Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-21
TEXT OF GOV. SMITHS SPEECH

control of their water powers. thei
greatest God-given resources, and hav
prevented their alienation and pre-
served them for our people and for ou
PROSPERITY.
II sponsored legislation which brough
about reform Of the ballot. the passag,
of direct primary laws and provisions
| against corrupt practices in elections.
The first bill for bonus by tn,
State of New York to the World Wa
veterans was signed during my admins
| tration.
Although city man. I can say Il
you without fear of contradiction that
| did more for agriculture and for its pro
motion in the State of New York thar
any governor in recent history Co
| operative marketing was encouraged
New impetus was given to the construc
ton of State highways. State aid wa
furnished to towns and counties Il
bring the farm nearer to the city, ant
during my terms of office there was ap
propriated in excess of $15.000,000 fol-
the eradication of bovine tuberculosis.
Public Offices Reduced.
The business of the State of New
York was handled in a strictly bushes!
way The number of public place hold
ers was cut down. Appointments ane
promotions were made on a strictly
merit basis. In consequence there wa!
offered a reduction in taxes to The
farmer and small home owner from
1928 to 1928 of from mills to one hall
mill of the States levy upon real prop.
erty, together with substantial reduc.
ton in the income tax.
Public improvements in the State
long neglected under Republican rule
are being carried out at a rate unpreCe.
dented in all its history.
Bear in mind that all this was &C
complished without the cooperation Of
the Legislature, because during my entire
career as governor both branches o.
the legislature have been Republican
except for a period of two years, wher
one branch-the Senate-Was Demo
cratic. 1t was brought about because
took the issues to the people directly
and brought the force of public opinion
regardless of party affiliation. to the
support of these constructive measures
During my governorship have
made appointment of scores of men tt
public Office requiring the confirmation
Of the Senate, and, while the Senate
was in control of my party in only two
out of the eight years l have beer
governor. not single appointment Of
mine was ever rejected.
Veto Never Overridden.
1.-THE reason for this was that made
my appointments to public Office in the
State of New York without regard tc
politics. religion or any other con-
sideration except the ability, the in
tegrity and the fitness of the appointed
and his capacity properly to serve the
State.
Contrast this with the rejection OF
major appointments made by the Presi-
dent of the United States by a Senate
of his own party.
II read in the press only recently
that Republican Congress passed foul
bills over the veto of the Republican
President in one single day. During
my entire eight years the Legislature
hostile to me, never passed single OIL
over my veto.
Has there been one flaw In my rec
ord. or one scandal of any kind con-
nected with my administration tna'
gives any meaning to this cry OF Tam.
many rule. cry which thousands Of
independent and Republican citizens OF
my own State treat with ridicule ano
contempt?
Saws No Scandal Exists.
THE Republican party will leave ne
stone unturned to defeat me. have
reduced their organization IN the State
of New York to an empty shell. Al
the present time sixty millions of dol
lars of public improvements are in prog
ress in my State If there was anything
wrong or out of the way does 1t not
strike you, as men and women of COM
mon sense, that the Republican party
in New York would leave no stone un'
turned to bring it to light? The fac
is they have searched and searched If
vain for the slightest evidence Of i'm
proper partisanship or conduct The,
found no such thing; they could fine
no such thing; it did not exist. Anc
in the face of this Senator Owen anc
his kind have the nerve and the effront-
cry not to charge but merely to insinu'
ate some evil which they are pleased tt
call Tammany rule.
"One scandal connected with my
administration would do more to help
out the Republican national committee
in it's campaign against me than al
the millions of dollars now being spent
by them in malicious propaganda. Un-
fortunately for them they cannot fine
it, because the truth is it is not there
I challenge Senator Owen and all his
kind to point to one single flaw upor
which they can rest their case. Blu
they won't find it, they won't try to fine
it, because know what lies behind al
this and I will tell you before I si
down tonight.
Takes Pride in Record.
II confess / take a just pride in this
record. 1t represents years of earnest
labor, conscientious eort and complete
self-sacrifice to the public good in some
endeavor to show my appreciation anc
gratitude to the people who have sc
signally honored me.
Don't you think that am entitled
to ask the people of this country tt
believe that l would carry into service
of the Nation this same devotion ane
energy and sacrifice which have giver
in service to the State? Don't you thinl
that my party is entitled to make this
argument to the American people. be.
cause 1t is not only the record Itself
that speaks in unmistakable language
for me; 1t is the expressed approval Of
the leading fellow citizens of my State
who have never had the slightest af.
filiation with Tammany Hail. and many
of whom have been its political oppo
nents.
My election to the governorship
four times has not been accomplished
merely by Democratic votes, because
New York is normally Republican
State. / have been elected by the vote
Of the Democrats. together with tn,
| votes of tens of thousands of patriotic
intelligent citizens of all forms of pc
litical belief. who have placed the vel
fare of the State above party consider
alton.
Quotes From Hughes.
Take the statement of a man wht
has not supported me for the governor
/ ship, Charles Evans Hughes. state
ment not made for political purposes
but in presenting me to the Bar Asso
! citation of New York City. He described
me as one who represents to us tn