Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-02-24
MODERNIZE BUS
MESS METHODS
President Taft Says it Will Save
Government SlOO,OOO,OOO

NEWARK, N. j., Feb. 24.-Presi-
dent Taft, the first chief executive
since Grant to visit Newark, last
night addressed one OF the largest
and most enthusiastic dinner audi
ences he has met in all his travels.
The banquet was given by the New
ark board OF trade and more than
500 members and guests attended.
Mr. Taft took for his theme the
subject Of governmental economy and
said he shared the hope that the
commission which is to be appointed
to revise the business methods OF
the departments at Washington may
effect saving Of 500, 900. 900 a
year.
Mr.. Taft left at IL o'clock for Jer-
sey City, where his car was switched
to the midnight train for Washing
ton.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,
Governor Fort of New Jersey and the
president were the principal speak
ers at the banquet.
Taft on Public Economics.
President Taft, arter acknowledg-
ing the pleasure of being afforded
the opportunity to speak to the bust
ness men of New Jersey. said:
when ! accepted the invitation I'd
come here, learned that it was to
have the pleasure Of being a fellow
guest with my friend Senator Lodge
and that he was to take up the ques-
ton of high prices, question that
has occupied the attention of all the
people in the investigation into its
cause by the congress and by some OF
the state legislatures. For my part
of the evening should like to direct
your attention to more prosy sub
iect-to the question of government
expenses and government revenues
and the possible economies, and what
expenditures are essential at what
ever taxation.
I'm the first place, it should be
said that we have been so far from
exhausting the resources of national
taxation and federal revenues have
been collected SO easily, and in such
an amount, that we have failed In
the past to adopt a budget system
such as is praetieed in every other
civilized country. BY budget system
| mean a reference of proposed ex
penditures and receipts to some one
authority or tribunal which, after de
termining what the revenues will be
must also determine what the ex
penditures can be, and make bulge
without a deficit
In our legislative body, which
authorizes the expenditures, tins
/
means, on the one hand, determined
the revenues of the government o
provided the laws for raising them
and on the other hand. determined
the appropriations and measure
the expenditures.
Functions Divided.
But for many years in our con
gress, these functions have been dl
vided. The revenues are provide
by the ways and means committe
of the house and finance committe
of the senate and submitted to thei
respective houses, while the apprC
priations are made by the appropria
: tions committee of the house an
/ senate, and in TOO many Instance
without apparent. reference to tn
revenues which are to be ayailabl
to meet the appropriations.
1T has so happened that in man
years in the past the revenues haS
increased more rapidly than the e.
penditures and there has been su
plus. In the life of the Dingley bill
: which carried us from 1896 TO 100
the revenues exceeded expenditure
E by about $3.50, 10000 but the su
plus took place in the early year
: so that in 1908 We had a deficit. an
in 1903 we had a deficit
The calculations of the secretai
of the treasury for the present yel
showed that the deficit was likely
: be $4,000. 900 in respect to ordinal
: receipts and expenditures. | am gli
: ), .av tba+ the oneration of the ne