The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-03-21

The Governors policy does not stop
with jerking up the city administrations
on the msmanagement of the public
utility issues. 1t IL TO extend into many
other phases OF the city administrations
Under the extended terms Of the
Moreland act, to be amended shortly the
Governor will have ample authority TO
make Investigations upon his own initia-
tive into every phase OF governmental
mismanagement in city and country.
Those who have come to comprehend
how the Governor works are beginning
now TO understand what this extension
of the Moreand act means. When the
legislative session is out of the way
and the first chapter OF his administra-
ton programme completed, the Governor
will turn his attention to many pnases
of municipal government. He will not
start on graft hunting expedition. His
purpose Will be constructive. He is go
ing to find out how the public can be
protected from the misuses of municipal
authority " such a thing is possible,
and present constructive programme
to help improve conditions.
Before the next Legislature convenes
the Governor will have perfected a con-
structive policy for both State and cities
which may be expected to stand both on
their heads. He will devote months 70
I
OF 1921 will be only the first step in
rehabilitating the machinery OF govern
ment which had fallen into such a sad
condition.
The little armies OF office seekers who
gathered in every county In the State
on January ! last are now beginning
to dispense. They are getting hungry
waiting. They we're told for weeks to sit
tight; that everything would be all right
| - Il "A
that II did not mean anything They
are becoming rapidly disillusioned.
! Not only has the wave not subsidized,
but it is growing higher. The county
organizations have been unable to make
good their promises OF patronage pap.
They have been unable even to retain IN
office the hundreds Of good fellows who
have come to regard their attachment
to the State payroll as an inherent right
with which the State must not interfere.
The budget bills. cutting out 1900 use
less jobs and reducing the tentative
budget figures from s205.000 900 to
1886. 0000 900. will be before the Legisla-
ture this week. There is no doubt 1t will
be passed. The professionals may cry in
protest but they will have to take It, in
the opinion Of the leaders here. To the
faithful workers this budget Is an incom-
prehensible thing. 1t Is there, and yet
they don't believe 1T is true.
In this respect also. the reductions
made are only beginning. As soon as
the rush is over and the Governor and
his investigators have time to get down
to hard routine work, they will begin
working out the new budget in its appli-
cation to State officers and economy. and
before the next session il is expected far
greater economies will be made.
The big features of the Governors
legislative programme now pending in
clude his transit bill, which has passed
the Senate and will pass the Assembly
this week; the reorganization Of the
State Industrial Commission, with the
elimination of much waste. which has
passed the Assembly; the prohibition en-
forcement bills which make the Federal
Of the State behind strict enforcement
of the state behind strict enforcement.
the consolidation and reorganization Of
the entire tax collecting agencies of the
State into one office and the ending OF
the duplication OF efforts by four de-
partments and the numerous smaller
dealings with specific defects.
The State organization leaders are
laying low They don't know just what
10 make Of it. They admit that the Gov
ernor is the unqlestioncd leader Of his
party, having asserted his leadership in
less than three months. There is no sign
Of revolt anywhere on the surface, al
though many OF the old leaders admit
frankly they do not like the way things
are going and fear for the political con-
sequences.