The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-30
Determined That
Money Shall Not
Be Wasted.
ORDERS KNIFE
INTO ESTIMATES
President Tells Department
Heads That Proposed Expendi-
lures Must Be Pruned Down
to the Last Notch-Will
Know Where Every
Dollar Goes.

Washington. November 2e,-The un-
usual incident OF a President OF the
United states personally investigating
the estimated expenditure OF every
dollar of government money Tor
future fiscal year was noted at the
White House to-day. when Preslaenl
Taft called in the heads OF every De
partment, including the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, and spent
the whole day delving into the de-
tailed fgures of each branch of the
government service. Not only did the
President want to know the why's and
" uherefores of each estimate of any
large amount. but he repeated MS
former injunctions to Cabinet ofhcers
TO hold their estimates within the
smallest possible sum.
BY his work during the past rev
months and to-day the President en-
phatically displays not only pur-
pose TO familiarize himself with every
detail of government expenditure put
a determination TO make governmentai
economy and efficiency reality, IL
was declared BY a Cabinet officer to-
day.
Every Man to His Duty.
Retrenchmont In expenditures and
days developments, real meaning. The
President takes SGe view that curtall-
ment of expenditures in the depart
ments and throughout the government
service cannot be brought about un-
less every official. from the head OF
the government on down. including
Senator'S and Representatives, naVinS
TO do with the making of approprta-
tions, takes personal interest in the
work, and use. his utmost endeavor
10 accomplish something in the way
OF real economy.
This Is the first year, however, thae
Mr. Taft has undertaken personally TO
supervise the estimates and reach an
agreement with the heads of I'M
portsnt committees of Congress, as to
the appropriations to be made for the
branches OF the service about which
they have something to say. Last year,
for months before Congress assembled.
the President several times urged his
Cabinet officers to reduce their esti-
mated expenditures for the following
year to the lowest possible amount.
Through this and the personal in
| terest he took at that time the est-
mates were reduced BY something Ike
SAC, 900 Early this year the Pres
ident again informed Cabinet officers
that the government must be brought
as near down to q business basis as
possible.
Must Reduce Further, Arc Orders.
AS he went over department by de-
partsnent to-day, the President told
each Cabinet officer that estimates
must be cut still further, cut right
down to the actual necessities of the
service of the respective departments.
t-r- r1ar fheir "a G.
timates were already at the bottom
the President demurred, and asked
that further cuts be made He diplo-
matically suggested that each Cab
met officer take personal hand in
the preparation of the estimates to a
degree not yet attempted.
The Presidents earnestness greatly
impressed his Cabinet advisers, who
returned to their respective depart
ments intent upon giving all the aid
possible.
River and Hnrbor Estimates.
Representative Alexander, chairman
of the River and Harbor Committee
of the House, was called into the con-
ferences of the day, as was General
Bixby. chief of engineers of the army,
the object being to reach an agree
ment as far as practicable, that river
and harbor appropriations for the next
fiscal year shall be for approval pro-
jects based upon thorough investisa-
tion by engineers of the army. Tie
President is on record as opposed to
appropriations for projects having no
appropriations to have the same bus
mess basis as any other expenditure
After the conference Mr.. Alexander
made this statement:
at the last session Of Congress the
Committee on Rivers and Harbors
unanimously adopted resolution
favoring annual river and harbor bills
to begin with the fiscal year ending
June. so, 1912. The bill of 1910, being
preceded by the triennial bill Of 1907,
necessarily carried projects and ap-
preparations far In excess of the needs
of an annual bill. because, three years
having elapsed since the passage OF
regular river and harbor bill more
improvements and larger approprin-
tions were required An annual bill,
on tho other hand, contemplates only
the needs of a single fiscal year. This
greatly reduces the number OF items
and the aggregate of appropriations.
Heretofore the corps of engineers,
from long experience as to the un-
necessity of providing not only for the
actual needs of the ensuing year. but
for possible failure of appropriations
for several years,
No "Pork Barrcl" Sign,
I'm making the present estimates on
the basis of an annual bill the chief
of engineers submits only the most
needed improvements and provides for
minimum appropriations. In other
words the chief of engineers, in his
annual report, just issued. has laid
the foundation for an annual bill with
the expectation that 1t will be fol-
lowed by bill next year, His esti-
mates. numbering 211 items. approxi-
mate s23,o00,o0o. and authorizations to
the amount Of about s20,O0000O One
half OF these items are for maintenance
of completed projects, one-quarter for
prosecuting work already under way
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