The New York herald., 1920-12-28
TUESDAY. DECEMBER 2s, 1920.
Cut State Spendings by Millions.


In four days the new Governor and
the new Legislature of New York will
tackle the job of trying to save money
Tor the people of this State. Mr..
MILLER is determined that it shall be
saved by tens of millions of dollars.
Senator SAGE, who has been head of
the Budget Committee, but is retiring
10 the distinct loss of the public SER
vice, says it can and must be saved.
This ought to mean that it will be
saved. The question then, is whete
end how.
The various departments Of the
State Government have asked for ap-
propria tions to cover regular dis
bursements just short of S202, 600, 900.
But this does not include S4,000,00D
TO set the soldier bonus in motion. II
does not include S20,000,000 which
the Superintendent Of Public Works
submits without specific recommenda-
tion. If these latter sums are taken
into account the total appropriations
wanted and requested reach the
colossal figure of some S226,000,000.
This estimate is SS0,000000 more
than was appropriated for this year.
When we look at the details of these
estimates we see what is the princi-
pal trouble. 1t is that the actual
cost Of operating the State Govern
ment, as a factory manager would
put 1t, is almost incredibly overbal-
anced by the spendings which go into
what might be called in business the
States incessant outlay in equipment,
extension and betterment.
~ While the estimates for personal
service-direct operation-are $685.
7TS,00O, which is $5,377 300 up from
last time, and while the estimates for
maintenance and operations are $67,-
100000, nearly 100000 up from
last time, the estimates for construc-
tion are SOL 100000, which is up $34,-
6S1,0O0 from last time, and for high
ways and bridges S24, $50, 900, which
is up S6,S6S,000, and for debt service
$13, 100000.
If we include 100000 for the
bonus and the $20O00.0O0 additionally
submitted by the Superintendent Of
Public Works we then have going
into building things maintaining
things already built, and paying on
debts accumulated by previously
building things. six times as much as
into the personal management of the
public's business.
In the heroic financial amputation
demanded by the taxpayers Of New
York perhaps as good a way as any
Is to begin by fixing a maximum sum
TO be appropriated which will not be
exceeded In any event For the sake
Of argument, say that instead of the
S226,O00,000 requested, recommended
and suggested it is $4,000 900, be-
yond which the Legislature positively
will not bulge.
This might mean cleaning up every
bureau and commission that could
legally be thrown into some other
department or branch Of a depart
ment 1t could not very well mean
reducing salaries of good and neces-
sary workers. but 1t ought to mean
getting rid of thousands Of useless
office holders entirely. 1t ought to
mean putting ban on the addition Of
more names on the payrolls when
those already on can be made to do
more work. 1t might mean taking
hundreds OF thousands of dollars out
OF the State Department estimates,
which are up by $S50O00 for public
printing alone; hundreds of thou
sands of dollars out Of estimates for
new Jobs in prisons, which are up not
far from O million dollars; out Of
new salary and maintenance costs OF
the hospitals, which are up more than
three million dollars; charitable In
stitutions, which are up more than
enc and n half million dollars; Dc
partment of Health, which are up
nearly one million dollars Industrial
Commission, which are up nearly
S325,000; the Council of Farms aud
Markets, Division Of Agriculture, up
S650,000; the College Of Agriculture
and Veterinary College at Cornell, up
together more than three-quarters Of
million; State Fair Commission up
one and a quarter million, &c.
But when all Is said and done this
is talking merely in terms OF millions
when the imperative need Is acting
IN terms of tens Of millions. The
great. big, all sufficient stoppage- Of
expenditure can be done only by
slashing the prodigious estimates for
new construction, even maintenance
OF existing construction.
When. rapidly growing business