The Washington herald., 1913-03-19
PRESIDENT NDORSES
TAFT BUDGET Plan
MI. Wilson Says. Some System in
Making Appropria6ess Is
Most Desirable.
CAUCUS WILL RECEIVE REPORT

President Wilson made public YESTERDAY >
a letter written by him to Senator Till.
man. Of South Carolina, January 30, in
which he expressed his, belief in tn.
absolute necessity for a budget system
by which the appropriation bills of Con.
gress might be co-ordinated.
1t was an Endorsement of the message
sent to Congress by President Taft in
the dying days Of his administration.
which transmitted report Of the econ
omy and deficiency commission and
strongly recommended that a budget plan
be devised.
The Presidents letter gave evidence Of
intense dissatisfaction with the prevail
ing methods of appropriating money for
the expenses Of the government Here
is what he wrote upon the subject:
Ever since l was youngster 1 have
been deeply interested in our methods OF
financial legislation. Even since then /
have insisted upon the absolute necessity
of a carefully considered and wisely
planned budget, and one Of the objects
shall have most In mind when I get to
Washington will be conferences with my
legislative colleagues there with a view
to bringing some budget system into ex-
istence. This business OF building up
the expenses of the nation. piece by
piece, will certainly lead us to error and
pcEuhpS cIupdTIobblucuN-
Since the President wrote this letter
the Democrats of the House have taken
the first step toward adopting a budget
system The caucus which met March 6
passed resolution to appoint Majority
Leader Underwood, Chairman Fitzgerald
Of the Appropriations Committee. and
Representative Sheriey OF Kentucky a
member Of the same committee, as a
committee OF the caucus to investigate
budget schemes and to select some plan
for submission to the caucus. This will
be done during the ensuing session.
Representative Sherley was the most
prominent advocate of a budget system
among the Democrats OF the last Con-
gress. He had the only definite plan
that was brought forward.
Mr.. SherIey's Plan.
Mr.. Sherley's plan provided for the
creation OF budget committee to be
made up of the chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee and the chairmen
of the nine appropriating committees of
the House. 1t was to be the duty OF this
to receive reports upon the
revenues among the committees which
were to draft appropriation bills. setting
a limit for the sum to be appropriated
in each bill. Mr.. Sherley contended that
such a system would have prevented the
priating committees OF the last House.
which threw to the winds the Democratic
pledges and drew bills for sums
which out-totaled the expenditures OF
any previous Congress.
Under his plan. he pointed out. the
limits for expenditure by each committee
as set by the budget committee would
have been approved by the caucus or the
House itself. and thus the Committees
on Rivers and Harbcrs and on Public
Buildings an1 Grounds would have found
L impossible TO report out pork barrel
bills Of the dimensions of those which
were passed in March.
Legislative Colleague.
The Sherlcy plan did not meet with the
general approval among the House DEM
pcrats, and it is expected that the sys-
lem finally to BE presented TO the caucus
will differ from it in detail ut least.
Considerable interest was taken in the
erm, my legislative colleagues" used
Dy President Wilson. in referring to the
members of Congress. 1t was pointed TO
IS but another indication that the Presi-
lent has some new ideas as to the leg
slatiye functions of the Chief Executive.