New-York tribune., 1922-06-07
Home Rule Up
TO Legislature,
Says Governor

/
complicated by the fact that IL is
f sometimes possible 20 gain temporary
success by the failure 10 deal With
these problems upon their merits
Now. that situation. which there ~
F no use o. blinking, should nevertheless
/ not cause discouragement II should
cause rcdoubled effort redouhled effort
10 combat misinformation by truth,
20 combat appeals 90 prejudice. %
+ combat false promises by nctual per.
formanee. % remove. n ne can. the
I seeds OF that sort OF trouble By edu.
eating the new comerr to our shores;
/ and 10 requires greatest patience. the
I greatest sympathy the greatest under
standing and the greatest persistence
70 teach these people American Gus
toms and the blessings 20 be derived
under Americas free institutions.
Human Needs Complicate Problem
Your problem o. municipal gov
/ srnmenf is complicated further by the
/ fact that IN the growing compleViiy o.
our great centers Of activity human
needs are Increasing. social needs. eco
| monte needs arc Increasing faster than
you can provide for them. You are
/ confronted Vith the problem OF how %
+ caro- Tor ail of the great public inn
/ nrovemcnts that you need. and keep
within your constitutional debt limit.
We have a. the top the great OK
nenscs of the Federal government, *
/ pensss made necessary by the var,
which our people will have 10 bear for
I wears 20 come, and that presents
great problem Of how more oquitably
TO distribute that great tax burden.
"lt is interesting 10 observe apropos
NJ this subject which you have assigned
. 20 mc-ihc state and the municipalities
that the expense Of tho city govern
mcnt. 20 far a. a direct burden upon
real estate is concerned really becomes
negligible. and another thing ] want
10 call your attention 10 Is that ;he
tate not only IN some ways is reliev-
ing the municipalities Of municipal
burdens but is also directly putting into
YOUR municipal treasures moneys from
taxation and moneys directly 20 aid in
'hc support % local activities. For ex-
ample. the only direct taxes that are
levied are the taxes Of twelve and a
/ half millions and tho additional seven
millions One half of the increase was
voted by the Legislature when they I'M
posed the mill and q half taxation for
teachers wages. Only q half mill 81
that is now levied directly. tho rest is
paid out OF the other revenues OF the
state. so that the state is only receiv-
. ing from the localities in direct taxes
something like si9.00O.000. IL paid back
10 the localities last year as their share
of the various indirect state taxes, the
income tax. the business tax the motor
vehicle tax and the mortgage tax and
for education. the support OF the COM
mon schools and for several other
smaller items, the gross sum Of nearly
SS1. .o00 000.'
Must Divide Revenue Further
Governor Miller said there was a
growing necessity on the part Of the
state 10 divide its revenue still more
with the localities. The state, he said,
already cared for the insane and partly
cared for the feeble minded. The next
step would be 20 take full care OF the
fccble-m'nd
at is human for people 70 love
power" said the Governor. "and 20
abuse power when 10 IS possessed.
Those who have II want more OF II.
There is constant attrition from either
side-0f one az further usurpation and
from the other to retain what really
belongs 10 H. One Of the great ques-
tions Of the day is the proper extent OF
the usurnatiOn o. Federal upon state
powers. and the same thing has gone
on as between state ard local govern
mcuts. u not only is true. as Senator
Toibert faid. that tho love FOR home
rule rs n the blood Of the people. but
10 will be a very sorry day FOR the Re
public when the desire for self-gov-
crnment ceases 10 be in the blood Of
our people"
Referring % the state control Of
public utilities. the Governor said:
81 probably should not satisfy ny
friend O'Br.en. whom ! see sitting IN
front or me- u did not mention tne
regulation o. Public Utilities. That IS
state concern. II must be state
concern because 10 involves the exer-
else o. police power Of the state. which
the Legislature hasn't the power 10
surrender II 10 would. - may dele
gate power % some agency of the state,
whether ~ the municipality or not.
10 is still a state function. inhering
In the state. and only can be exercised
as state function. | want % ask you
mayors 20 reflect upon the ease YOU
would be in - n commission of your
select ION was 70 decide a. between the
public on the one hand OF you, cities
and the public utilities on the other
hand az % what was a proper rate o.
charge and proper service 10 render.
I Am quite sure that u you once under
took that function you would be
mighty glad. and in a very short time,
20 unload 10 back upon the state"
The Governor said that perhaps the
best scheme OF laws to-day are those
possessed by the second class city
charters. but this form Of charters was
+ limited on account Of the difficulty in
obtaining the right kind Of local leg
islative body. He gave - As his opin-
ion that one of the most pressing
things was 20 strengthen the local leg
islative bodies.
Former Mayor Cornelius T. Burns.
OF Troy. chairman % the conference
hydroeiectric committee, surprised ne
gathering by praising Governor MI
ier's power development policy IN ms
report. submitted to-day. w. Burns u
a Democrat and a receptive candidate
for Governor
others Who oppose Governor Millers
power development plans. said Mayor
Burns. following MS address. "is tna;
thev have not taken time 20 investigate
the subject. They are ignorant o. Vha'
the new law really provides. IL may
be tnat supplemental legislation ~i4i
be needed 70 produce desired results
but the present law is Big step IN me
right direction. and should have the
support 81 al the cities
In his address he said:
The statute known A. the Robinson
bill on the surface provides ior nydro-
electric development By the state only
along the barge canal property oet
detailed ANALYSIS reveals that the plans