Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-09-20
Legislative Branch of Govern
ment Seeks, President Says,
to Limit Unconstitutiona|ity
Power of Chief Executive.
STRONG LETTER TO
SECRETARY MACvEAGH
United States Only Country Of
World Where Appropriations
are Made Regardless Of
Revenue Resources.

lBy Morning journal specisi I.aased Wire.
| Beverly. Sept. 19.--President Taft
| tonight made public letter to the
secretary Of the treasury. taking open
| issue with congress on the question OF
a federal budget and directing all
heads Of government departments. or
Independent officers Of the govern
ment, to make their estimates of rev.
enue and expenditures for the fiscal
year In conformity with the budget
iplan.
The presidents letter to Mr.. Mac
veagh said that the clause IN one Of
Ithe big supply bills passed by con-
|gress in the closing hours Of the last
session. practically forbidding a bud
get system, is unconstitutional. the
letter to Mr.. Macveagh in part fol-
lows:
IF the president Is to assume re-
sfcnsibility for either the manner in
x vhich business Of the government is
transacted or results obtained, it is
evident that he cannot be limited by
congress to such information as that
branch may think sufficient for his
purposes. In my opinion 1t is entire
~ competent for the president to sub
mit to congress and to the country II
statement of resources. obligations,
revenues, expenditures and estimates,
In the form he deems advisable. And
this power l propose to exercise.
The United States Is the only great
country that does not have budget.
Each year the congress has been max
ing increasingly large appropriations
based on estimates which are submit
ted BY officers acting in the capacity
OF ministerial agents to congress. un-
der law which makes no provisions
Whatever for executive review and re-
vision This, ! have sought in meas
ure, to correct by asking the heads Of
departments to send estimates to me
before they are printed, but the con-
ditions attached by congress have been
such as to make executive review i'm |
possible.
THE present legal directions as to I
estimates are based on the theory that |
there is no need to take stock before
passing on appropriations; that 1t Is !
not necessary to consider revenues or |
treasury resources. Congress has d. |
rected each executive officer to sub
nit an estimate through the secretary
Of the treasury who is made to serve
n the capacity of an official messen-
ger without any discretion. whatever
lnless a department head may fail to
prepare a request for appropriations
n the form prescribed by congress, In
which event the secretary of the treas
has r,tt Gal
ubmit an estimate for him.
Congress has created certain COM
nittees on appropriations that alone
lave power to review and revise re-
Iuests OF the department heads. Even
n its own organization, however, con-
sress has failed to make provision
or considering expenditures and esti-
mates for appropriations in relation
o revenue.
Authority Is granted for the expend-
ture for thousand million dollars
ach year without any thought as to
fhere the money is coming from. This
done on the theory that there will be
% deficit Congress has reen doing
that has been called surplus fnanc-
n.y. While the constitution makes I
pneJess TtsDOHslDtt lot money TuIS- |
az as well as for appropriations, re-
possibility for borrowing rs been
hifted to the president by empower
lg him to procure loans to meet de-
cits in case a deficit may result
THE great question of a national !
xpediency which is raised by the ac- 4
on of congress above referred to, is: I
shall we, or shall we not, have a
ational budget? do question the n
right of congress to pre-
,rihe the manner In which reports Of :
and estimates shall be a
to 1t Ly department officers. a
do question the practical wisdom of !
Dntinuing to operate the government; .
nder ninety different statutes. passed !,
ninety different times, which pre- =
-ribe two hundred different forms of 4
repairing and submitting financial
sta to congress and the public-data n
hich. when prepared. have no ele- .
ent of uniformity or standard. and
,nnot be used to present TO officers
the people an accurate picture of
ealing here tonight. Governor John nj