The Washington times., 1909-11-06
Campaign Started to Elimi-
nate CareleSsenSS in Hand
ling Districts Funds.
FIRST SHOT FIRED
AT ROUSING MEET
DR.. Powers, Allen D. Albert, IT.,
and Theodore DeLand Urge
Concerted Action.

8 The taxpayers of the District of
Columbia. REINFORCED by and with the
Association of american Government
Accountants in the var. are beginning
a vigorous campaign ,cd8y I'm behalf
of a system, as against carlessuess
aud neglect in the matter OF framing
the annual District eff Columbia budget
by Congress
The opening shot was fired last night
at a largely attended and enthusiastic
meeting of the association at the Free
Public Library building, st which there
was an interesting and emphatic ex-
change of views on the subject. The
unanimous Judgment was that Con
cress must change the form of the
District OF Columbia appropriation bill
IN order that each heading in that
statute shall include all Uhe outlay Of
money which shall properly belong un-
Ger that particular heading.
Win Simplify It.
The adoption of this new plan is
urged today as against the method
which has been followed for years
whereby District appropriations are
scattered here, there, and everywhere IN
various bills SO that no intelligent
grasp of the real intent and situation
Ray be secured by tho average tax
payer in search Of facts and hgures
on the subject.
The meeting last night was PRESIDED
over by \. n. Potts. Its vice president.
Addresses were delivered By its presl-
dent. DR.. lie Grand Pow ers, chief stat
istician of the Bureau Of the census
alien ID. Albert. jr., OF The Times; Iheo-
5ara I. De Land, Of the office OF the
Secretary of the Treasury. l-ach OF liie
Sneakers strongly urSee q ~ 9lS-LlS-l -
form OF budget ana eN cry e- = --ii1-4
met 81 w" Pa1-ers addressed himself TO the
S46iecf in a general fashion Whhe M,
Albert and ar. DeLand were q Dit -, -
exeI4sively TO interesting and LoIevA1-
detail. szs~.es
IN past years" said DIT. powers llls
v-aTious departments OF the government
Of the District have presented their es-
tinaates Of the expenditures which they
recommend FOR the ensuing fiscal year
All of these departmental estimates
were prepared under old and anIlquateo
general titles which conveyed no ihhIilis
Of The purpose Tor which the aIg7roprla-
fiens asked for were 20 be eEpen5aed
and no ordinary business man N0ti1' ~
tha leisure at his disposal, teit WAlca
oees were excessive and permitted the
Nasteful or extravagant expenditure o.
Under such circumstances those in
terested in special depaf lIileIts OF par
rfcuIaF appropriations c0uiu solLlVl4llls
secure more than their Just snare 9l
fba ruhIf- money and others, unaDlt
to sur uD as much tuln0lLr OF IdtSs -
much dust TO throw ia the eyes OF --oh'
gress, failed to secure suIi1clenJ app53oJ-
prlation 10 perform the duues Wiilli
co1ffd reasonably Ice demanded or eA-
pected from their office.
stWashingtou.'' concluded DIT Powers,
els the Capital Of the Nation and II
its accounts and budgets can oe ar
ranged 10 reflect the recommendalons
OF an those who have made study
Of fhe same from their relation to good
and efficient government, the action IN
washington viii have an early and
WIDESPREAD influence for good In every
Municipality on this continent
Mr.. AIbert's Views.
Mr.. Albert. fin discussing the new
form of budget prepared by District
Auditor Alonzo Tweedale, observed that
the budget for which Dr. Powers ar
gued was a device TO give to the direct
representatives Of the people control
over their administrative officers.
What IS needed in the District. he
said, sis not so much control as know
edge lit is entirely proper 70 say ue
continued, that in the sense or bush
ueEs-like management Congress mas
never known until this year now MUCH
and for what purpose II has made ap-
preparations for the District and the
Commissioners have never known IN
the same sense how much, and FOR
what purpose, they We're and have been
making disbursements.
Mr. Albert pleaded Tor a campaign
Of education through the newspapers OF
Vow that this information exists. %
1 #as
Al should be understood by all the
people of the District OF Columbia, and
the only way % convey Information aQe-
uuately is 10 chart the situation as the
modern successful corporation charts
lbs uon-goEeTumentaI affairs
ia referring 10 the manner In which
Congress scatters It's District appro-
pFiaLiOns Ia "a manner almost -ucJn-
uueheuEiblC. Mr. Albert pointed 10 the
fact that about $500 600 was appropriated
"a bills other than the District biz.
What Is Sought.
"'yVe hope TO get Congress" he con-
Guided. ''to change the form OF District
appropriation act SO that each main
heading shall include all the expendi-
lures which properly should boz placed
under that particular heading. IN other
words We want system"
8Ir DE Land aroused enthusiasm when
he referred 10 mr. AiberJ's statement
that Congress practically knew not what
g. was approprauuE for. and that The
Commissioners knew not what thew
were dlsbursing FOR, adding on lls own
behalf that in his opinion The taxpayers
didn't know what they were having
taxes for or why. AIr. DE Land moved
that the meeting oIeI vote o. thanks
Tor the. enlightenment which had been
8ffered on the question Dy DR. Powers
and Mr.. Albert. IL was adopted uuaui-
mously.
Citizens Campaign.