Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-02-26

inephplnens and lll-Ssfined program
10 canctl ihe nations debt. thfoueh
4 sinllns fund end % eiimImaie the
deficit. which y slowly growing.
10 carry out the budget plan. TO
reduce the deficit and the fixed
eharees nnnins, the government the
president proposed:
70 create slnxlng- fund comnsls
sion to consist Of the chairman Of the
nnnnoe commlliee 81 thu senate. the
chairman ~ the house ways and
means committee; the attorney gen.
eral and Tire secretary OF the treasury.
wish the comptroller 81 the treasury
a. annual auditor 81 the sinking fund
account Legislation which would
Nipa out the national debt In twenty
genrp after July .. 1914. congress
SHOULD SCI aside $4,000, 900 annually
for thar purpose. J'his would be 49,
eos. zee year leaa than the present
amount required b. law That fund
should De invested ln three per cent
government ponds and In twenty years
the 81 400. 00o. Gee debt. the president
says, WOULD be setlred
TIE adoption - dennite theory 10
recommended for future proposals for
Internal improvements 80 that such
improvements woald be In accord
with well thought out plan. in that
connection the president suggested the
saving Of the rent paid To washiR gton
Tor buildings used by the government
through the construction az new
buildings TO cost about si00. 200 900
20 be paid for through q period OF 90
years.
Briefly stated, wrote the presi-
dent. my suggestion Is tina; the gov
crnnisnt arst plan for its land pur-
chases. buildings. md public works,
then borrow money 10 acquire aud 20
construct them. pr0poriiOnlnn the
cost over a period Of twenty years.
aud ina king the bonds Issued 10 meet
sinking fund"
the government, amounting TO about
SC. 6e0.0O0 annualiy. two thirds. tue
president declared. would oo saved Dy
adopting his scheme TO classify what
are now presidential appointments.
Almost t3.e00.e0 annually could be
kept IN government eofers through
postofBce department changes. The
sum OF $4,000. geo would be cut from
the psy roll. Mr., Taft continued. q
there we're a complete executive re-
classification OF civil service en-
pioyes Under this head the president
wrote
I'm the present situation many men
al the bottom are receiving larger
salaries than would be obtained for
similar work In outside employ ncnt.
whereas men in higher positions car.
rying great responsibility and the sue
cess Of whose performance depends
on training and long experiences. are
inadeauately paid, From the View
point OF the rank and ME there Is lit-
tie hope OF reward for merit. The
foundation for reclqsslnoatlon Of sal
aries already has been laid In my
opinion II would enable the govern.
ment Go pay higher salaries 20 those
OF whom experience training ond in
itiatiye are required and make the
saving OF t2.OOO.0O0."
Elimination OF waste In the dlstri
button OF public documents; reduction
OF the number OF United states assoy
Offices and possibly the number OF
mints and their consolidation into
ole. are other recommendations.
with much hesitation. the presi-
dent recommends the organization OF
a budget committee Of congress II
should act as a final clearing house
through which ali the recommended
tons OF committees having 10 DO with
revenues aud expenditures would pass
before they take the form OF bills,
''The special reason I have for urg-
ing this committee" wrote the pres
ident rs mat az present the admin
istration Is seriously Handicapped by
not being able TO take up proposals
for constructive measures Affecting
any particular department With any
one body or committee which will an.
dertake 60 consider them in all their
aspects"
Going further. the president sug-
geBied that appropriations should be
IN the following classes
To cover overhead and operating
Coz,
For upseep of properly
For h1ed charges. Including s.nNins
fund.
For permanent mpro, emeuts
Concluding he says THE govern
meni - moi un'y lE the position of
having gone along faF a century with
out budget. but what Is at this time
even more 20 The point 81 has not
thc organic means either Cor prepnr-
ing or for considering one. I ann rec
ommondina that congress make SOME
organic provision whereby the admin
lstratlve and legislative branch may
coordinate their EFFORTS Ia the de-
yalopment 81 the future activities OF
the government az VOL as for the de-
termination OF the expenditure need
ed for the current transaction Of Ne
bnafnaae