The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-09-21
PRESIDENT TAFT's METTLE.

"dnnder up in the matter Of placing
the finances of this country ON the
budget system. Speaking generally, the
advantages of that system are pub
licity. In that every expected expendi
ture OF the Government is made known
and is considered in the general scheme
OF the years finance. The budget sys-
tenn does not accommodate itself in the
least TO the pork barrel proposition
bers in the House and Senate can band
together and roll up large appropria
tions for the expenditures Of money
in the different States and Congress.
sional districts without regard to the
public needs.
The budget system OF conducting the
public financing of the Government Is
scientific system. 1t is in use in all
of the civilized nations of the earth
except the United States. Under this
system the Executive Department sub
mits TO the Legislative Department the
estimates in detail for the Government
service for the oncoming year, The
Legislative Department. on receipt or
these budget estimates, which are made
10 correspond as near as may be TO
the expected income OF the Government,
proceeds to a consideration of the es'
Inmates OF income and expenditure as
carried in the budget. ANY serious de-
parture from that budget is not toler-
ated in the practical administration Of
the nation g affairs; for if this were
allowed, the whole system of fiuancier-
ing would be thrown to the winds, pre-
ciselv as it has been heretofore thrown
to the winds in this country, to the
yearly loss of many millions of dol
lars.
Senator Aldrich, one OF the oldest
members Of a former Senate, and one
whose authority on public expenditures
could not be well disputed, said that
this country could save S300,000,000 p
year by proper system Of financier-
ing; that is TO say, the country could
save thirty per cent on its running eS-
penses by having a Systematic, bust
nesslikc method OF handling the ma
tioual finances. Undoubtedly Senator
Aldrich was right in this, because he
was not man who was apt to make
statements regarding finances that
were not well based upon facts. But
s300,000,0 900 n year is tremendous
price to pay for the maintenance of. a
loose, irregular, wasteful, and irrespon-
sibIe system of financiering.
The President is. undoubtedly right
in his position that the budget system
would be not only the first stop for
reform in the manner Of doing the Ma
tionaI business and handling the Ma
tioual accounts; but that it would be
also tremendously long step in the
direction of economy, efficiency, and
responsibility. We are glad indeed to
see him take this firm stand, and an
nounce that so far as the Executive
Department OF tho Government is con-
ccrned it will be conducted upon the
budget system as long as he has any
thing to do with it, and that if Con
grcss departs from this system IL must
do so conspicuously in the sight Of the
whole country. where tho Congressional
wastefulness will be made known to all,
and Will be laid directly at the door of
Congress itself The administration
will thus be able to free itself from
any charges of extravaganza, increased
expenditures, or of depressing the peo-
pie by the needless outgo of money,
When the line is fairly drawn, the
people will be able to see just where
the responsibility lies for any waste
OF money, and if Congress persists
in its irresponsible extravaganza, Con
gress VIII have to shoulder the respon-
ibilitY for it, in the limelight, and
under the eye Of the great public, which
win understand precisely what Con-
gress is doing.
President Taft, in taking this firm
stand, vindieates his administration
and puts Congress in the wrong in SO
far as it refuses to agree to the hand
ling Of the public finances under the
budget system; and it will be easy
for the President 10 show whenever
there is an excess above a proper ex-
penditure, that Congress is guilty Of
that excess, and not the administra-
ton. 1t is step directly in the inter
ests OF economy and Of the easing of
the people burdens. We believe that
the people Of the United. States will
support the President in this step, and
ii fair approximation can be made TO
the economies suggested by Senator
Aldrich, then it will be seen that Con-
gress will be unable to maintain its
old system Of extravaganza and waste.
For the people will not submit to it,
and viii retire those members of Con-
gress who insist upon wasting the pub
lie money and conducting the financial
affairs of the Government without re-
sponsibility or care.
THE SCHOOL GARDEN PLAN.
We note that Mr.. C. G. Pearse, Sup.