The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-02-26
With Legislative Branch of 500
Members, Executive Should Ae-
count for Stewardship.
QUESTIONS HIGHLY COMPLEX
Heads Of Departments Must Answer
Queries Correctly-should Co.
~ IT. .E ordinate Efforts
8y Un1ted. Press.

j
Washington, Feb. 26-What will
probably be the last message of Pres
ident Taft to congress was read to-
day. The message deals with a ma
tional budget and points out the fact
that the United States is the only
great nation which does business
without a budget. The president
recommends that congress provide
some means whereby the administra-
ton and congress may not only have
a budget but whereby the adminstra-
tive and legislative branches may
coordinate their efforts in the fu-
tufe development OF business.
I'm Government such as ours"
the message says, "in which the legis-
latives branch Is made up of some
500 members, it is not to be assumed
that each member or any committee
of such body may be familiar with
the many processes which 30 to make
up the public business. The increas-
ing need for an executive account of
stewardship is apparent. The prest-
dent is the constitutional head of On
organization that is continental in
the scope of operations. Executive
officers under him for whom he is
responsible must manage and direct
the details Of hundreds of essentially
different businesses that are highly
complex and technical in their re.
iquirements.
ii "These officers must be held &C.
countable for efficiency as managers;
they must be held accountable for
economy in the expenditure Of public
funds; they must be made to feel
responsible for the fidelity Of en-
ployees who are charged with money
transactions aggregating more than
$5,000,000,000 each year, or s16.-
100000 each business day, of which
vast amount nearly .$2,000,Q00,000
are in the nature Of receipts and DIS
bursements for current expenditures
OF the government, while about SO,
OOO, 100000 are In the nature Of
trust receipts and disbursements, IN
Guiding currency trusts, Indian
trusts, and other sacred obligations
of the government that have been
undertaken by the government for
the welfare Of those who have been
designated as legal beneficiaries.
Advantages to Congress.
& "The advantage to the congress Of
getting before it a definite concrete
statement and proposal, one which
is submitted by the responsible head
Of the administration, must also be
apparent. Such q statement will
greatly facilitate the adoption of a
procedure by the celebrating branch
of the government whereby the gross
amounts to be appropriated may be
determined in advance of decision
as to what amount will be allowed
for each detail. Of the governments
business, rather than to leave the
relations Of income and outgo to be
computed after action had been TAX
en- on the many matters which are
brought before the Congress for de-
termination.
Size and complexity Of the prob
lem make it necessary for officers to
have the advantage Of seeing the
business Of the government in per.
spective. But Judgment with respect
to the requirements Of particular SER
vices requires that exact information
be made available for the consider
alton Of detail. This budget Is sub
mitted therefore not only as an In
instrument through which per-
spective may be gained. but as an In
dex through which members Of Con-
gress and the public may obtain
ready reference to supporting re-
ports and detailed records Of ac-
count.
'The need for such an index
through which exact information
may be obtained % q basis for judg-
ment about problems Of public bust
ness Is evident to one familiar with
the government problems.
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