New-York tribune., 1916-01-03
Whitman and Sage Plans
Will Fight 1t Out in
the Legislature.
SHORT AND BRISK
SESSION PLANNED
Early National Conventions to
Spur States Lawmakers, Who
Meet Wednesday.

From a star Correspondent ~ Tho Tribune
Albary, San. .. With the question
Of finance as the headliner, the Lcgis-
laturc will meet on Wednesday with
moro than the usual good intentions
of mailing the session a short and
snappy one. The holding of the ma
tonal conventions in June may serve
to accelerate the work of the legisla-
tors and there are rather definite in
dications that there will be no lack Of
vim once the lawmakers get started
Whether the session will be short
will depend to a large extent on the
speed with which the many financial
measures are disposed Of 1t is true
that the question OF reapportionment
will also come up. but few believe that
this will cause more than ripple save
among the politicians.
Aim at City Tax Relief.
Briefly. the financial legislation that
viii come up is:
The adoption Of a stete budget sys-
I tenn.
Measures designed 70 relieve New
! York City Of part Of it, tax burden.
Recommendations Of the Mills COM
mittee for increasing the revenue or
/ the state.
Changing the fiscal year Of the
state.
I The adoption Of state budget, from
present indications. viii not be accom-
/ pli shed without a lively conflict be-
tween the Governor and the Legls-
n
working for some months on budget
all his own. while Senator Sage, chair
man Of the Finance Committee, has
been engaged IN a similar task.
The Governor has had the assist
ance of Charles Heryey. Controller
i Prendergasts assistant. and practical
I ~ has ignored Controller Travis. Sen
ator Sage has taken counsel with the
I Controller in formulating his system.
It doesn't take much thought 10 pre-
d CT what will follow the introduction
+ Of these rival budgets, but after the
smoke Of the battle has cleared away
IL will 10 doubt be found that a com
promise has been effected. This is the
way legislators usually do things. al
though occasionally they break tradi-
tions.
The measures designed to relieve
New York City may be divided into
/ two classes one composed Of meas
ures initiated by the city and the other
/ of measures originating with members
J Of the Legislature The former will
70 large extent provide for a greater
participation by the city in the distri-
/ button Of state funds. II will also
1 comprise bills that will provide for
more economy. such as the measure
consolidating all inspection bureaus
+ into one department.
Brown Opposed to Change.
The other class will be legislation in
/ troduced in Difference to the recon
mendations of the committee Of which
Senator Brown, the majority leader, IS
the head. Senator Brown has frankly
said that he will not agree to any
changes in the present methods of dis
posing Of the states funds. He has
made it apparent. however. that he pur-
poses TO foster legislation which will
give the officials of the city control
over the salaries Of all city employees,
but before going even that far he pro-
poses 20 submit to q referendum vote
the question Of whether the citizens OF
( New York City want this power lodged
in their officials. Al least, that is his
present plan.
The recommendation Of the Mills
committee are awaited with interest
because it, is not improbable that there
will be many reports submitted, due 20
the diversity of opinion among the
members Of the committee. What prob
ably will be known as the majority re-
port will. among other things, it is be-
lieved, recommend a state income tax
Changing the fiscal year of the state
is sort Of old friend. but the agita-
d. .ion for it .has grown so strong of late
that something of a concrete nature
may be accomplished. II is said to be
Governor Whitman's plan to make the
fiscal year end on June 30. II now ends
on September 30
J The rumored breach between Gov,