Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-22
BUDGET COMMITTEE TO BE
NAMED TO PAY OUT BILLION
IN YEARLY EXPENSES.
ADVISORY BOARD IN ALL
GREAT TRANSACTIONS
LaFolIette Responsible for Plan to In;
ject Better Business Methods In
Paying Governments Bills Plan
Represents a Progressive Sentiment.
General News.
Especial Correspondence.l

| washington, Marcn 2Z.-l4afSelS dS
result of the stir which Senator La
Toilette caused about appropriations
and appropriation bills in the last
weeks session, there is to be sweep
1 ing reform in the senate method Of
handing out the billion a year which
represents the cost of running the gov
eminent.
A new senate committee-the great
est and most potent of all the body's
committees--is to be established.
will be budget committee. with Sen
atoh Aldrich as chairman-that as a
matter of course, because he's boss
and all chairmen of appropriation COM
mittees as ex officio members, with
senators. Its business will be to cor
relate and systematic the whole
scheme of government expenditures.
1t will be expected. for instance, to
to calculate from what sources they
StLii DC properly IdiSCu, W uOICi hii.iS
in what general directions revisions OF
the revenue system may be needed, to
consider the condition of the treasury,
and in general to be a sort of advis-
DRY board in all business matters of
the government.
No Budget Committee Exists.
1t is curious fact that nothing
like a budget committee exists in
either house of congress. In most
governments, a. budget is prepared
which indicates what money is needed
in various departments, and then
shows what the existing revenue sys-
tenn is likely to produce. If the exist
ing system doesn't promise enough.
recommendation is made as to means
for raising more: an increase of the
tax on spirits or tobacco, of some of
the customs, or incomes, or whatever
may seem necessary On the other
hand, If the government seems likely
to gather in more revenue than it will
need, the budget authorities recon-
mend reduction of some of the taxes.
Under such a system as this, gov
eminent is in small danger of being
faced with a huge and menacing sur
plus If the surplus shows signs of
becoming dropsical, it can be reduced
by looping off a few of the taxes or
duties. But in this country each de-
partment of the government estimates
for what money it guesses it will need,
being careful not to under-e estimate.
The estimate say, from the navy de-
partment, goes to the naval commit
tees. The estimate from the agricul-
fyIr orfr,o IN
tural committees; and so on. There
is no INTERPRETATION between these
committees. Officially at least, there
is no way of getting cooperation
among them to carry out any line of
policy. Each committee takes a Ger
tain pride in caring literally for it's
own department. 1t reaches in and
helps itself as literally as possible to
the public funds, shutting its eyes to
what the other committees and de-
partments are doing.
LaFolette Points the Way.
Under the new scheme, the chair
men of the money-handling committees
will be brought together for general
survey of the revenue and expense sit
uation. They will be able to make a
general apportionment of money; to
cut the garment according to the cloth.
Moreover, the money-raising commit
tees will be represented on the budget
committees, and expenditures may be
considered with a view to the probable
revenue.
1t was Senator LaFollette who called
attention vigorously to this old-fash-
toned, seconds way of doing bus
mess. He raised his protest against the
naval bill, pointing out that the gov
eminent expenses have about doubled
in a decade, and that about 10 per
cent of the billion year now goes
to army and navy. Yet nobody seems
or particularly concerned;
the bills grow larger with every con-
gress, and the effort is to pass them in
less and less time, and with less and
less consideration. Mr. LaFollette
wanted the senate to stop and think
what the navy bill was all about; and
when the naval committee demurred,
he insisted, and had his way. He ex-
planned that he was not hostile to the
navy, but he did want the old plan
Of rushing bills into the statute books
which voted away hundreds of mil
lions Of dollars, in an hour or two
of time, without even reading, to be
changed.
And so comes the budget committee.
It represents concession to the grow
ing sentiment which of late has sound
ed warnings against the expenses of
the government Senator Hale most
protested on several occasions /
the past session, that congress must
give more thought to the money! 7
spending end of it's business. Deficit /
is here, and bond issue in time OF
peace is in sight.
There is little expectation that much /
can be Topped off the present expense
bill of the government. But it is be-
Iieved that with careful investigation