New-York tribune., 1912-12-03
SESSION AND BUDGET.

There will probably be no attempt
at new general legislation of impor-
tance at this short session Of morl-
bund Congress, unless it should be
demanded by some unexpected emer-
gency. Interest will, therefore, largely
centre in the financial estimates which
have been submitted by the Secretary
OF the Treasury in behalf of the vari-
GUS administrative departments and in
the final action Of Congress upon them
They have the unusual characteristic
of having been prepared by one admin
istration for the first full fiscal year
of q succeeding administration Of an
other political complexion and in some
respects of radically different financial
policies.
That IL should be another "bilion
dollar budget" was inevitable. More
than score of years ago the first
"billion dollar Congress" attracted
much attention and provoked much
comment: but it's critics were unable
IN condemn 1t, and when In later years
tho standard Of a "billion dollar ses-
sion" was reached IT was recognized
with little demur that this was the
logical result of the great material
growth of the country and the still
greater increase of administrative ef-
ficiency. There is a larger nation to be
served by each new administration
and there IS also a more complex ana
complete service TO he rendered. Just
as the standard Of private living mas
been raised, with a consequent IN
crease i'm its cost. so have the stand
ard and cost of the public service
increased. The average man would not
he content to live as his father lived
n generation AGO. nor would he be con-
tent with the governmental service
which was then considered satisfac-
tory That is not TO say that impor-
fanf economies could not be effected
without impairment OF efficiency. On
the contrary. there is reason for believ-
ing that this could be done, and conse-
0uentIv we regard as a highly desira-
bic feature of the present estimates
the request for S250OOO for the Econ
omv and Efficiency Commission which
President Taft has appointed, and re-
eret that his recommendation Of ra-
tional budget system was not more
favorably received by Congress.
Three major features Of the esti-
mates will command attention. One is
the increase Of more than S20.00000O
for pensions. due TO recent legislation
Increasing the rates Of payment to the
decreasing number Of pensioners.
Since that was Democratic legislation
the results of it cannot be charged
against the Republican administration.
Another is an increase of more than
S2S.OOO.OO0 in the navy estimates, OF
which a large part is due to the de-
sire of the Secretary to repair the
former neglect Of Congress. The
sound policy OF the department has
been to provide for two new battle
ships a year. but as at the last session
Congress provided for only one the
Secretary now asks for three The
third feature is found in the Postoffice
estimates. which are omitted from the
budget as submitted for the reason
that while that department is expected
TO spend nearly S2S3,OO0,000 it is also
expected TO receive about as much and
thus be virtually self-supporting, as 1t
has been for the last two years. Once
before. i'm Mr.. Arthur's administration.
a similar result was achieved, but 1t
was one thing TO make ends meet over
total Of only S41.OO0,000, with high
postal rates and primitive facilities,
and quite another to do so now, with a
budget nearly seven times as great as
II was thirty years ago, with the rates
re6Esed nearly 30 per cent and a vast
systen Of free rural delivery and other
facilities provided.