New-York tribune., 1909-03-20
NEW SENATE BODY
TO FIX FISCAL POLICT.
Committee to Put Brakes on When
appropriations Soar.
From The Tribune Bureau J

From The Tribune Bureau
Washington. March 1a-Tha Senate leaders have
created a highly important new committee which
is destined to exert an influence second TO that OF
other committee in the Senate Its creation
marks a radical change in the fiscal policy Of Con-
gress and one from which is expected far more
businessIike conduct Of the government finances.
It Will be known. has been told in these dis
patches. as the Committee on Expenditures in the
Executive Departments. Senator Hale will be ex-
offclo chairman
For many years there has b=en dissatisfaction
with the present method of appropriating public
funds Responsibility for appropriations is divided
among half dozen committees. The Committee
on Appropriations handles the legislative. executive
and judicial bills the sundry civil BILL the general
and urgent deficiency bills. the fortfcatons bill.
etc The Committee Military Affairs prepares
the army appropriation bill, the Committee on
Naval Affairs frames the naval appropriation bill
and the Committee Agriculture. the agricultural
appropriation other bills. carrying large
appropriations. are prepared by the Committees on
Commerce Indian Affairs Pensions and Pubic
Buildings and Grounds.
This division Of responsibility has led ~ waste
and extravagance. There is no direct relation oe-
tween those Senators who by reason Of their com
nittee service. primarily responsible for Keep
ing the Treasury supplied with funds and those
who apportion these funds for the running eA-
pensas Of the government The new committee Is
t. take general charge OF the hscSl policy or the
Senate. It is TO be sort Of budget commttee.
with pIenary power or putting on the ordAes
WI standing
position 10 he reckless in the expenditure OF puohc
funds
The Corauittep on Expenditures IN the ExecHuve
Departments will be made UP Of the chairHeh OF
the various fiscal committees Of the senate MI
HaIa's colleagues viii include senator 4iuli0i'
chairman of the Finance Committee; Senator war
rem chairman OF Military Affairs; Senator PERKINS
chairman OF Naval Affairs, and Senator poiIiNeF'
chairman Of Agriculture senators Noot' 'IdHs
and Bourne will also Je assigned TO the committee.
will
tee by five Senator's
As the country IS about to embark on new
policy for raising revenue. the need OF oIdse'
committee is OF peculiar Importance al TINS Tune
II il poposed that the beginning OF each session
the new committee shall make careful eNanlna-
ton OF the estimates proposed hy the treasury De
partment Tie entire field OF national finance VIII
be reviewed and a decision reached as to the
amount OF money which can be spent in the en-
suing year.
An apportionment Of this amount will he made
and each committee chairman will he informed
Of .tie maximum amount AZ his disposal II II
happens that there is falling on IN the revenues
or that it is necessary 10 make emergency appro-
priations to meet new conditions, the Committee
on Expenditures in the Executive Departments may
hnd il desirable to make subsequent ORDER thaI
there be A cut OF or 10 per cent all along the line
In power and prestige the new committee VIII
take high rank Membership on IL Will be priced
because OF the opportunities furnished to acquire
broad knowledge OF the nations hscal aHalIs'
Few Senators now members oI CoHllili'0ee9
handling more than appropriation bill, and no
Senator is a member Of all the appropriations COM
,,ittees The new committee Will prove training
school for Senators equip themselves with ac-
c,rats knowledge Of how Uncle Sam makes and
spends his money.
Senator Dixon will he chairman Of the new
committee on Conservation Of Natural Resources
M Dixon ia one of the aggressive young Senators
who was disposed to criticise the older Senators
for not giving the new show The Repub-
rcen leaders appointed him member Of the
chairman OF the committee entirely satisfies
him
Senator Borah. OF Idaho. another young Senator
who was inclined to be critical of the power of
the so-caUed elder statesmen Is 10 be made
chairman OF the Committee Education and
Labor and is slated for place on the Committee
on the Judiciary
The Committee on Committees decided to-day
an additional concession to the Western Senators
ov enlarging the Republican representation the
Finance Committee and appointing Senator McCum-
ber of North Dakota, as a member Of that body.
The committee will consist OF nine Republican and
FIVE Democratic Senators. AS the committee is now
made up hve of the Republican Senators from
the west. Three of these from states west of
the Missouri River and two from the Middle West.
Three of the remaining four from New Eng
land and one is from Pennsylvania.
Senator Nixon, of Nevada. takes the place on
Interstate Commerce made vacant by the retire
ment of Mr.. Foraker. Senator Burton will succeed
Senator Hopkins a member OF the Committee
on Commerce. Senator Depew becomes chairman
of the Committee Pacific Islands and Porto Rico
in place Of Mr.. Foraker. Senators Piles and War
ner are put on the Judiciary Committee.