New-York tribune., 1920-10-28
Miller Charges
Smith Broke
Public Pledges
Promised to Reduce State
Expenses, but They Rose
From 100000 to
Sl42, 600, 900, He Saws
Will Vote for the Bonus
Declares N. Y. City Transit
Has Gone From Bad to
Worse Under Commission

Judge Nathan L. Miller told six au-
diences in Queens County last night
that if he is elected Governor he will
not be going around the state two
years hence making excuses for non
performance Of campaign promises, as
Governor Smith is now doing.
The Republican candidate cited the
fact that the Governor promised to re-
duce the expenses of government. vet
the cost of admin straton under him
had mounted from s9O,0O0,Oo0 to s142,-
100000 year; that he had promised
to remedy the traction situation, only
to see it deterioratc and disintegrate
and grow more costly to the travelling
public under his Public Service Com,
mission.
Judge Miller also charged that the
Governor had failed in his promises tc
make milk cheaper and had stopped
talking milk, and in its stead talked
mpossiblllties about bringing back
light wine and beer.
And Governor Smith," said Judge
Miller, "promised the workingmen anc
women of the state that he would re.
organize the Industrial Commission
and put an end to the great delays ir
the settlement Of claims of injured
workingmen and the widows and
orphans of workingmen killed in the
course of their days labor The de-
lays are greater than ever but the
Governor does not talk about them
He only talks about having abolished
dlrect settlements, which is a matter
OF relative unimpOrtance
Judge Miller also discussed the sol
diers' bonus, saying that was a ques-
tion for each voter to settle according
to his conscience and intelligence
adding:
81 do not presume to advise you tc
vote, but | have no hesitation in say
ing that personally l shall vote for the
bonus
Talking about the transit situation
here, Judge Miller referred to Gov
ernor Smiths declaration two years
ago that the Governor was responsible
for the transit problem in this city in
asmuch as it was under the control of
his appointees on the Public Service
Commission. The judge added:
And he asked the Legislature, after
he took Office, to- give him a new com
mission, reorganized after his sugges-
tions, and that he would assume the
responsibility. The Legislature took
him at his word. And your transporta
tlon since then has grown from bad to
worse. Now he says municipal owner
ship is the cure. Has he learned that
since 1918, or did he promise some
thing then which he knew he could not
perform ?"
Answering the Governors charge
that he was for increased fares, Judge
Miller challenged the Governor to
show anything in his campaign utter
ances to support his charge.
"The fact is" continued Judge Miller
chat in every address | have made on
the subject | have asserted that | am
not sufficiently possessed of the facts
to decide that question. But Governor
Smiths Public Service Commissioner
is for increased fares. He has insisted
that increased fares are necessary."
Judge Miller. in the course Of his
talk on transit, made the following
statement concerning transit corpora
tions:
"While do not profess to know
everything, as the Governor does
do know that as matter OF
law the public is not required to pay
returns upon watercd stock. The
days Of watered stock in public utilities
are over. The days when the public
shall be required to pay returns upon
anything except the actual property
used in their service are over"
Judge Miller's speeches in Queens
last nirht were at the Richmond Hin
High School, the Jamaica |Trairing
Scnool, the Flushing High School. the
Newtown High School and the Astoria
High School. At noon ke addressed a
large gathering Of Nyack citizens in the
Nyack Theater