The New York herald., 1922-10-04

after that time. at the time when there
was the greatest need and the greatest
opportunity TO practice economy in
government. We had gone through a
period Of initiation due to an uneX-
ampled expansion OF the public credit.
We had gone through q period OF eN
tention of Government activity incident
20 the war. The State expenditures in
seven years, including the war period.
and the per capita cost of government
had almost doubled in this State. IL
was imperative If we were to absorb
the shock OF inevitable deflation that
the peoples savings should not be abb
sorbed by government. but that they
should be utilized and that II should
be possible for them to be utilized to
the reorganization and readjustment of
industry. The necessity was there. the
paramount duty was there, the un-
exampled opportunity was there, be-
cause of the period of initiation and ex-
tension OF government activity through
which we had passed. Now, what hap
pened? Appropriations in 1918 in the
State had reached $s1. 10000. In two
years they jumped to Sl45 900, 90. an in
crease of s64,0o0,oo0. almost three times
the entire cost of the State Government
twenty years ago. and one and one-half
times its cost ten years ago; an increase
in two years one and one-half times as
much as the total increase in seven
years. including the period of war in
flation That is the bald fact It is
true and 1t will probably be said that
the Legislature was Republican. but the
Legislature cannot control the expendi-
ture;. the Legislature cannot control
administration. The Legislature can to
some extent limit expenditure, but it is
dependent for the most part upon the
department heads for the estimates of
the needs of the Government
1T is true. of course. that there is an
annual and an inevitable and necessary
increase in the cost OF government
That is due to our increasing popula-
ion, to the increasing complexity of So
ciety with the new demands constantly
and legtimately arising. But after
such period as we have gone through
1t should at least have been possible to
nave absorbed those increases, as that
has been done during the last two years
out of economies. II is true. to be en-
tirely fair, that there was one increase
OF considerable size that was legiti-
mate and proper, and that no one can
question. There was an increase the
second year OF s21 O00. 900. raised by the
direct tax for the support of the public
schools. for the increase of the teach
ers' wages. That was a legitimate in
crease, and we have still further in
creased il. But even that in part
should have been absorbed out of saw
ings or economies which were possible,
and that only amounts to less than one
third of this enormous increase of
$64, 10000 in two years.
NO, / shall not take the time to dis
cuss all of the reasons for that, but
VIII tell you the chief reason, and that
Is that during that two years the lust
OF spending money grew by what 1t fed
on, because government was adminis-
tered to please and not to serve.
Favor Not Service.
You may recall that that was
period OF great activity OF special
groups and OF particular interests who
literally swarmed Capitol Hill and
rarely marched down the Hill empty
haEded. The fact is that favor iusteaJ
OF service had permeated and demoral-
ized the public service. / know that,
because / know the condition which
round. and | VIII point you TO one fact
which is conclusive. which Is irrefutabIe
and unanswerable proof of what / as
sert The appropriations had Jumped
in seven years, during the war infla-
ton. about si0,oOo.oo0 In two years
under the Democratic administration
preceding this they had jumped S64, 900. -
ment heads for tho year 1920 totaled
sli5,0oo,ooo. That was the amount of APP
preparations. There was. in fact. a re-
duction OF s20J0o,000 from that. because
those requests nad not included this
bt crease for teachers wages. Not
withstanding that increase. notwth-
standing the campaign OF 1920 was con-
Quoted, so far as the State was con-
cerned, upon the issue OF economy, that
outgoing administration, the depart
ment heads under that administration.
after the election. made up their esti-
mates of the expenditures needed for
the State government for the next year
And what do you think they were? Not
81 ,0o0. .00O, but S206 900 900. Those were
IRE estimates which the outgoing Dem
ocratic administration submitted to the
Legislature as their estimate of what
1t would cost 10 run the State govern
ment for the ensuing year. Am / tusti-
fed I'm saying that the lust TO spend
bad grown by what IL fed on? Am
justified in saying that the doors OF
the State treasury had been thrown wide
open? What happened? We had prom
ised the people that we would stop
the mounting cost OF government II
looked like we had bitten off more than
we could chew. We had laid on the
table on the first of January requests
for appropriations invSving an in
crease OF more than $50 900 Nobody
in the state government thought that
the promise could be redeemed. No
body In the outgoing administration
thought that the promise could be re-
deemed.
II asked the leaders OF the majority
in each branch Of the Legislature 10 sit
down with me, and we agreed upon
certain principles which should govern
the making of appropriations. and then
we made another important agree
ment that we would not deviate
from those principles at the behest or
the insistcnce OF any one whomsoever
The Legislature kept their part. and
when they had finished signed tho
appropriation bill exactly as II came
60 me without dotting an T. or crossing
e And that appropriation covered
items aggregating not s206.e00,o 600, as
was requested not S145. 200. 900. as was
gwen the preceding yesr-of course,
am speaking now In round numbers
but S135. 900, 900 only, requiring revenue
from the state Treasury
THE next year--we dld not stop there
the next year. the year just past. We
continued the reduction S2.50O.000 more,
and we did that Notwithstanding the
fact that in the first year, with oil Of
their extravagant appropriation. the
outgoing administration left S10.000.00O
OF deficiencies for us 20 take care OF,
and Notwithstanding the further fact
that the second year. with two consecu-
tive decreases I'm the cost OF govern
ments for education as you (Senator
N. a. - uFu fnI IL