New-York tribune., 1909-03-28
PRESIDENT CREATES
BUDGET COMMITTEE
THREE C4BINET MEUBERS
TO CUT ESTTU4TES
Plan fo Square Federal Expenses
fcitR ReUenue-MacFeagh to
Head Ne1c Board.

washington. March 2T.-The President has in
,-o511ce5 an innovation in the federal govern
-,ent bv creating a Budget Committee" com
nosed Of three members of the Cabinet with the
secretary of the Treasury as the chairman.
whose duty it shall he to supervise all estimates
for federal expenses before they are submitted
70 Congress. with view to cutting them as
70 bring them within the limits of the estimated
revenues for the same fiscal year. This plan
has been under consideration by the Cabinet
since its first meeting, and yesterday the com
rittee was appointed
President Taft is in entire sympathy with the
svoved aim Of Congress TO Curtail the federal
4xpenses SO as to restore that prosperity which
,yntf quite recently the Treasury has enjoyed
He has conferred with members Of both houses
Of Congress. and has approved their suggestion
that it is obviously the reverse of good business
policy for the executive branch of the govern
men, TO plan its expenses without regard to the
prospective revenues, and then look To the leg
islative branch 10 make up any deficiency which
may occur.
In the sundry civil appropriation bill passed
BY the last Congress there was inserted the fol-
loving provision:
Immediately upon the receipt Of the regular
annual estimates of appropriations needed for
the various branches OF the government. il shall
ne the duty Of the Secretary of the Treasury to
estimate as nearly as may be the revenues of
The government for the ensuing fiscal year. and
If the estimates for appropriations including
the estimated amount necessary To meet all
continuing and permanent appropriations. shall
exceed the estimated revenues, the Secretary of
the Treasury shall transmit the estimates 10
Congress. heretofore required by law, and at
once transmit detailed statement OF all Of said
estirna res the President. TO the end that he
max. IL giving Congress information of the state
of the I-uior and recommending TO their con-
siderati0n such measures as he may judge
necessary. advise the Congress how. in his Judg-
ment. the estimated appropriations could with
least injury TO the public service. be reduced SO
IS 20 bring the appropriations within the estl-
mated revenues: or. II such reduction be not
IN his judgment. practicable without uhdue III
jurv 10 the public service. that he may recon-
mend 10 Congress such loans or new taxes as
may be necessary to cover the deficiency.
NEW SENATE COMMITTEE TO AID.
OF course. the newly created Senate committee
on the expenditures of the executive depart
rents IS only another step in the same direction
and is intended 10 provide second check on the
federal expenses. The chief purpose of that
committee. as has been explained in these dis
patches is to curtaiI the total appropriations so
that they may be brought within the limit Of
estimated revenues
Te those who have Witnessed spasus OF econ
my n the executive departments but more
particularly in Congress, this movement is the
occasion Of especial interest. will Congress
really prove wiling TO exercise that self-re-
etraint which is the first essential TO economy"
is the question asked by all who have observed
similar movements in the past. There is some
ground for believing that members Of Congress
will be more nearly ready 10 do their part in this
regard than heretofore because through the op-
Grafton Of the Civil Service regulations they no
longer control a large part Of the appointments
10 federal Office. when all Offices in the execu-
tive departments were the spoils of members Of
Congress some members were unwilling either
10 curtsiI their number diminish their pay, for
the reason that either course diminished the
amount OF spoils TO be distributed.
Pursuant TO the policy outlined, Secretary
MacEeagh issued to-day circular letter to all
heads OF bureaus in his department urging that
immediate consideration be given to the problem
OF feasible economies. The Secretary says:
The President wishes The Treasury Depart
mept, well the other departments Of the
EOVernment-to take immediate measures II
consider the question of such economies in
penditUre as may be found by the most com
petent study 70 be feasible. II is intended TO
make the estimates Of expenditures for the next
and future years with the greatest care; and II
is desirable that the attention Of this depart
rnent should be directed as early as possible to
the general study Of this matter.
II is the intention that the estimates OF the
different departments shall hereafter be sub
mitted the Cabinet: and that they shall be
considered together ana a whole, and I'm
connection with the Treasury estimates Of the
probable income
There is clearly a new disposition. not only in
the Executive government but in the Congress,
toward such consideration and study Of the gov
erurnent expenditures as viii bring about a re
sponsible relationship between the expenditures
and the revenues.