Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-12-15
AN AMERICAN BUDGET.

Under this head the Atlanta Journal
reviews with wonderful condensity,
vet with comprehensive accuracy, the
annual report of the Secretary of the
Congress on Wednesday, and which is
particularly interesting document.
| The Journal cites the fact, that
there has been an effort on the part
of the present administration to es-
I tablisll as nearly as possible budget,
and all the heads of departments have
been working hard for some time pre-
pairing estimates which would cover
the amounts which it is thought will
be actually required.
1t is notorious fact that in the past
such es lmates as were made were III
excess of requirements, with a tacit
understanding that trades would be
made in the appropriations committee.
That such system was open to Sc
rious criticism is apparent on its face.
It naturally led to extravaganza in the
public expenditure.
Secretary Macveagh, in discussinf
the !.udget, says that originally it was
undoubtedly intended to have a bud
get, and Alexander Hamilton began
in that way. But the complete plan
was never instituted. The separation
between the legislative and executive
departments prevented the elemnts of
fnuncial responsibility from getting
together. The drift Of Things has been
away from the financial responsibili-
ty CT the executive.
Some time ago it was determined
that instead of the former system by
WAich each member of the Cabinet
sent his own department estimates to
the Congress, without any regard to
the estimate as whole, the estimates
of all departments should be reported
to the President and Cabinet, to be
considered in the light of the expected
revenue.
Afterwards the Senate took action
by appointing a committee on expen-
ditures, including the chairmen of the
separate committees having charge of
appropriation bills. 1t was contem-
plated that in this way the work. ali
the Sc committees would be bound to-
gether, thereby tending to make the
appropriations of Congress one appro-
p1iation instead of many.
All of this is looked upon as the be-
ginning of system of fiscal RESPONSE
bility by both the legislative and ex-
ecutive branches of the government.
The present year presents many diff
fculties in attempting to work this
system for the reason that new tariff
even harder than usual to estimate
what will be the revenue from that
important source.
The estimated receipts, as they
stand for the fiscal year 1911, are six
hundred and seventy-two millions,
and sixty-eight thousand dollars, or a
surplus in ordinary receipts of nearly
thirty-six million dollars. But when
the Panama canal estimates are in
cluded the surplus will be turned into
a deficit of twelve millions.
This, however, is a conservative i'm
! provement over the fiscal year 1910.
| for which the ordinary disbursements
are estimated at six hundred and eigh-
ty-two millions, making a deficit when
the Panama account is included OF
over seventy-three millions.
Among the other important ques-
tions discussed by the Secretary OF
the Treasury is system of retiring
pensions in the civil service. lie
points out that there is no general
legal system for retiring aged civil
servants. It is true that many OF
them are pensioners in fact, but he
thinks we will never attain to the
highest efficiency in our civil service
until recognized legal system of re-
tiring pensions is established.