The sun., 1916-09-11
Gevernss whitman's Report to the
People.

Governor Win MANS report ITO
the voters Of the State of New YORK
10 a new departure In administration
publicity. Ills opponents will say
that II Is n campaign document, but
they will find It n mighty hard n tn
answer. We shall hear that 1t Is n
play to the gallery. but 1t happens
that the gallery consists OF more than
100000 citizens who have an oppor-
tunity on November Z to decide
whether CHARLES $. WHITMAN's ac-
count Of his stewardship In the form
Of o direct appeal to them entities
him to DO their Governor at Albany
for q second term.
Mr.. WHITMAN maintains that he
has given the people Of the State Il
practical reform administration. lie
pleads his own casc and attaches in
proof of his statement the reports
Of heads of departments and COM
missions. 1t is not to be honestly dis.
puted that, rs Governor WHITMAN
says, 'the preceding Democratic ad-
ministrations Of Governors DIX. SUI
ZEE and GLYNS had brought the
States business TO the verge OF
chaos" Has the Republican Gov
ernor recognized and re~,italizcd the
State departments and brought them
'to the highest point Of efficiency pos
sible"? Mr.. WHITMAN submits the
record to the voters. The quality Of
his appointments has generally been
excellent. Even his opponents will
have to admit that n higher class man
than Major-Generai W. W. WoTHER-
SPOON could not have been found for
Superintendent of Public Works; that
CHARLES s. WILSON of the Cornell
faculty. who was recommended by
President SCHrRMAN. was similarly
well qualified TO take charge Of the
Department Of Agriculture; that Mr..
OSCAR :. STIAUS was an admirable
appointment for Public Service Com
missioner. and that the new Tax
Commission. headed by ex-senator
MARTIN SAKE, was made up Of COM
petent men.
No Governor in recent Years has
had more difficult problems to dca,
with. Extravaganza. waste and in
competence had disorgnniZed almost
every department. Not only was the
State left In n bad financial condition
but the trail Of politics was over
every undertaking entered into. On
the n hand this administration had
to practise severe economy; on the
other hand money had To he found 10
carry on the business Of the State. and
that necessitated heroic work by the
Tax Commission. The civil service,
the Conservation Department, the
Highways Department, the Health de-
nnrtmcnt and the Prison Department
oil had to Ike r%corganizcd and re-
formed. When Governor WHITMAN
said that lie was ''hunting for heads
with brains In them he meant it. and
in most cases lie has found the right
kind of heads. When they belonged
to Democratic officials they did not
fall. but some Republican heads did.
There has been practically n clean
sweep OF useless political jobs. FL
nanCial reform In the conduct Of the
States business was a problem thar
brlstled with difficulties. but today"
the Governor tells the voters, "tte
Treasury Of the State Of New York
(Which In the first year Of the admins
tratiOn was a borrower to the extent
Of over $6.OOO,O 0 to meet It's current
obligatlons) Is now on II sound ii,an.
cial basis with ample 10
meet every dollar of liability incurred
or projected by the State in the an.
preparations OF the Legislature of
1915 and that OF 1916. or by the
Legislatures Of preceding years"
What has been accomplished Mt
Albany was due TO team work. The
Governor asks the voters whether
they want a continuation OF team
work In the service OF the State.
This Is equivalent TO asking whether
they want to go back to the days If
the Incompetent DIX. the shutting
SULzER and OF GLYNN. who Carried
water on both shoulders as best lie
could.