The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-09-20
|TlF 7 INSISTS
| IN HIS RIGHTS
| AS EXECUTIVE
Takes Direct Issue With Con-
ress and Directs Secretary
MacVeagh to Put Budget
System in Operation.
I SETS FORTH VIEWS
IN STRONG LETTER
Declares He Is the Responsible
Head of Government and
Proposes to Act for the
Public Welfare.

Public Welfare.
IN EvERJY. Mass, Sept. 19.--Presi
liz dent Taft tonight made public
I'D letter to Secretary OF the
Treasury MacVeaeb, taking
open issue with congress on the ques.
sion of 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
plsn
The president s letter to Mr.. Mac
yeagh said that the clause in one of
the big supply bills passed by congress
Ia the closing hours of the last session,
practically forbidding the use Of a
budget system, is unconstitutional
Presidents Letter.
The letter to Mr.. MacYeagh In part
follows:
II the president is to assume re-
sponslhility for either the manner in
which business Of the government Is
transacted or results obtained, It is
eyldent that he cannot be limited by
congress to such Information as that
branch may think sufficient for his
T.
urely competent for the president to
submit 10 congress and to tho coun-
fy statement Of resources, oblisa-
Hons, revenues, expenditures and es-
inmates, In tho forms he deems adj
sl@ble And this power l propose to
exerclse.
Corrective System.
The United States is the only great
country that does not have budget.
zach year the congress has been
making increasingly large approprla-
uons BASED on estimates which arc
submitted by officers acting In the
capacity OF ministerial agents to con-
srehs. under a law which makes no
. ~'-'S"o Whatever LOT executive
review and revision. This I have
sought In a measure to correct by
ASKING the heads OF departments to
seno estimates to me before they are
printed, bur the conditions attached
oy congress have been such as to
make executive review impossible
Theory of Congress.
. The present legal directions as to
esumates are based on the theory
ahl there Is no need to take stock
seiore passing on appropriations;
''"l Is not necessary to consider
'e'shues or treasury resources Con-
s'VS6 mas directed each executive Of
ncer TO submit an estimate through
Inc secretary Of the treasury, who
% made to serve in the capacity OF
." onicial messenger without any
a"Tetion whatever unless a DEPART
"I'. mead may fall to prepare a re-
aueei Tor appropriations In the form
D'eScroed by congress, in which
ent inc secretary OF the treasury
As imposed upon him the duty TO
submit an estimate for him.
&soord of Failure.
Congress has created certain COM
'"ees on appropriations that alone
0 power 10 review and revise re-
e.e"s OF the department heads
ven Ia It's own organization, how
' congress has failed TO make pro-
o" LOT considering expenditures
u estimates for appropriations In
'"&uon to revenues
u.hoFity Is granted for the ex-
OF thousand million dol
go 1eh year without any thought
where tho money lis coming
u' This is done Oh thu theory
uere Will be no deflcit-congress
oeen doing what has beon cailed
p,us financing" whiio tho con-
i"h makes congress responsible
money raising as well as for ap-
s.opfiauons, responsibility for bor-
y don, has been shifted To the presi-
oy empowering him 70 procure
s 10 meet deficits IN oasc n deficit
may result
susssiOn of Expediency.
\ sr,.s, efeat question Of a national
Al act,sy which Is raised by the
a.. g., " congress above referred TO
n,,,e ah VIC OR shall we not have q
. n. nudgetI 7 do not QUESTION
,a ''nst'tutioual right OF conuress
~cscribe the manner In vb,cb "a.
s OF expenditures and .at,r,,s.
ner, " submitted to It by depart
Z prao,,os' 'eers' do question tie
sr,,a Wisdom OF continuing to op-
dIffsron.n Inc government under ninety
- sNatutes: passed at ninety
"oneinued on Page Four.)