The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-01-17

Aut INANl uND1 NNl NuU Ri IIH value /. T
Ithe return, involve peis1us travelling
much aAueynnfe ana trouble IN ID
lug lore IN Oh eer eofipetant ID.
I. minister ofiths. While egeli iiseifIina-
~ result IS olitained through cert ieas
ton under tie law pres cribing d pens
/ atty for the falslheation % aecopnts
! q diseonf inuapeel of the irrat % 4
bases yEo1d llt 81 direct ssTtle
pf about. Sco, 900 per ahnum
Other Expenditure 10 81 l1vsstiaatsd.
Before eeohS any "a government trad
ag can be adequately covered such
suhiee che 5llo57iSle must e s. g
/ TENS lcally Inquired into "
fence ana support Of persons; siibsist-
enee ana care for animals and the stqE-
age and care OF vehicles; telephone,
ftelegraph and comnefetnl mess enger
Services printing engraving, litho-
graphing and binding advertising and
the publication Of notices. heat iifllt.
power and electricity purchased; re-
ipaifs ~ c9ntrac and open i4aftet or,
der building aud other materials;
drafting, scientific and stationery SUPP
! plies; fuel; mechanics, engineering and
Electricians suppltess cleaning and
toilet supplies; wearing apparel and
hand sewing supplies; forage and 9th:
er supplies for animals; provisions; e&-
plosiyes and pyEote chnic supplies; heat,
4 light, power aud electrical equipment;
Hive stock. furniture md furnishings;
educational and scientific equipment
From what has been already aseertain-
Ee "a g b ming certain Of these differs
ent objects Of government expenditure
It is evident that large savings Will re-
suit from such an examination.
RePeFta''at Present Required ~ Con-
arees.i 80 4 lzs1z
The commission has made asst,idyof
the present requirements OF law Telat-
ling to reports which are; N whole OF
In part financial in character from the
various departmental h4d hblish-
iments. There are MOI M jninety
Eacts Of congress which annually re-
quire reports of this character. These
requirements of thelaw resnltpint near
lly 200 printed reports relating to fnan-
cial matters, which must be submitted
ANNUALLY to the congress by the vari-
Gus departments and establishments.
Studies of these reports and compari-
sons of the. classification of expendi-
lures as set forth therein have been
Imade lly the commission to the end
that, 50 far as practicable, uniformity
If classification Of objects of,,expendi-
tture may be recommended and identi-
cal terminology adopted.
In due. timekI shall transmit to the
congress such recommendations for
changes in the present laws relating to
these annual reports as appear to Sbe
pertinent and necessary.
No National Budget.
The United stntes is the only great
nation whose government is operated
without a budget. This fact seems to
be more strilSing when IT is consid-
cred that budgets and budget proce-
lures, are the outgrowth of democratic
doctrines and have had an important
part in the Development of modern
constitutional rights. The American
commonwealth has suffered much
from irresponsibility on the part Of it's
governing agencies. The constitutional
purpose Of budget is to make gov.
srnment responsive to public opinion.
and responsible for its acts.
F A budget should be the means for
getting before the legislative branch,
osfore the press and before the PEG.
pie a definite annual program Of bust.
ness to be financed. 1t shouldS be in
the nature of. prospectus both Of
revenues and expenditures. 1t should
comprehend every relation Of the gov.
ernmentNto the people. whether with
reference TO tho raising of revenues or
the rendering Of service.
In many foreign countries the an-
nual budget program is discussed with
Especial reference to the revenue to be
raised. the thought being that the rais.
ing Of revenue bears more direct rela-
ton to welfare than does government
expenditure. Around, questions OF
source of revenue political parties
have been organized, and on such
questions voters in the United States
have taken sides, since the frst, yey-
enpe law was proposed. ~. =,
( Citizens interest In Expenditures.
In political controversy lit has been
assumed generally that the Individual
citizen has little interestsin what the
government spends. In my opinion,
this has been serious mistake, one
which is becoming more serious each
year. Now that population has be-
come more dense. that large cities
have developed. that people are re-
quired to live in conGested centers. that
the national resources frequently are
the subject of private ownership and
] private control and that transportation
and other public service facilities are
held and operated by large corpora
lions. what the government does with
| pearly $1,000, 100000 each year is of as
much concern to the average citizen as
is the manner Of Obtaining this amount
| fnf lFt1onay- for YVhiEo 1yca IL, 14ha y1rae