Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-28
CLEVELAND TELLS
PLANS FOR BUDGET
Continued from First Pageo

CONTINUED from First PageD
been connived at through a process OF
logrolling behind closed doors in a COM
mittee room, and finally sprung on Con-
gress without the knowledge or con-
sent of members of standing committees
on the subjectD"
What do you think Of the objection
raised by the chairman of the appropii-
ations committee that this would be an
invasion of legislative prerosatives' Mr..
Cleveland was asked. AS was stated in
the Presidents recent letter september
10 to the Secretary OF the Treasury.
the Constitution gives to Congress no
power or prerogative that would be in
vaded by having the President submit a
budget was Mr.. Cleveland answer.
''On the other hand, article /. section :;
of the Constitution makes 1t the duty OF
the President from time to time To give
to Congress information on the state of
the Union and to recommend to their con-
sideration such measures as he shall deem
necessary and eNpedient The exercise of
this power at the time that requests are
submitted by the administration for APP
propriations is exactly what is meant by
budget.
THE fact is that. although the Presi-
dent Is the only one who is constitution
ally responsible for the administration. he
has never before assumed the larges,
and most serious responsibility placed
dations with respect to annual appro-
priations, without which not Il wheel
could be moved. and which in effect de-
termine the conditions which make FOR
success or failure. economy or waste, ef-
ficiency or ineff1ciency in carrying on the
welfare work of the government The
only foundation for the conclusion that
the submission of budget would invade
legislative prerogative is found in the
failure of the executive in the past to
y T. ei.v,- IN, ha
seauent action by Congress requiring ex-
ecutiye officers to act as the ministerial
agents Of Congress.
Ask the Largest Amounts.
Under the present statutes executive
officers are compelled by law to submit
their individual requests without any pro-
vision being made for review and revision
by those who are responsible for the ad-
ministration as whole.
The necessary result at best is that
Congress has laid before it requests for
the largest amounts which each officer
thinks he can wisely spend for each
purpose to be appropriated for: in fact
the usual result is that officers ask fol
more than they need. hoping that in the
necessary pairing process which follows
they may get enough. Properly conceived
ii is the prerogative of Congress to require
the estimates to be prepared and sub
mitted in such form that the President
and his cabinet must assume RESPONSE
bility before the country for every re-
quest made"
What, in your, opinion. would he the
effect of an executive budget?'
THE effect would be that no proposal
would be made that the administration
would not be prepared to defend. For this
reason the book of estimates, the receipt
on the finances of the Secretary of the
Treasury, the annual reports of eXpendl-
lures by departmental heads, would ne
submitted either for the purpose OF sup
porting the requests and conclusions sub
mitted in the budget or as an account o.
stewardship under past authorizations. Il
the President, as the responsible head
was required to submit a budget. it would
be necessary for the administration Il
make it's case before an appropriation
would be granted. AS it now is, Congress:
assumes responsibilities for preparing thu
first formal submission-this first submits
sion being in the form of the bill of q
committee of Congress.
Executives Hostile Witnesses.
This bill is prepared after the interri-
CATION of executive officers who appeal as
hostile witnesses. Under budget plan
the first definite formulation Of a proposal
for incorporation in a bill would be sub
mitted by the administration at the be-
ginning Of a session instead Of being
brought in when no one has time to con-
slider it at the end of the session.
1.-The results of budget plan would be
twofold:
First, il would put an end to doing
public business in the dark
Second, by forcing the administration
to assume responsibility for its proposals,
and Congress to assume responsibility for
hot llc "A
of cooperation for the consideration OF
public needs and of the means for meeting
them.
What the American people want is
service They want the most efficient
service possible. They are Interested in
making a dollar go just as far in publ,
service as in private. They know thai
every dollar wasted is diversion OF tht
dollar from what they want done Inc
people are tired of having the public rev
stump speeches on economy that are
nothing more than refusal to provide
the means for doing needed work Ie
make an economy program effective there
are certain practical aspects, however, tc
which attention must be given Those
who would economize must be provided
with the means for knowing where TIA,
leaks are
"An essential is that the press of the
country aud other agencies of publicity
being done and will carry on the educa-
.ional campaign that VIII make it dan
gerous for any one TO stand IN the way
of the demand for the same kind of a re-
organization and reformation Of methods
in the government as has been demanded
for life insurance, banking and railroad
companies.
THE government IS spending s1.5M.WW
each year regulating the business meth
DDS of railroads in the interest of the
public; it is spending about s2n,9io each
year in supervision of national banking;
1t is spending over 100000 each year
regulating Interstate corporations, through
the bureau of corporations. besides car
rying on prosecutions at very high cost
through the Department of Justice.
What the government does with
81 200, OOO, 900 of revenues raised each
year; how it conducts its own business
what is the element of waste and 1nefh-
cheney in carrying on activities that
reach the home and vital interests OF ev-
cry citizen, is of vastly greater import
ance to the average man than is the
manner in which railroad company
keeps its accounts.
This is not a matter of politics. 1t is
a matter Of business. 1t is matter or
business In which every citizen Is vitaily
interested. whatever be his choice OF can