The New York herald., 1921-01-06

preparation which the State will ulti-
mately have TO make as its share of
said construction.
That invites attention to what appears
TO me to be a pernicious custom. The
habit of authorizing projects and making
a small Initial appropriation 10 start
them has grown until the States rev.
enues are mortgaged as aforesaid. 1t is
true that that enables more projects to
be started. II is also true that many
projects involve "a larger appropriation
than possibly can be spent In a single
year. II is also true that that method
leads TO extravaganza and creates situa-
tions like that now confronting us. Many
projects are thus undertaken without
accurate knowledge of the ultimate cost.
where with such knowledge they would
not be undertaken at all, or If under
taken they would be submitted to the
people for the approval of bond issue
and would not be financed out of current
revenue.
Tunnel Project Typical.
The tunnel project is typical. 1t was
started by small appropriation upon
gross underestimate of cost According
to present estimates 1t will cost the
State nearly double the amount re-
quested this year. The cost of construc-
ton is to be repaid from tolls. 1t was
peculiarly a case for submission to the
people after a careful estimate OF cost.
and If il had been necessary to appro-
pirate in a single year the full amount
required It would have been undertaken
in no other way. True, the Constitution
permits but a single proposal to issue
bonds to be submitted at one time. But
that limitation was doubtless intended
as a check upon eXtravagant debt max
ing, and I am far from thinking that 1t
is uilwise.
Before any project is undertaken it
should be necessary to count the cost
and to provide for it's financing. I'm
doubtedly that may delay some projects
and prevent others from being under
taken. but 1t will also prevent bank
ruptcy. We must now finish the projects
to which the State has thus been COM
mitted, and the demands upon the Treas
ury make 1t imperative that only such
amounts be appropriated therefor this
year as can economically be spent dur
ing the year. I earnestly recommend
that no new authorizations be made
unless provision for financing them be
made at the same time. That may pre-
vent undertakings which seem desirable.
but no purpose however desirable. can
justify resort to expedients which are
sure to entail train of evil conse-
quences.
Apart from the budget requests, the
Superintendent of Public Works has
submitted items totalling $20.375,500 for
bridges over the canals which have been
condemned. for completing the canal ter
minals and for canal damage claims.
These are matters which may appro-
priately be submitted to the people in a
single proposal. They all involve a capi-
tai outlay in connection with the COM
pletion OF the canal. They are proper
subjects for bond issue and should not
be financed out Of current revenues.
The State now has so much embarked
in the canal enterprise that 1t must
complete it, to the end that its maxi
mum of usefulness may be developed or
at least demonstrated as speedily as
possible. The estimates for terminals
upon which the last proposal was sub
mitted to the people fell short of re-
quirements because of unanticipated in
creases in cost 1t should now be pos
sible accurately to estimate the cost of
completion. I recommend that such es-
innate be made and that proposal
based thereon be submitted to the people
at the next election.
Returning now to the budget, ii will
be useful to note the principal increases
requested not already adverted to- They
may be classified as follows: