The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-10-29

RevamDing State Government

New York is about to vote number Of i'm
portant amendments to the state constitution. the
aim of which is to nlodernize government. Mime
sofa attempted a reorganization OF its departments
which is before the supreme court The cN-
pertinent in both these states will be watched by
the students Of state government.
Most states have outgrown the limitations Of
the constitution has sought to restrict salaries and
hedge III departments that natural growth ana
necessary expansion impossible.
New York is not attempting to correct all defects
in state administration at the coming election
but is taking. as it were. first step toward that
end 1t is maintained that progress in the direction
of state government reorganization must necessarily
be slow.
The proposition to be voted on this Fall is the
so-called State reorganization amendment This
amendment reduces the number OF elective State
officers from seven to four namely. the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor. Controller and Attorney Gen
eral, and cOnsodates the State departments into
twenty civil departments, follows: % Execu-
tive; 90 audit and control; CD taxation and finance
ca law 90 State: to public works: O. archtec-
ture; (S) conservation; 90 agriculture and
kets; lO) labor; CD education; 90 health: tl.}
mental hygiene lD charities; u5) correction: l6)
public service; 90 banking: 1S) insurance; 90
civil service: 600 military and naval affairs.
Increasing responsibility and fixing authority
more directly the chief detectives along with
more efficiency and better government at decreased
cost. Most states have overlapping boa rds two or
three offices duplicating effort and expense on vir
tually the job Those behind the reorgani-
cation amendment seek to distribute the work along
the lines of great modern corporation. thus dis
pensing with of the antiquated methods i'm
posed by constitution which in many respects has
outlived its usefulness.
Governor Smith in his statement to tile electorate
has diagnosed what is wrong with most state gov
ernments of today We quote in part:
What was the trouble with the Govern
mcnt of this and other States which led
to these Investigations and reports?
1t is clearly evidenced by the debates
and discussions of the Constitutional Con
venon, in the meetings and reports of the
Reconstruction Commission and in the de-
liberations Of similar bodies in Illinois.
Massachusetts and elsewhere. 1t was
condition emphasized by several Governors
OF this State and by the members and by
every well-lnformed civic organization with
an interest in State matters. They all
agreed that State Government with hun
dred officers, boards, commissions
and agencies. mostly Independent of each
other, some appointed by the Governor some
eX oficio, was crazy and unavoidable
structure, that it was wastefu and ire
sponsble, and that it as far as anything
could be from the theory of our Federal and
State Constitutions that executive power
shall be vested in a responsible Governor.
They also agreed that an executive
budget system was needed and most of them
agreed that the Governors term should be
longer. They recommended the consolida-
ton Of departments, the vesting of power OF
appointment and removal in the Governor.
and an executive budget system, longer
term for the Governor and system of Cab
met responsibility
Those who in contact with state govern
ments know that Governor Smith has hit the ma il
on the head. There is everywhere divided author
ity, sloveny defined functions and a multiplicity
OF boards and commissions png up the cost of
government.