The Washington times., 1912-09-20

estimates are based on the theory that
there Is no need to take stock before
passing on appropriations; that II is not
Necessary o,rcon to consider revenues
rected each executive officer to submit
an estimate through the Secretary of
the Treasury, who Is made to serve In
the capacity of an official messenger
without any discretion whatever unless
department head may fail to prepare
request for appropriations in the
form prescribed by Congress, in which
event the Secretary of the Treasury has
imposed upon him the duty to submit an
estimate for him.
Congress has appointed certain Com
mittees on Appropriations. who alone
have power to review and revise re-
quests of the department heads. Even
in its own organization, however. Con-
gress has failed to make provision for
considering expendituIoe 90 and estimates
for appropriations in relation to reve-
nues.
"Surplus Financing"
Authority is granted for the expendi-
ture of 81, ,0o0, 100000 each year without
any thought as to where the money is
coming from. This is done on the
theory that there will be no deficit
Congress has been doing what has been
called surplus financing While the
Constitution maks Congress responsible
for money raising as well as for appro-
priations responsibility for, borrowing
has been shifted to the President by
empowering him to procure loans to
meet deficits In case deficit may re-
suit.
The great question of national expe-
diency which Is raised by the action OF
Congress above referred to Is: Shall we
or shall we not have national budget! /!
l do not question the constitutional right
of Congress to prescribe the manner in
which reports of expenditures and esti-
mates shall be submitted to 1t by de-
partment heads.
II do question the practical wisdom
of continuing to operate the Govern
ment under 80 different statutes, passed
at 80 different times, which prescribe
200 different forms of preparing and
submitting financial data to Congress
and the public-data, which. when pre-
pared, have no element of uniformity
or standard, and cannot be used to
present to officers or to the people an
accurate picture of activities pertaining
to any one subject or the Government
as a whole.
could be given I have succeeded each
year in reducing initial estimates mil
lions of dollars, II is not just to make
the President in any but a slight degree
responsible for such estimates when re-
quired to be submitted to Congress in
"I have gone thus at length in stating
my position In order that you may un-
derstand the reasons for urging that
you cooperate with the commission of
ton Of such financial statements and
summaries as will enable me to place
before Congress and the country for
the first time in our history a clearly
stated and understandable businesslike
poposal which will enable Congress and
the country to think in terms of what
1t is that the Government is doing. what
1t is that the Administrat ton proposes
to do. With this accomplished the peo-
pie may then judge for themselves
whether the proposals sent to Congress
are in the interest Of public welfare
and as such should be supported.
Need More Open Dealing.
THE further recommendation which 1
have made is this, that In the prepara-
ton of data for the budget you and
the head of every department shall
clearly indicate what changes in law
are thought to be desirable as a means
of increasing the economy and efficiency
of the service. What is desired is open
handed dealings between the Congress
and the executive department., and in
this the public should be taken into our
confidence through the broadest pub
licity that may ensue.
IF Congress is permitted to assume
exclusive jurisdiction over what the
President may seek to learn about the
business transacted by the departments;
If Congress is to say that the President
shall not find out what Is the present
manner of doing business, what results
are being obtained. what 1t is that OFF,
GERS for which he is responsible propose
to do, and what amounts are being
asked for future expenditure; If heads
Of departments are to be considered
purely as the ministerial agents of Con.
gress in the preparation and submission
of estimates, then as far as the business
of the Government is concerned. the
President of the United States is shorr
of most important executive power and
duty"