Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-18
WOULD CHANGE FORM
Auditor TWeedale Discusses
the District Budget.
WANTS THE LAW ALTERED
Addresses Experts in Municipal
Government.
EXPENSE HEADINGS ILLOGICAL
Recommends Revised Classical
ton That Will Show for What
the Appropriation Is Intended.
EXPENSE HEADINGS ILLOGICAL

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
CINCINNATI. Ohio. November is
AlonzO Tweedale. auditor for the District
of Columbia, president of the National
Association of Controllers and Account
ing Officers. and vice president of the As
ISOLATION of American Government Ac
co1ntants. spoke this morning before the
joint meetings of the National Municipal
League, the National Conference for Good
City Government and the American Civic
Association. His subject was The Bud
get of the District of Columbia
on the ground that 1t insures an efficient
and economical government, Auditor
Tweedale advocated the adoption of a
new form of budget for the National
of the three associations. the leading ex-
perts in municipal government in the
United States. to work. through their rep
resentatives i'm Congress, for the enact
ment of the new budget into law.
Divisions in District Bill.
After outlining in some detail the form
OF the District government and the NTH
cd of preparing its estimates and appro-
priations, the auditor considered the Dis
trict appropriation bill, which is the pres
ent District budget. He called attention
to the fact that 1t Is not a complete show
ing of the District expenditures, because
the sundry civil bill appropriates $2S3,iJO
and the Legislative, executive and judi
cial appropriation act appropriates $685.
S15 from the revenues of the District for
various items.
But it is in the arrangement Of the
act where the most serious complications
are encountered" continued the speaker.
The act is divided into sections by the
following general captions: General ex-
penseS, contingent and miscellaneous ex-
penses, improvements and repairs. sewers,
streets. electrical department, Washing
ton aQueduct, Rock Creek Park. public
schools, police. fire department, health
department. courts, interest and sinking
fund. emergency fund, for courts and
prisons. charities and corrections.
Illogical Classification.
This classification, you will observe, is
not such that the general business of the
District can be stated therefrom. and the
more serious condition is that the head
ings do not represent the appropriations
that are grouped hereunder. To give but
one example out of the many that exist,
| invite your attention to the appropria-
tions made under the caption Streets,
d. c. This appropriation embraces nine
For sprinkling, sweep
ing and cleaning: disposal of city refuse:
for the parking commission: bathing
beach: for public scales; deep wells: play
grounds: public convenience stations
condemnation of insanitary buildings. In
the new form of budget these are CLASH |
fled as follows: Three as objects belonging
to health and sanitation; three TO recrea-
ton: one to. protection of life and prop
crty; one to public service enterprises and
one 10 miscellaneous
From the statement above made it will
be observed that the classification bears
no relation to the general lines of business
conducted by the government, that there !
Aas been no grouping whereby the bust /
ness of the corporation could be scien !
or otherwise studied. This con- !
dition, | desire TO say. has arisen. not
through any desire on. the part of the Com |
missioners OF the District Of Columbia or
through the will of Congress-. but is the |
result of thirty years of gradual growth |,
without a permanent scientific appropriat |
ing plan.
Change in Budgetary Form.