New York State Governor Nathan L. Miller Central Subject and Correspondence Files 13682

New York State Governor Nathan L. Miller Central Subject and Correspondence Files

Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources

Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:

Nathan L. Miller defeated Governor Alfred E. Smith to obtain the governorship in 1920, only to be defeated by Smith in 1922. In office, the respected attorney and fiscal conservative addressed the post-World War I economy, as well as the social, moral, and political implications of a changing society. Records in this series document the reorganization of state government, enforcement of prohibition, implementation of motion picture censorship and licensing, and establishment of the Port of New York Authority.

Creator:

New York (State). Governor (1921-1922 : Miller)

Title:

New York State Governor Nathan L. Miller central subject and correspondence files

Quantity:

14.5 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:

1921-1922

Series Number:

13682_78B

Arrangement

This series is arranged numerically by original file code assigned by the governor's office. Dates are noted in folder list only in cases where files pertain to specific events or files are known to cover a limited date range.

Administrative History

Nathan Lewis Miller was born in Solon, New York on October 10, 1868. Trained as a lawyer, he served in local government and was active in the Republican Party in Cortland County before serving as state comptroller from 1901 to 1903. Miller was subsequently appointed to fill a vacancy in the state supreme court, where he served until assuming a seat on the state Court of Appeals in 1913. After two years on the state's highest court, Miller resigned and returned to the practice of law in Syracuse. In 1920, he received the Republican gubernatorial nomination and successfully unseated Governor Alfred E. Smith. After Smith defeated him to reclaim the governorship in 1922, Miller retired from politics and returned once again to his legal career, including service as general counsel for the United States Steel Corporation. Nathan Miller died on June 26, 1953 at the age of eighty-four.

Highly respected as an attorney, Miller was known for fiscal conservatism in politics. While governor, he pursued the reorganization of state government, but approached the process in piecemeal fashion as opposed to the broader restructuring proposed by Governor Smith. In 1921, on Miller's recommendation, the Department of Labor was reorganized. The Industrial Commission was replaced with a single industrial commissioner and a three-member Industrial Board was created to issue, amend, and interpret the state Industrial Code Rules and to review and determine claims in workers' compensation cases. Also during Miller's administration, the two state public service districts were abolished and replaced by a single Public Service Commission with statewide authority over all public utilities except rapid transit in New York City, which was placed under a new Transit Commission.

Miller supported the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities (Lusk Committee) for curbing the spread of radical thought, signing into law a package of legislation previously vetoed by Governor Smith. Miller also supported the creation of the Motion Picture Commission (later replaced by the Motion Picture Division within the Education Department) to review the moral character of motion pictures prior to licensing for exhibition in the state. Lastly, Miller actively advocated the establishment of the Water Power Commission, which was directed to investigate the state's developed and undeveloped water power resources. The commission was empowered to issue licenses to private entities authorizing the diversion of state waters for power development or other purposes.

For further information regarding the life and political career of Nathan Miller, see "Miller, Nathan L." In Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, vol. 3, ed. Robert Sobel and John Raimo, 1100. Westport, Ct.: Meckler Books, 1978; and Case, Dick. "Miller, Nathan L(ewis)." In The Encyclopedia of New York State, ed. Peter Eisenstadt, 985-986. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2005.

Scope and Content Note

The central subject and correspondence files of Nathan Miller document a wide variety of issues addressed by state government in the post-World War I era: reorganization of state government; postwar unemployment and coordination of federal, state, and local response programs; postwar housing shortage and regulation of mortgage interest rates; care and treatment of disabled war veterans and veterans suffering from mental illness; care and treatment of the mentally ill; administration of the Volstead and Mullen-Gage prohibition enforcement acts; milk prices and supply shortages; utility rate regulation and increasing demand for utility service; labor relations and strikes in the railroad, mining, milk, paper, and street railway industries; and the rising crime rate in New York City.

Additional topics documented include the debate over use of the direct primary versus state convention to nominate candidates in statewide and judicial district elections; establishment of the Port of New York Authority; proposed transportation system improvement projects; administration of the New York City transit system and creation of the State Transit Commission; municipal administration of New York City and revision of the city's charter; moral character of motion pictures and creation of the State Motion Picture Commission; anthracite coal shortage brought on by strikes in coal mining and railroad industries; creation of the State Fuel Administration to administer the distribution of limited resources; illegal gambling operations and immoral exhibitions at local and state fairs; Native American land claims; charges of misconduct against local government officials; and the Commission to Examine and Investigate the Management and Affairs of the State Institute of Applied Agriculture at Farmingdale, appointed by Governor Miller under provisions of the Moreland Act.

Miller's subject and correspondence files consist predominantly of original letters and telegrams from public officials and private citizens and organizations; unsigned copies of replies or letters from the governor forwarding correspondence to state or local government officials for action; and copies of state and local government officials' replies to the governor and/or the original correspondents. Additional record types include agency annual and special reports; reports of visits to state mental health institutions; copies of governor's press releases and addresses; copies of legislative bills and resolutions; copies of court documents and exhibits; publications, newspaper clippings, and background materials; and minutes of Moreland Act Commission hearings.

Related Material

A3215 Board of Estimate and Control Report Files, also contains information on reorganization of state government during Miller's administration.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Series A3218, Alphabetical Card Index to Governors' Correspondence Files, contains references to numeric file codes by which records in this series are arranged.

Access Restrictions

Access to certain records documenting Moreland Act investigations is restricted. Records are subject to review by State Archives staff prior to disclosure.