The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-01-18


services In the same department. To
make uniform the requirements so far
as practicable will be in the interest
OF economy and efficiency and bring
about that simplicity that will secure
the largest opportunity for contract
ors to bid for government work. and
will secure for the government the
most favorable prices obtained by any
purchaser. t..
The Budget. .
The United States is the only great
nation whose government is operated
without budget This fact seems to
be more striking when it is consid-
cred that budgets and budget pro-
cedures are the putgrowth Of Demo
cratic doctrines and have had an inn
portant part in the development OF
modern constitutional rights. The
American commonwealth has suffered
much from responsibility on the part
of its governing agencies. The consd-
tutional purpose of a budget Is to
make government responsive to pub
lie opinion and responsible for its
acts.
The Budget as an Annual Program.
A budget should be the means for
getting before the legislative branch,
before the press, and before the peo-
pie a definite annual program Of bust
ness to be financed; it should be In
the nature of a prospectus both OF
revenues and expenditures; it should
comprehend every relation of the gov
eminent to the people. whether with
reference to the raising of revenues
or the rendering of service.
In many foreign countries the an
nual budget program is discussed with
special reference to the revenue to be
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 the United States
have taken sides since the first reve-
nue. law was proposed
PubIic-Welfare Questions.
The principal government objects
in which the people of the United
States are interested include:
The national defense; the protec.
ton 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
ton of transportation and communica'
ton: the postal service, including pos
tai savings and parcels post; the care
fer 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 official rep
resentative of the people, each editor
as a non-official representative of pub
lie opinion, each citizen, as a bene
ficiary of the trust imposed on Off
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 muct
| the administration Is asking for eact
of these purposes for the next hsca
| year.
Furthermore, each person interest
ed should have laid before him 6
clear, well-digested statement show
ing in detail Whether moneys approp
rated have been economically spen
and whether each division or Office
has been efficiently run. This is the
information which should be available
each year in the form of budget ant
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 thii
government on business principles.
ask it because it's work is entirel.
non.partisan in character and ought Il
apply to every citizen who wishes t.
give effectiveness to popular govern
ment, in which we feel just pride
The work further commends itsel
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 II
preliminary Investigations before thu
commission was organized: befor'
March 8. 1911. when asked for con
tinuation of the original appropria
ton for the current year, only $1,000
had been spent G
The expenditure for the inquiry dur
ing the present fiscal year Is at tn,
rate of $4,000. The mass of infor
nation which must be collected. ID
gested and summarized pertaining Il
each subject OF inquiry is enormous
From the results obtained It is eyl
dent that every dollar which is spen
In the prosecution OF the inquiry II
the future will result in manifold saw
ings. Every economy which has beef
| or will he effected through changes 4,