New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-31
WHITMAN'S PLAN
FORITEM BUDGET
BRINGS BATTLE
Lawmakers Ready 10
Fight Governors Effort
10 Prune Expenses
LEGISLATORS CLING
TO PREROGATIVES
Clash Expected on Scheme
to Limit Legislative
Fiscal Power

Iron a Star corr-spcldon o. The Tribune
Albany. Dec. 30.-Thorns have al
ready been planted in the path Of Gov
ernor Whitman's personally conducted
tour toward a third term. The sharp
est one will show its head soon after
the Legislature convenes on Wednes-
day. when the Governor will present
with his annual message an tented
tentative budget IL covers not only
the executive and administrative de-
partmentS, but the legislative and ju-
dicial, as well as departments headed
by officials elected like himself
The difficulty is expected to arise
over the legislative termination, which
Is unprecedented. Leading state legis-
lators who heard about the Governors
budget to-day openly resented what
they regarded as executive encroach-
ments upon a purely legislative func-
ton. The joint budget committee of
the Legislature las prepared a sort Of
estimated appropriation needs for all
departments for the next fiscal year,
but tho payroll and maintenance and
operation needs OF the Senate and AS
sembly are presented therein in lump
sums as heretofore.
Consequently there will in all proba-
bility be Two budgets presented to the
Legislature during the forthcoming
session. The Governors estimate,
infinitely tented and aggregated. is
being drafted in bill form and will
reach the lawmakers on Wednesday
The other. upon which the joint COM
mittee Of both houses is working, will
be introduced about the middle Of Feb
ruary. Its sponsors plan to get it en-
acted so early that the Governor will
have TO pass upon it before the Leg
islature adjourns.
Senate VIII Resist
One of the Senate leaders declared
emphatically to-day that the Legs
lature knows its own powers and does
not intend TO permit executive inter
ference with It's fiscal duties. The
Governor, however. believes that his
scheme, planned in the interest of econ
omy, will have the support of the peo-
Pile OF the state, even If ii arouses the
ire of his own party lawmakers, who
will control both the Senate and AS
sembly by two-thirds majority. A
/ clash on this point seems inevitable.
Considerable resentment is felt
against the Governor because in max
/ ing up his tentative budget he practi-
, cally ignored the joint legislative com.
mittee, as well as the State Control
+ ler's organization. Governor Whitman
has employed his own corps of assist.
ants. headed by Public Service Com.
/ missioner Charles S. Hervey and hi:
secretary, William A. Orr. At first
/ they encountered fat refusal to CO.
+ operate, until the Governors estimator.
+ displayed such effective persistence
+ that vouchers and other data were
| finally, though grudgingly, furnished.
Whitman Is Confident
In spite OF the threatened opposition
/ from his own party lawmakers, the
Governor feels confident that his plar
will succeed. The way was opened fol
his all-inclusive termination, he be.
lieves, in the passage last year of what
is now known as Chapter 1870 of the
laws Of 1916. But last years budget
contained lump sum amounts for the
legislative payroll. maintenance anC
operation Of the Senate and Assembly
and state printing, al! c. which, in the
GOverrOr'S tentative C-aft, are segre.
gated to the minutest detail.
The total amount of the executive
budget could not be ascertained to-day
but the appropriations requests com
piled by the joint budget committee Of
the Legislature total SS0.633, 749.4S, ar
increase over last years fiscal expendi
lures of S22,476,4S1. OF this amount
the personal service" item contributes
about II per cent OF the increase anC
maintenance and operation" about IA
per cent.
Much Executive Pruning
In the executive tentative budget the
requested appropriations" will be Sc.
verely pruned and pared by the Gov.
ernor. 1t will be a rock bottom esti-
mate, and the Legislature will have &c
override the Governor 70 get any in.
creases over his figures. There appears
little uncertainty about their intention
TO do that very thing. for the Legis.
lature will be considerably shocked. it
is expected. when they scrutinize Gov.
crnor Nhitman's estimate.
The Governor plans TO effect large
economies by his segregation of state
printing items. In the joint commit.
tees budget these amount to 81 800 900
and Senator Henry NJ. Sage, chairman
Of the Senate Finance Committee. be.
lieves that saving can be made to &
certain extent in that account. lie es.
Inmates that 70 per cent of the state
printing appropriation is spent on de-
partment reports and bulletins, only
about % per cent being chargeable L
legislative printing.
Governor Whitman's plan to econo
mize in printing expenditures is direct
cd against charging the state for re
ports presented to the Legislature BY
individuals and organizations ovel
which the state has no control and il
which II has not the slightest interest
lie intends TO cut such items out alto
gether and 10 apportion 10 the vari
Gus departments of the government
printing which is surely departmental
OFFICIALS BLOCK GARY PLAN