The New York herald., 1922-10-12
MILLER LASHES AT
Smith AS 'ALIBI AL
OF EMPTY PROMISE
Tells Watertown Audience
of Difference in Talking
and Doing.
GOES INTO FINANCE
Asserts That Ex-Governor
in Yonkers Speech Erred
on Figures.
ECONOMY THE BIG ISSUE
inquiries if the People Desire
Another Period of In
creased Expense.
ECONOMY THE BIG ISSUE


WATERTowN, Get. 11.-Having OBJ
served that hungry men prefer steak
to pink lemonade and are perfectly
aware of the difference between the
two in the way of nourishment.
Nathan IL Miller came UP 10 Jefferson
county and the northern tier tonight
to point out that an equally sensible
and obvious choice is possible in the
matter of government.
The choice in this essential kind of
nourishment is between deeds and
words-the efficient and constructive
things Mr.. Miller did economically and
the unachieved promises that Mr.
Smith handed out like cigars to all
comers.
At the same time the Governor picked
up AL Smiths Yonkers speech and took
it apart to examine the works. When
he got through he said it was simply
case of "Alibi Al'--nothing but alibis.
excuses. confessions of weakness or
impotency from first to last. He said
Mr.. Smith even had taken the trouble
to arrange an alibi In advance of failure
To make good by asserting that Gov
ernor could accomplish nothing with the
present machinery of government: that
all Governor could do was to sit and
watch the wheels 90 round.
AS for himself, Gov. Miller had found
II perfectly possible to do something
more than watch the wheels go round.
and he asserted that Governor Of this
state has power enough and influence
and authority enough to direct the
Course OF Government in every one OF
the many departments, for that Is ex-
actly what he has done.
Free with Promises.
"Albi AL" pleased TO meet all
comers-very open-handed with the
money hard ground from the taxpayers,
promising AL" willing to give every
group. every special interest. the state
house roof II they wanted II. But when
1t came to getting big and vital things
done. when It came to reducing the
cost of Government and taxation. that
was being showed off as usual upon
the consumer. helpless in his big chair
A record OF weakness confessed.
That was AIS speech at Yonkers. Gov.
Miller said tonight.
Now, in saying these highly interest
ing tnlDES ne Qlu not SNOut AT tue tOD
of his voice nor treat the audience 70
Billy Sunday acrobatcs. His breath
kindled no Goals, as job would have
put 1.-THE is not one who 'swalloweth
the ground with fierceness and rage"
He simply. as one gentleman speaking
regretfully of another, told the people
OF Watertown In the Olympic theater.
1000 OF them. that as Governor Al
simply wasn't there He made the
n .tat txl t..t
seem like little girl who took her
doll rags and went home when she got
mad. This. make no doubt of II. was
appreciated by the yeomen who gave
ear. for Gov. Miller can get laughs when
he wants them. Usually he is too busy
II claim to have substituted govern
ment of deeds for government OF
words" said Mr.. Miller, looking at
Speaker Machold, sitting near him. land
shall take his (Smith's) remarks Of last
night as text to illustrate what mean.
He says the wise men OF the State dis
covered in 1915 that Il was impossible to
stop the mounting cost OF government
without a reorganization of the State
government. A plan for reorganizng
the government was worked out. sub
mtted TO the people and voted down by
500. 900 and more, and the cost of gov
ernment did go on mounting.
No Distortion Needed.
Mr. Smith was elected Governor and
took office on January I. 1919. He hal
been member OF the Constitutional
Convention in 1915. He says | am now
dstorting figures TO present an allbi for
what he calls the destruction OF the plan
for reorganizIng the state government.
He began at the outset OF his admins
tration to provide an allb for non-per-
formance by asserting that nothing could
be done without changing the organiza-
tion OF the state government by consti-
tutional amendment and by appointing n
commission, styled a reconstruction com
mission. and for two years In Office he
discussed that subject.
ain tho campaign two years ago he
presented as his alibi for not having
stopped the mounting cost OF govern
ment and for having sent the cost higher
than II had ever been In the history OF
the state. that II was impossible for the
Governor to operate the machinery OF
the state. government.
'I promised that ~ I were elected
would stop the mounting cost OF govern.
n1ent without waiting for constitutional
amendment. | did II.
"IIe made the definite admission that
the cost OF his last year OF government
and OF my first year had been substan-
TALLY the same. II was at least kept al
the level where he set It, notwithstand-
ing the very large and inevitable annual
increases made necessary by the expand
ing needs of government"
Then. quite calmly. like a business
man arguing a business point before
board OF directors. tho Governor ana
lived Smiths assertion OF "alibt' that
the machinery Of government reduces q
Governor to a fgurehead and ridculed Il.
ITO use his own words" Gov. Miller
went on. "he saws, the Governor Is
out of the picture entirely. He can
neither increase or decrease an item in
Continued on Page Six.