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he can show his fitness to fill it, and he should not be removed without trial by the appointing officer, at which he can make his defence. There is no intention to condone corruption or pass over inefficiency in a veteran; but, if he is honest and efficient, he is entitled to preference.

OVER-LEGISLATION AND BIENNIAL SESSIONS

I invite the attention of the Legislature particularly to the evils of over-legislation. The tendency to pass laws. which are utterly unnecessary, even when not pernicious or which are enacted purely to favor certain special private interests, seems to grow instead of diminish. It is difficult to devise an efficient check for it, but strenuous efforts should be made to find out and put into operation some such check. The State suffers very much more from over-legislation than it does from lack of legislation. One partial remedy for the evil would be to amend the Constitution so as to provide for biennial sessions of the Legislature. The Legislature has already passed this proposed amendment once. I recommend that it be passed again this year, in order that it may be submitted to the people next fall. I also advise that an investigation be made of the methods employed in other representative bodies for getting rid of the evil. I direct your attention to the custom of the British Parliament, which puts upon the would-be beneficiary the cost of all private and special legislation, and wisely makes it difficult to obtain at all, and impossible to obtain without full advertisement and discussion. No special law should be passed where passing a general law will serve the purpose.

SCHOOL SUFFRAGE

I call the attention of the Legislature to the desirability of gradually extending the sphere in which the suffrage can be exercised by women.

GOOD ROADS

The Legislature should see that the excellent movement to better our roads is continued, and that it is conducted primarily in the interests of the farmers and market gardeners.

THE FORESTS OF THE STATE

The Forest Reserve will be a monument to the wisdom of its founders. It is very important that in acquiring additional land we should not forget that it is even more necessary to preserve what we have already acquired and to protect it, not only against the depredations of man, but against the most serious of all enemies to forests fire. One or two really great forest fires might do damage which could not be repaired for a generation. The laws for the protection of the game and fish of the wilderness seem to be working well, but they should be more rigidly enforced.

ECONOMY

All

Every effort should be made to reduce the expenses of the State Government. Appropriations should be itemized and not, save in rare cases, made in lump sums. needless offices should be abolished. For instance the Attorney-General's office should do the work now done by the special counsel for the different hospitals for the insane; and these special counsel should be abolished. Wher

ever possible commissions should be consolidated and the number of commissioners and of their employees reduced. In the State's charitable work, which is now very expensive, especially as regards the care of the insane, care should be taken not needlessly to multiply institutions nor to erect buildings more costly than is absolutely necessary, and the salary list should be kept down. The economical and efficient administration of these institutions is interfered with by the custom which has grown up of treating each as if it existed for the benefit of the locality in which it exists, whereas of course this is an utterly improper view, as the administration should always be simply in the interest of the State at large. Great improvement has resulted from putting the care of the insane under the control of the State instead of the counties.

UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

For more than a century New York has taken a leading position in fostering secondary and higher education. This work she accomplishes through the agency of her University. The growth of these interests has been specially marked since 1889. Within this decade, though the increase in attendance on our public elementary schools has been less than 20 per cent., there has been an increase of more than 100 per cent. in those completing requirements for admission to the high school and of more than 200 per cent. in high school graduates. By setting the standard for graduation from the elementary schools and by providing teachers for these schools the University has been a potent factor in improving the whole school system. In comparison with results attained and with other expenditures the State appropriations for high schools are

small. In 1898 the State expended about $150 for each convict in her prisons and $185.31 for each lunatic in her asylums. The cost to the State of each student in her high schools was $4.45.

In the medical schools of New York are nearly one-fifth of all the medical students in the United States. In her law schools are fully one-quarter of all the law students. In other higher educational lines she is equally prominent. The standards for admission to the professions, which are recognized as the highest in the country, are determined by the University.

The reputation of the University has been increased by the valuable work of its museum, its paleontologist, botanist and entomologist. Important original research in these fields has added to the knowledge of the natural history and of the resources of the State.

The New York State Library, another department of the University, has more than doubled its efficiency within the past ten years and is an inspiration to intellectual life throughout the State. Through its local public libraries, its traveling libraries, its valuable photographic reproductions which are sent from school to school, and its other facilities for home education, it comes in direct contact with every class of the community.

The State owes loyal support to an organization which so guards and unites her most vital interests.

RAPID TRANSIT IN NEW YORK CITY

I call the attention of the Legislature to the need of improved facilities for rapid transit in the city of New York. As the city extends, the need for the establishment of an improved system of rapid transit become more and more

imperative, and the Legislature should take every means to find out the best system to adopt.

ECONOMY IN NEW YORK'S MUNICIPAL Government

In New York city, even more than in the State, there is need of cutting down the salaries of certain officials, of forcing others to do more work, and of altogether getting rid of yet others. I suggest that you investigate carefully whether there is need to retain in existence such offices as those of the chamberlain of the city and the special commissioner of jurors; whether the fees given to the sheriffs of the county of New York and of the county of Kings, and the county clerk and register of Kings should not be turned in to the counties, salaries being allowed the officials in their stead; and whether the judges of the municipal courts of the city should not be required to sit every day, so that working men who are the chief patrons of these courts, in such suits as those for the payment of wages, may not be compelled to lose day after day in attendance. Very many clerkships, inspectorships, and positions held by deputies, could be abolished. The evils of the police system in New York have become very serious; I may find it necessary to communicate with you again on this matter.

SUGGESTION REGARDING SMALL CITIES

Of an interest and importance secondary only to that of the Greater New York are the cities of the second and third classes. Owing to their relative unimportance when taken singly, their needs have often been overlooked. While the condition of each of these cities differs from that of the others, all have substantially the same prob

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