Evening star., 1928-11-03

same speech says that We must stop
spending money.
I can readily understand that the
Republican candidate for governor
would feel compelled to poll-parrot
what is being said around the Nation
about the Federal finances and their
comparison with the finances of New
York. He says that under the wise
leadership of President Coolidge the
cost in the Nation has been reduced
from five billions to three billions.
Where did hear that before? 1t is
the old cry Of Undersecretary Mills, re-
peated by Mr.. Hoover himself, although
they all know that this reduction rep
resents the difference between the cost
of the Government in time of war and
in time of peace.
Vetoed Appropriations.
Mr.. Ottinger in his speech goes on
to make a comparison between 1919
and 1928 in the cost of the Govern
ment of this State. He we'll knows
that the Governor of New York cannot
spend a scent piece not appropriated
by the Legislature. And he further
knows that in all of that period the
Legislature has never been Democratic,
and he knows as we'll as anybody in
this State that year after year 1 vetoed
items of appropriation sent to me by
his own party that I deemed to be
unnecessary for the proper conduct OF
the States business.
If the Republican leaders of the
Legislature had their way about it,
the government in the last 10 years
would have cost the people OF this
State much more than it did.
I am amused at his suggestion that
he would wipe from the statute books
the personal income tax. And he refers
to 1t as a war measure. There is an
astounding example of his lack of un-
derstanding of the States fiscal system.
In the first place, it was not war
measure; it was enacted to take the
place of the excise tax on the sale of
beer and liquor. 1t brings in approx
mately 5000, 900 year. I would like
him to answer q simple question. If the
income tax act were repealed, where
would he get this $35,000,000 which is
required to run the government? That
admit, is kind of hard question.
There is no answer to 1T that he can
make. He is not in earnest about it,
because his speech is intended just as
play for votes.
I cannot restrain smile when I
hear him talk about eliminating the
direct property tax. At the last ses-
sion of the Legislature on my recon-
mendation, the direct property tax was
made the lowest since 1928. I pointed
out to the Republican Legislature that
the great burden of direct taxation
arises from the expenses Of the coun-
ties and other localities. I suggested
that the Hughes Commission be empow-
cred by law to make a study of town
and county government to the end that
the costs of local government be re-
duced. T pointed out that in certain
sections of the State, under old and
antiquated statutes, supervisors were
receiving in fees as high as $4,000
year. suggested the possibility of
county consolidation to reduce overhead
expenses and to relieve the burden on
the owners of real estate.
Republicans Kill Plan.
What happened to it? The Repub-
lican party threw it in the waste basket,
and concededly for patronage purposes,
because the Republican party builds up
its organization upon the patronage
of the small Republican counties in the
interior part of the State.
When the Republican candidate for
governor speaks about taxation bearing
heavily upon the owners of real prop
erty and particularly upon the farmer
let him read the record and he will be
compelled to blame the leaders of his
own party in the Legislature for that
condition. They can't escape it. They
are guilty.
In every campaign we hear this
question of State finances always dealt
with in general terms. The Republican
candidate is not stranger to Albany.
The expenses of his own department of
law have materially increased under
his administration. He came to me
when the appropriation bills were pend
ing and he made reasonable and a
fair and a satisfactory explanation of
the increases and I accepted them
He is not man without experience. II
he Is sincere in his expression about
spending money in connection with the
government of the State of New York
let him give the people little bill of
fare. Let him give them a little de-
tailed program. He is familiar with the
appropriation bill that came from the
leaders of his own party. Let him men
ton one single term-juSt one--in the
last appropriation bill which, as gov
ernor of the State, he would have re-
jected. challenge him to do it and
do that fearlessly because I know he
cannot make good.
Now, as matter Of fact, the largest
part of the expense of the State Is
fixed and definite. The operation of
the State government is a good deal
like the operation of your own private
home. You have got fixed amount you
pay for rent You can approximate the
butchers bill and the grocer's bill and
your lighting bill. The State is in
exactly the same position. It is Just
like household. It pays rent, it pays
interest on the money that it borrows.
It goes to the grocer and it goes to the
butcher and it goes to the clothing store
for the purchase of necessary articles
for the great army of wards who are in
the hospitals, the prisons and the vari-
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