New-York tribune., 1921-04-19
Miller Pleased
With Work of
Legislature
Says He Considers Reduc-
ton in State Expenses
and Reorganization the
Greatest Accomplishment
737 Bills Awaiting Action
2O3 Have Been Signed and
Seven Vetoed Out of o43
Passed During Session
From a sta6 Corresporde~.


ALBANY, April 18.--Governor Miller
in his daily talk with the newspape,
correspondents hero to-day before leav'
ing for the Bolivar unveiline cere.
monies in New York City, said that he
was more than we'll satisfied with che
work of tho Legislature Of 1921. When
asked what he thought was tho biggest
accomplishment Of the lawmakers, he
said:
"The thing that place Arst is the
reduction in state expenditures and the
reorganization of the departments.
That was probably the most difficult
thing to do, and it was done, in my
Judgment, with rare discrimination"
The Governor said that another Big
thing accomplished was the enactment
OF legislation which makes for better
distribution of food supplies and con-
sequently will lower the price to the
consumer.
Port Development
THE first thing was to get = head
tor the agricultural department., a real
head, and that has been provided" said
the Governor. "Now we are in shan.
at last to develop some constructive
policies.
"The development Of the Port Of
New York II the biggest part Of any
future program Of food distribution
IN this state, Of course, because there
is where the great difficulty has been.
'Of course, until terminal costs in New
York are reduced, so far as the distr-
button problem is concerned, it means
very little. There is the big waste:
snat, OF course, is very big problem,
which we have only started ON the
road now. We have at least got an
authority to deal with it,"
Governor Miller said that he ex
pected that the Transit Commissioners
ana the Public Service Commission
ers would qualify in a day or two
and at once begin work on the biz
tasks before them.
ihe Governor observed that the pre-
eiction that the Transit Commission
IA oeaing with the New York City
traction problem, would adopt the re-
port of the Merchants Association "a
basis for its work was "premature
Asked how long it would be before
me Transit Commission would have a
plan ready, he said:
L think it is a work Of months, not
of years"
737 Bills to BE Acted Upon
ihe Governor, before the Legislature
adjourned, signed 2o3 bills which are
now law. There are now on his desk.
awaiting his signature, 737. He has
vetoed seven bills. Included in these
are some Of the more important meas
ures CT the session. There were 1905
oills INTRODUCED in both Houses, OF
@hlch s43 passed. The Governor has
until May l6 to act on the legislation
now before him. Hearings have been
asked on some of the more important
niis passed and not yet signed, or We
soed. No dates for hearings, however,
VIII be fixed for three or four days vet.
A vast number of New York CITY
nllis are TO be acted upon by Mayor
Hyian. Included among the 100 which
were passed is the Lusk measure, which
makes permanent the detective division
IN the New York City Police Depart
ment. This bill, which carries out a
plan dear to the heart Of the Mayor
and his right-hand man, Police Com
missioner Enright, is sure to receive
The Mayors signature. Among other
important New York City measures arc
the following:
The Smith bill. which authorizes the
New York City Board Of Estimate to
provide for the construction of We
hicular tunnel between Kings and Sta
ten Island.
The Downing bill, increa sing the pay
of the Mayor of New York from $l5,-
900 to $4,000. A similar increase ia
provided for the City Comptroller. The
president Of the Board Of Aldermen Ia
TO get $4,000 instead of his present
$1,000 salary.
Other Salary Bills
Several other salary increase bills
were passed. They include the Bur
!ingame measures, increasing the pay
Of members of the Police and Fire de-
partments and adding $4,000 to the
present $4,000 salary of the Fire Chief.
Provision is also made for the Great
ing OF an assistant fire chief at $4,000
and deputy chiefs for Kings and Queens
at $500.
classed with the measures may be
the McCue bill, which provides an op-
portunity for rehearinR in cases IF
police and firemen who are World War
veterans and who were removed on
charges; the Duggan measure, which
would permit members of the Police
and Fire departments who were per.
manently disabled in the World War
TO retire on pension, and the Dunni-
gan bill, which would authorize the
tire Commissioner to appoint marine
engineers who have been members of
the civil force of the departme for
more than ten years to the uniformed
force.