New-York tribune., 1922-09-28
An increase Of. se,747,ss4.55

W TTA t-vf.lo III loH1
from .......... 31,503,4o9 in 1920
An increase of. $9,747,sS455
These figures indicate the results
of applying to the great and compli-
Gated business of the State Of New
York the same kind of principles and
methods which everywhere cause the
difference between success and fail
Xe in great business concerns. There
was reorganization and condensation
and testing of the grounds of ex-
penditure. One good illustration OF
the method followed was the treat
ment of charitable institutions, one
of the chief items of state expendi-
ture and one of the most important
1t is exceedingly difficult to test the
merit of claims in behalf of these
institutions. Accordingly Governor
Miller proceeded himself to visit all
the institutions of this description
supported by the state. BY the time
that was through he was not only
familiar with the special conditions
and administrative defects of these
institutions, but he was an expert on
the administration Of charitable in
stitutions. And the general testi-
mony OF the people most familiar
with these institutions is that the
thorough knowledge acquired by Gov
ernor Miller of their administration
has resulted in greater efficiency at
less cost Moreover, we have now
Governor who, when an institution
calls upon the state for more money,
knows whether it needs the money or
merely wants it.
Nor was this radical change in the
attitude Of the state government to-
ward the expenditure Of public money
a mere negative policy. Reductions
were not made by abandoning or in
iuring the useful activities of the
state. The result was accomplished
without impairing the efficiency of
any department or curtailing any
work for public benefit that needed
to be done. There was no autocratic
control or usurpation of power, but
full cooperation Of Executive and
Legislature, with respect and conf
dence. The Governor was able to
say truly in his message of May 7,
1921, that the great achievement of
that year "was made possible by the
chairmen Of the Finance Committee
Of the Senate, and the Ways and
Means Committee Of the Assembly,
and to their rigid adherence to stated
rules uninfuenced by any personal
consideration whatever" 1t would
have been impossible without execu-
tive leadership and it would have
been impossible without legislative
frmness and loyalty. The vital thing
was changing the spirit of the state
government and substituting for
good-natured desire to please and to
be popular, a stout-hearted determin-
alton that no state money should be
spent except to serve the direct in
terests of the people of the state.
This policy was administered with
far-sighted view to promote rather
than to check the development and
growth of the state. To the projects
of the greatest Importance for the
prosperity of the state was brought
liberal treatment and that decision
of character which is necessary to
the practical accomplishment of ends.
For century the canal connecting
the Great Lakes and the tidewater Of
the Atlantic had been central fea-
ture of the material development Of
the state. Upon the construction of
the Erie Canal, under De Witt Clin-
ton, chiefly rested the pre-eminence
of the City of New York as the great
seaport of America, and the activity
and wealth of the state which owns
and controls that port and it's ap-
proaches. From the production and
trade fostered by that great water
way rose the series of splendid
cities which mark the line from Lake
Erie to the Hudson and serve the
needs Of this prosperous land and Of
its vigorous people, Independent in
character, law abiding, jealous Of
their ordered liberty, competent to
enjoy its opportunities. 1t was that
waterway which opened to the Middle
West and the Northwest of our c0un-
try for their production and supply
access to the worlds trade through
the portals Of the Hudson, and served
to build up those great common
wealths which now perhaps have for
gotten The debt they owe.
Yet how dispirit}ng has been the
later history of this great public
work. 1t became out Of touch with
its time. The volume of trade tells
the story of something wrong about
the canal. The total tonnage of all
the canals Of the state was:
In 1900. 0........... 5,246,102 tons
1900. ........... 3,345, ,941 tons
1910. 3,073,412 tons
1920. .......... 1,421 ,434 tons
The total tonnage delivered to the
Hudson River from the Erie Canal
and the barge canal, which took it's
place, for the same years was:
$780,. 1,693,12S tons
1900. 1,099872 tons
19l0.... 540,609 tons
1920. 0.............. 281 ,361 tons
The state had spent upward of
$150,O00,000 in Barge Canal con-
struction along the line of the old
Erie. The Barge Canal was opened