
"a referendum to the people on
proposition to provide adequate moneys
to complete the barge canal and pay
the legitimate damage claims against
the state by reason of such barge canal
construction should have been sub
mitted. Each of these delinquencies
seems to have been a part OF plan
10 maintain a pretext of economy.
"The policy of the state has always
reouired that there should be kept at
ALI times a surplus available in the
treasury with which to protect the
state against emergencies and unex,
pected demands. Such policy should
be maintained.
Tnstead of pursuing that policy the
last administration deliberately ex-
hausted the surplus by It's failure to
levy a direct state tax, as provided Tor
in the constitution, for interest on the
public debt and sinking fund require
ments.
Sinking Fund Requirements.
"The result Is that the present ad-
ministration must levy a direct tax
not only for such interest and sinking
fund requirements for the ensuing MS
cal year, but IL must also levy a fur-
Their tax to meet deficiencies in appro-
priations for the support of the gov
eminent which should have been met
last wear. We must also meet unusual
demands, such as the expense OF hold,
ing n Constitutional Convention and
the taking of a state enumeration,
which could at least partly have been
met out OF such surplus II such sur
plus had not been unwarrantably de-
pleted.
"The amount of indirect revenues Is
always uncertain. No one can estimate
such revenues with exactne5s. Al
shrinkage in such revenues may leave
the treasury empty before the end OF
the fiscal year
"Tbe direct state tax to be levied for
the next fiscal year should be large
enough to make it certain that the
credit of the state will not be impaired
bv the states failure to meet its obli-
cations.
"a substantial and safe surplus
should be restored to the treasury and
should always be preserved. The claim
was made by the advocates Of the last
administration that the state had been
saved $11 100000. The voters evidently
did not believe IL, and the evidence of
emptiness of claim Is at hand.
you will bear with me, | trust, IL
say TO you that In my opinion the peo-
pie of the state are tired of talk of
economy when accompanied by per-
formances which result in such state
of affairs as exists to-day in the
finances Of this state. 1t is time for
something more than talk. Notwith-
standing all the prediction promises
made by candidates for years past, the
states Indebtedness has been con-
stantly increasing. The regular an
nual appropriations have been steadily
growing, and to-day the taxpayers of
the state are face to face with a d.
rect state tax heavier than any that
has been levied in many years, not
withstanding the fact that over s42,-
OOO, 900 is being raised annually by in
direct taxation.
Must Curtail Expenses.
"The people are expecting you to
curtail the expenses Of government, to
scrutinize every appropriation with the
utmost endeavor TO prevent waste, TO !
discontinue useless activities of state, !
10 eliminate every duplication Of func-
ton, TO abolish every unnecessary
Office, and they will be disappointed II
you do not do go.
81 therefore respectfully but urgent
IL recommend that no appropriation |
bills pass the Legislature for any pur-
pose other than 10 meet some great !
emergency until some comprehensive |
plan shall have been formulated con-
tanning provision for the actual, I'M
avoidable requirements Of the state. |
Coincidentally, the probable revenues
OF the state should be carefully esti- |
mated, and, IL possible, new sources Of |
indirect revenue provided.
at seems TO me that the difference
between the amount that must be pro- |
vided and the probable revenues will |
be so great that with all the facts and |
information before you, it will be found |
that everything except those items |
which cannot be delayed should wait !
until some other year. Appropriations |
for the starting of new activities can |
wait The extension Of present actiy- |