Evening star., 1944-10-04
stop the granting of water power
leases TO private corporationS

stop the granting of water power
leases to private corporations.
He revamped the administrative
machinery of New York State,
bringing responsibility and central
ization to administrative forms. He
substituted 10 major departments
for the States 187 former boards,
commissions, bureaus and depart
ments at an initial years saving
which he estimated to be $3.50 900.
Illustrative of the old system, Mr..
Smith related:
"At the first meeting of the Gov
ernor's cabinet it was necessary to
Introduce some of the department
heads to one another, although all
were engaged in a common effort"
Women's Part in Administration.
He was foremost in accepting
women into public life following
ratification of the women's suffrage
amendment in 1919. One OF his
proteges was Frances Perkins, whom
he appointed to the State Industrial
Commission, and who later became
Secretary of Labor.
One Of the most able women un-
der his standard was Mrs. Belle L.
Moscowitz, to whose sagacity and
political foresight observers have at
tributed many of Mr.. Smiths right
moves in the field. Until her death
early in 1888, she was a guide and
mentor. She was secretary of the
State Reconstruction Commission
through which Mr.. Smith hoped to
achieve the needed postwar adjust
ments. This commission laid the
groundwork for many of his liberal
reforms. lsa5 80
Despite the furore over religious
issues that ragged virtually without
cessation during his gubernatorial
life, and despite the sharp differ
ences of party politics over the wet
and-dry issue, Mr.. Smith picked his
aides as he wanted them.
In his 1926 cabinet, of IA. for ex-
ample, there were three Catholics,
10 Protestants, and one of Je ish
descent. Their politics were: Repub-
ican, eight; Democratic, four; Inde-
pendent, two.
Fought Against Hearst.
Following the election of 1913,
which sent Mr.. Smith to the execu-
tive mansion at Albany for the first
time, there occurred a political fight
which was to exert wide influence
upon his gubernatorial career and
later political life. 1t was an open
attack upon Gov. Smith by Mr..
Hearst.
The feud between Mr.. Smith and
Mr.. Hearst has place in American
politics somewhat comparable to the
classical hatred between Aaron Burr
and Alexander Hamilton. It's incep-
ton, many thought, was in the at
tack by the Hearst forces upon Mr..
Smiths idol, Tom Foley, following
Mr.. Hearst's unsuccessful bid for
public Office IN 1906.
1t came to a spectacular head six
months after Mr.. Smith assumed the
office of Governor Then the Hearst
newspapers opened bitter battle by
accusing the Governor of RESPONSE
hility for higher milk prices in New
York City.
Mr.. Smith invited Mr.. Hearst to
meet him on public platform and
make good the "dastardly" things
said about him. To that purpose,
Carnegie Hall was rented, but when
Mr.. Smith appeared on the platform
one night in October, 1919, to talk
for two hours, he was alone.
Hearst Feud Persistent.
"On that memorable night" Mr..
Smith said, II taught Mr.. Hearst and
his cohorts lesson. 1t was the first
chime in the death knell of Hearst's
political power in the eastern part of
this country"
Within his second term of Gov
ernor, Mr.. Smith rapidly became a
national figure. He developed into a
person of consequence in national
party affairs and was given "fav-
orite son" nomination for the presi-
dency in the 1920 national conven-
ton.
This growth was speeded by the
1924 elections, when Mr.. Smith Sue
cessfully bucked the Republican
Coolidge vote and was elected to a
third term as Governor over Theo-
dore Roosevelt, jr. Mr.. Coolidge
carried New York State by $4,000
votes, while Mr.. Smith, on the Dem
ocratic ticket, won by 108,56l.
In his 1926 campaign against Mr..
Mills, then a State Representative,
Mr.. Smith again spurned Mr..
Hearst. Mr.. Mills. however, accepted
the publishers support and renewed
the milk fight of 1919. Mr.. Smith
was elected by a 257,0O0 plurality
and assumed office for his fourth
and last term as Governor in 1927.
Always 'syoted Right"
Long before Mr.. Smith was nomi-
mated for President in 1928 he was a
veteran Of national party politics.
As recruit in the political game
ne was q delegate to the National
Democratic Convention in 1904 at
San Francisco, when Alton B. Park
er was nominated. He was at Dem
yer when William Jennings Bryan
was named in 1908, at Baltimore
when Woodrow Wilson was selected
| in 1912 and at st. Louis in 1916.
when Mr.. Wilson was renominated.
A young and comparatively mex
perienced member of the Tam
many bloc,'' Mr.. Smith took little
part in these proceedings beyond
voting right" His recollections of
the conventions dealt chiefly with
the beauties OF the countryside and