Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-27
GOVERNMENT BUDGET
To Be Scrutinized Closely
by the House.
WITHIN THE INCOME
APPoRTIONMENTS TO BE MADE
TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
No More Blanket Appropriations
District Not Excepted-Move-
ment for 75-Cent Gas.
WITHIN THE INCOME

Announcement is made in authoritative
circles that when the work Of making UP
the government budget for the next fiscal
year is taken in hand, after Congress re-
convenes, the House of Representatives
proposes to exercise closer scrutiny than
ever before upon expenditures, and that at
least one radical departure from existing
custom is to be made.
The plan is that the powers that be in the
House shall stack up the cash on hand and
In sight and parcel 1t out to the several de-
partments, not in ratio Of their desires, but
In proportion of their most pressing neces-
sites to the amount In the TILL The ur-
gency Of the claims of the various depart
ments is to be taken into consideration and
estimates of the heads of bureaus will not
rule the case.
To Apportion the Income.
The idea is to lay aside from the income
so much as a maximum for the navy, SO
much for the army SO much for rivers and
harbors and public buildings. Then let the
committees having charge of those appro-
priations itemize the sum to the best ad-
vantage. Every appropriation this time
will be itemized. There will be no more
blanket appropriations, to be expended at
the discretion of some head of department
OF even by the executive. Congress intends
to say what the money shall go for and
how much The House leaders are deter
mined to keep expenses within bounds OF
income and the departments Will have to
demonstrate the necessity for the eXpendi-
ture of every dollar they ask for
District Not Excepted.
District of Columbia appropriations will
not be excepted from this rule 1t can be
stated that the House committee on ap-
preparations this session will be more than
ever the town council for Washington.
This disposition to go miRate'y into Dis
trict estimates will be caused in part by
the presence of new blood on the subcom-
mittee-men who are not familiar with Dis
trict needs and who have not heard the
necessity of the local situation set forth
in detail.
The subcommittee was almost completely
reorganized and the District officials Will
be called upon to go over again all the
features of previous appropriations which
have partial bearing upon the estimates
of next year. II the suggested plan for
a general division of the government re-
sources for the coming year among all the
branches is carried out, and maximum
amount set apart for the District the sub.
committee will go over the estimates With
the officials and help parcel out the bud
get
In this connection the suggestion has
been made that the District of Columbia
committee of the House will this session
take on a little more Of the town council
aspect, if that IS possible. There are some
reformers in the membership of the COM
mttee as now constituted, and 1t is hint
ed that inquiries may be prompted by the
reformers into some conditions in the Dis
trict which come solely within the purview
of the District committees of the two
houses, which alone can originate or amend
legislation.