The New York herald., 1921-01-10
MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1921.
New York Behind the Governor.

AS far as Governor MILLER wants
to go with his programme of rigorous
economy and sound business manage
nent for the State Government this
newspaper will back him up to the
limit. 1t is just as well also to serve
notice on the hatchers Of intrigue who
would bedevil his plans that the pub
lie can feel no sympathy with such pot
house politics. 1t will have no use
for anybody who tries to thwart Gov
ernor MILLER and the legislative lead
ers who are committed to the rescue
of the State from squander, debt and
bankruptcy.
The politicians, the office holders,
the contractors-any of the spenders
of the public's money who propose to
fight Governor MILLER's programme
of consolidating duplicated commits
sions, eliminating needless offices and
abolishing useless salaries-do not pro-
pose merely to make war on him.
They propose to make war on the
. Republican voters of New York who
are soidly behind the Governor on
that question. They propose to make
war on all the voters Of all the par
ties of New York who are solidly be-
hind him on that question.
Such an undertaking as that is al
together too large for the professional
political gentry to get away with.
Nobody is big enough or able enough
to flaunt and fight the whole State of
New York. This is what present ir-
reconcilables like Mr.. LYONS, the new
Secretary Of State, need to remember
and will be made to remember Sec
retary LYONS is quoted as declaring
that "unless there is a decided benefit
I'm taking automobile tax collections
out Of the State Department" where
they do not belong, and putting them
in single tax agency, where they do
belong, the Governor "will find
fighting Irishman on Capitol HILL"
If Secretary LYONS gave out that
challenge and means 1t, then 1t is in
order for him to discover what the
proper functions Of his office are and
always have been--certain'y not col
lecting taxes. 1t Is in order for him
to discover as well that it is his
proper business to search his own de-
partment high and low for every
chance to tighten the burdens of the
Taxpayers and save the credit of the
State. 1t Is his proper business to
stand with the Governor, not against
him, In the Chief Executives efforts
TO chop out dead wood, reduce the
cost Of government and improve the
public service.
Governor MILLER wants to save a
million dollars n year in the coilec-
tion Of taxes. If Secretary LYONS does
not agree with that aim the voters
will teach him to agree with 1t the
next time he goes 70 the polls. Gov
ernor MILLER wants to save half q
million dollars year out Of wasteful
piihtihS. II DtNAtldlg AlONS uOts
not agree with that aim he viii get the
$ chance to learn to agree with It from
the same public. Governor MILLER
wants to save a million dollars a year
In the Industrial Commission, more
than million In the physical and
military training departments, and
still other millions now thrown away
in useless vocational experiments and
the obsolete bureaus of the Superin-
tendent Of Elections, the Port Ward
ems, the Health officer Of the Port Of
New York. and so on. IL any depart
ment chief does not agree with that
aim he Will be entitled to the same
electoral education from the voters Of
New York State.
Either the electoral department
heads have gone into the new admin.
istration TO help Governor MILLER
save every dollar that can be saved,
wherever Il can be saved and In any
way II can be saved, or they have
gone there to be shot full of holes by
the voters Of this State who. regard
less Of party lines, stand at his back.