New-York tribune., 1921-01-06

down certain general rules. which must
be adhered to if we are to accomplish
our task.
IL. No new positions should be Gre
ated; instead, l trust we shall find
many to abolish.
"2. There should be no salary in
creases. Large increases were made
last year and the economic trend
should make further increases
this year unnecessary.
"Thost two rules should eliminate
the requested increase for personal
service.
"3. The authorized construction
projects should be completed before
new ones are undertaken.
THAT should eliminate the increases
requested for construction. Indeed, it
would be impossible for the state
economically to eXpend in a single year
anything like as much for construction
as has been requested.
-. Appropriations for maintenance
should be based on the present trend
of prices instead of the high prices
prevailing when the requests were for
mulated.
"That should result in the elimina-
tion Of that increase and in some re-
ductions.
as A careful study should be made
Of the available highway funds and
Of the most businesslike and economi-
cal way of utilizing them. There are
already available more funds than can
possibly be spent this year. 1t will be
necessary to appropriate S4,727, ,117.15
to meet the Federal aid apportionment
Of like amount, which will otherwise
lapse on July /, 1921. That will give
an additional sum of 50 9454, ,234.30.
With proper amendment of the
statute, some of those funds may be
made available for the reconstruction
of existing highways which are now
being reconstructed out Of current
revenues from appropriations for main
tenance and reconstruction. Main
tenance proper and reconstruction
should be distinct. I understand that
there are many highways which will
rapidly disintegrate if not soon recon-
amendment be made to the highway law
as will permit the use of those avail
able funds, other than the bond funds,
for that purpose. That will obviate an
increase and make possible a reduction
in the annual appropriation for recon
struction and maintenance. Indeed, it
will make it possible to limit that ap-
proriation, as it should be limited, to
maintenance proper.
"The foregoing disposes of all the
increases requested except that for de-
hciencies, as to which a special word
should be said.
"The total requests for deficiencies
amount to $9,7O5, ,45398, of which ST.
o77.oee.es is charged to the DEPART
ments and $2,627 ,487.35 is institutional.
Department Heads Must
Keep Within Appropriations
There may be some excuse for in
stitutional deficiencies, especially un-
der the highly segregated appropria-
ton plan. But there appears to me
TO be no excuse what tcver for actual
operating departmental deficiencies. 1t
is the business of the head of a de-
partment to run it within the appro-
priation, but the practice appears to
be too common to use up the appro-
priation the first half of the year, ex-
pccting the Legislature to supply the
deficiency to run the department the
last part Of the year rather than close
it down. I recommend that that ex-
pectation be disappointed this year,
and if that course should result in
stopping some activities it may afford
us practical demonstration of how
we'll the state can get along without
them.
"Of course, the foregoing observa-
tions do not apply to contingencies
that could not have been foreseen,
such as judgments and other contin-
gencies. A department has no legal
rieht to incur an indebtedness with
out an appropriation and no moral
right to use up it's appropriation the
first part of the year, thus mortgag
ing next years revenues to supply the
deficiency.
"The Legislature should not author
ize the creation of an Indebtedness
without providing the revenues there
tor. and department heads must run
their departments within their appro
priations. A rigid adherence to those
rules will alone prevent the derange.
ment Of our finances, such as now
:onfronts US. and a departure there
IRON. by a department. head will be
sonsldered by me ground for removal.
1t Is fair to say that Of the deflcien-