The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-10-15


II was the exposition of this theory
of government and his arraignment Oh
the kind of socialistic paternalism that
he considers Mr.. Smith to favor that
made his address here tonight espe-
cially interesting.
The high function of the State was
40 give every citizen equality OF oppor-
tunity a square deal, said the Governor
and not TO attempt to do those things
that are best done by the citizen him.
self
.vThe campaign is now well under way
and already my adversary is exhibiting
evidences of being peeved' the Governor
began. Last night he descended to per-
sonalities | had thought this campaign
might be conducted without engaging III
personalities. Certainly / shall not can
Mr. Smith names or undertake TO as
credit the nature and characteristics
of his mind or personal qualities.
s. His Motives Not ImpuGned.
He says 1 called him -libi AL
did nothing of the kind. l did say that
ht, had undertaken to use e program
Of REORGANIZATION of the State govern
n,ent by constitutional amendment as an
abb for non-performance; but some one
else. not /. dubbed him 'Alibi Al nave
NOT called him any names. have not
iropugned his motives and shall not L
propose to stick to the record anu 10
continue to appeal not to preJuolce OF
passion or i'll feeling. but to the intein-
aence of the people. 1t is this lntelh-
garce am attempting to inform by
giving them an account OF theS state
government"
Chara cterizing the Smith administra-
t,on as ''the most extravaganza IN the
history of the State the Governor con-
tinued that his predecessor unaeftook
the task of making the machinery .,
government function when ne auIhilteo
that he could not succeed unless eiie
,eonle gave him new machinery Whicn
would take at least three- years IVY oi'0
the term of office.
400 he now suggests that we chanse
+hat subject and he asks me TO TAX
about welfare" said Gov. Miller. anu
saws that / am a reactionary, that my
training and education has put me IN
the school which believes that the Collar
"a above personal rights. Well, nave
never gone about the state p oasA.'.e
about my origin, but I do not think that
brother Smith ought to reflect upon II
because 1 claim that it is just as good
as his. 49,, "a,
IT think II he could see the little hill
side farm in Scion, where was born, he
would think II didn't have anything on
the Fulton Fish Market, where he claims
10 have had his early education. sui
apropos of this charge OF putting tne
dollar above personal rights. he mace
II in connection with the discussion OF
the Knight statute for women, which he
takes the credit for having had passed
as indeed he takes the credit for every
niece of factory and labor and so called
social welfare legislation ever enacted
I'm the history OF the state.
Protection of Motherhood.
"It so happens that the Knight statute
was before the Court of Appeals when
1 was a member of II and that 1 par
tlcipated in decision of that court hold
Ing that property rights were not above
personal rights. that the powers of the
State to protect motherhood gave the
Legislature the power to pass that act
Notwithstanding the fact that an earlier
decision of the Court of Appeals some
years before had been to the contrary.
The fact is that there has been great
deal of trap talk about property rights
and rights of persons. The truth Is that
property rights are but one of the rights
of persons protected by the Constitution.
All are allkG eDIllleu TO ludl PtOlttAlpllf
and / have recently had an occasion to
assert most emphatically that all were
subordinate to the general welfare.
THE most drastic. the most effective
and workable statute ever passed in this
State in the exercise Of the police power
10 subordinate contract rights and prop
erty rights TO the general welfare was
the statute passed at the extraordinary
session recently held TO prevent gouging,
profteering and hoarding OF fuel and TO
assure to every one a fair share at rea-
sonable price Of the available supply.
Having confessed that economy was
the important issue I'm the campaign.
having then undertaken to switch that
issue TO the question OF amending the
Constitution, he now seeks to drop that
subject and as ] said. asks me to talk
about welfare. Whilst I do not intend
10 drop the real issue Of the campaign,
which involves the welfare of the people,
] am going TO accommodate him to-
night and discuss the subject of welfare.
and first OF all II Is well TO have
distinct understanding Of our different
points of view.
Wide Apart as Poles.
II do not say what kind OF a mind
ne has Our points OF view must be de-
termined by our official acts and utter
snces. He says that we are as far
apart as the poles with respect to the
functions of the State, and ! am In
clined to agree with HIM. He begins
his recital Of the welfare program with
the proposal for minimum wage com
mission and he did recommend while he
was Governor, many allied proposals 70
that. such as compulsory health insur-
aLce.
Il do not think Il is tho function OF
the Government 90 undertake to estab-
fish wages, either minimum or maxi
mum, and the establishment of a min
imum wage would be like in effect to
create maximum.
"a bill was introduced at the last ses-
= sion of the Legislature TO provide for
Industrial courts 20 adjudicate industrial
disputes among others the question OF
wages. and | said, with reference TO
that. that II was not the function Of the
state BY judicial decree or otherwise TO
undertake TO fix wages, that the State
should not undertake to say 20 any one.
that he should work for less than he
was willing to work for, that wages
were necessarily matter OF contract
-~>a N thing NOT grfhfect IN adiudica tfou.