The Elbert County tribune., 1912-01-19

The procedure = rot uniform In tAs
various departments: it Il not uni-
form in many cases for the different
services In the same department To
make uniform the requirements 20 far
~ practicable will be In the interest
Of economy and emciency and bring
about that simplicity that will secure
the largest opportunity for contract
ors to bid for government work, and
will secure for tho government the
most favorable prices obtained by any
purchaser.
The Budget.
The United States IL the only great
nation whose government Ia operated
without budget. This fact seems to
be more striking when 1t 10 consid-
ercd that budgets and budget pro-
cedures are the outgrowth OF Demo-
cratic doctrines and have had an i'm
portant part in tho development OF
modern constitutional rights. The
American commonwealth has suffered
much from irresponsibiiity on the part
OF its governing agencies. The coust-
tutional purpose Of a budget Ia to
make government responsive to pub
lie opinion and responsible for its
acts.
The Budget a. an Annual Program.
A budget should be the means for
getting before the Legislative branch.
before the press. and before the peo-
pie definite annual program OF bust
ness to be financed; 1t should be In
the nature Of a prospectus both OF
revenues and expenditures: It should
comprehend every relation OF the gov
ernment to the people. whether with
reference to the raising of revenues
or the rendering OF service.
In many foreign countries tho an
nual budget program is discussed with
special reference to the revenue to bs
raised. the thought being that the
raising Of revenue bears more direct
relation to welfare than does govern
ment expenditure. Around questions
of source OF revenue political parties
have been organized, and on such
questions voters In tho United States
have taken sides since the first reve-
nue. law was proposed
PubIIe-Weifare Questions.
The principal government objects
in which the people of the United
States are interested include:
The national defense: the protec-
tion OF persons and property: the pro-
motion of friendly relations and the
protection OF American interests
abroad; the regulation of commerce
and industry; the promotion of agri-
culture. fisheries. forestry and min
Ing; the promotion OF manufacturing.
commerce. and banking; the promo.
| tion Of transportation and communities
ton; the postal service. including pos
tai savings and parcels post; the care
| for and utilization OF the public do
main; the promotion of education, art,
science and recreation; the promotion
of the public health; the care and
education of the Indians and other
wards Of the nation.
These are public-welfare questions
in which assume every citizen has q
vital interest. believe that every
member Of congress-. as an ofiicial rep
resentative of the people. each editor.
as non-offlcial representative OF pub
lie opinion. each citizen. as q bene-
ficiary Of the trust imposed on on
GERS Of the government, should be
able readily to ascertain how much
has been spent for each of these pur-
poses; how much has been appropri-
ated for the current year; how much
the administration Is asking for each
of these purposes for the next fiscal
year.
Furthermore. each person interest
ed should have laid before him .
clear. well-digested statement show
ing In detail whether moneys approp-
rated have been economically spent
and whether each division or ONCE
has been efficiently run. This is the
information which should be available
each year In the form Of budget and
In detail accounts and reports support
ing the budget.
Continuance Of the Commission.
ask the continuance of this com
mission on economy and efficiency be-
cause Of the excellent beginning
which has been made toward the re-
organization of the machinery OF this
government on business principles.
ask 1t because its work is entirely
non-partisan In character and ought to
apply to every citizen who wishes to
give effectiveness to popular govern
ment. In which we feel a just pride.
The work further commends itself
for the reason that the cost of or
ganization and work has been careful
ly considered at every point. Three
months were taken in consideration
OF plans before the inquiry was be-
gun; six months were then spent In
preliminary Investigations before the
commission was organized: before
March 3. 1911. when asked for con-
tinuation of the original appropria-
ton for the current year. only $4,000
had been spent