Evening journal., 1919-07-19
Marey Says Dela,ua,e
Has Chance TO Become
First Model State

81 wish I had the power 70 make you
zee the possibilities Of State admins
ration in Delaware. II were eloquent
{ would paint you a picture Of State
government in Delaware as II might be.
can YOU think Of a state where H.
iteracy has been abolished; where pub
lice health has been completely safe
guarded where crime is scientifically
controlled where poverty has been
made unnecessary; where the ex-
ploitstion of labor has ceased; where
agriculture has been stimulated 10 the
peak of scientific production and man
agement. where suitable means Of
transportation and intercommunication
have been provided where extrava-
eance. waste and corruption, the by
products Of petty politics. have been
eliminated II you can imagine an of
these things YOU have some conception
Of what State government in Delaware
mieht be
This is not a Utopisn vision. but an
immediate possibility for Delaware be
cause n the unique opportunity which
now exists. Delaware is a small state.
and because of that very smaIlness
ought 10 be able to organize for action
more readily and more effectively than
a state OF large area and enormous and
diverse population. Again, the re-
sources Of Delaware are great in pro-
portion 10 her size and population. Tha
soil is fertile. the climate is mild She
occupies a seaboard position within
easy reach Of the large centers Of
population For these reasons her in
dustrial and commercial future must
he a great one. Delaware will always
be a wealthy State in proportion 10
her size and population
With these advantages there is no
reason why Delaware canot he a model
state; tho first State In more than
q mere chronological sense and I be
lieve that the reorganization OF the
state administrative system is the FIRST
indispensable step that must be taken
I'm order 10 achieve for Delaware this
priority which Is so much 10 be de-
sired"
Chester c. Maxey, of the New York
Bureau Of Municipal Research. closed
his addrdess upon The Problem Of Re
constructing State Administration" at
iAe Delaware College summer school
on Wednesday with the above prophecy
Of Delavare's future. 10 was a prophecy
which seemed easily within the range
OF prompt realization 20 those who had
listened 10 The speakers description Of
the progress other States have made
within the past few years.
Mr.. MaNey opened his address with a
review evolution OF State gov
ernment iL -lis country since colonial
days, when the colonial governor was
an appoiniee Of the King of England
Tracing the changes 70 1890, the speak
or said that about that period the char
acter OF our civilization began 10
change. about then began the notice
able DRIFT of population 10 the cities
and the rapid rise Of our Industries and
tho development Of industrial life As
o result Of those changes the demands
which the peOple-begau 10 make upon
the administrative agencies Of state
governments surpassed anything that
ever had been dreamed ~ u become
common practice 10 create boards and
commissions TO administer each new
service required OF ihe state. 10 was
thought that the board system had
peculiar virtues. because 10 was thought
that the Judgment of several men
weuid he sounder--than that Of one
person. and that the several members
of each hoard would act as checks upon
ono another
So between 1870 and 1910. roughly
speaking. there was an enormous mul-
iiplicstion IN the number Of boards and
commissions created hy State Legisla--
iures. As a result Of This movement
the ADMINISTRATION Of state govern
menis was dlsintegraied and the re
sponsihility Of the work NJ the gov
arnmentwas completely dissirated Con
iinuine Mr.. Maxey said.
a few years ago people began to
realize that something was wrong in
our system of state administration.
hat while we had numerous agencies
md boards and commissions. they were
not functioning as they ought and that
The expenses Of government were
mounting at an amazing rate In many
States commissions we've created TO
make studies Of the problems Of ef- /
1ciency and economy and 10 make |
looking toward ]
changes which would increase the ef- /
1ciency and economy Of The State ad- (
There have been a large ]
number Of such reports, and 7 shall 4
not attempt 10 enumerate all Of them. /
\ few Of the moro conspicuous ones /
ought 10 be mentioned. however.
zone Of the earlles, end most i'm |
Dortani was the report n the efficiency |
md economy commission Of Minnesota |
N 1913 This report recommended that /
he agencies m sta's administration /
70 consolidated into a few major de- /
'artments. the heads of which would 1
,e Immediately responsible to the gov /
'rnor The constitutional Offices were /
rot 20 be modified and a few special |
functions were left 10 he performed by /
outside agencies. The report Of the /
commission on efficiency and economy !