The New York herald., 1921-01-07
|LYONSLEADS FIGHT
OF OFFICEHOLDERS
ON MHLER'S CUTS
Secretary of State Says Gov
ernOr Must Show Him
Where Economy Lies.
POLITICIANS PROTEST
Propaganda Being Worked
Up Quietly to Nullify Re-
trenchment Plans.
SLASHING WORK STARTS
Lusk and Machold Outline
Bills to Insure Saving Mill
ions in State Expenses.
SLASHING WORK STARTS
Srecidf Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, Jan. G.

Speciol Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald bureau,
Albany, Jan. 8.
The legislative leaders began to-day
the practical work Of carrying out
Gov. Miller's recommendations for a
series OF reforms that will make over
the State government. Senator Lusk
and Speaker Machold. representing
the two houses, conferred with the
bill drafting commission and outlined
the measures that will be proposed.
These bills are to be drawn and hur-
ried through the Legislature as
quickly as possible,
There are no signs of serious break
OF the Republican majorities, but the
office holders and politicians are be-
ginning to protest and they quietly
are working up their propaganda of
! opposition.
John J. Lyons Secretary of State, is
the first openly to talk fight He gave
notice that he would oppose giving UP
control of the automobile tax, which
the Governor purposes to put into a
single headed tax bureau.
LyOns's Missouri Attitude.
They viii have to show me where
the economy lies in transferring the
automobile tax to a new department" /"
Mr.. Lyons said IT will relinquisf,
the bureau IL 1t is for. the financial
<.A - A1 C&ofa A..f ic-
I am going to keep 1t IL can and IL
they take it away from me they will
find a fighting Irishman on Capitol
HILL"
The heads of several departments pro-
tested against the Governors recon-
mendation that there be no salary in
creases or new positions created
Even after their first hasty survey
of the State administration in the light
of the Governors constructive critisicm
the leaders said they would not expe-
rience any great difficulty in cutting
at least SEQ 900 900 from the budget and
bringing the appropriations down to
the sli0,00o.000 maximum laid down.
Speaker Machold said this could be
accomplished without loss of service
or ending of any of the States actlvi-
| ties, but that no new activities could
| be started.
1t was pointed out that the State
payroll for personal service had more
than doubled in the last ten years
In 1911 there were In the State SER
vice, 1908 persons and the personal
service item was s13,020.S99 Now 21,0a9
employees are on the State payroll.
which amounts to SIS. .42l,196. The per-
sonal service item in the budget asked
for next year is $3,79S,9S1. Speaker
Machold said that in 1918 the State
started a lot of new activities in order
to give employment to returned soldiers.
In the State Excise Department, which
Is Republican, are thirty employees
whose salaries total s10076o. The Gov
ernor purposes to wipe out this depart
ment completely. Herbert S. Sisson. a
Republican leader in Buffalo, whose
salary is $780, will go. Others in this
bureau are Jay Farrier, deputy, at
IS. 900; Charles v. Platt. deputy. at $4,000;
Harry b. Saunders, counsel, $500. and
Fred Bishop. auditor. $500.
Consolidation of the six tax collect
ing agencies will mean the loss OF many
fine Jobs. Michael j. Walsh. Demo-