Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-26
MANY ADVANTAGES
CITED BY PRESIDENT
Means Preparation of Estimates in
Keeping With Revenues.
PREDICTS GREAT SAVINGS
Cancellation Of Nations Debt Advo
cated-Would Spend Mary Mil
lions for Buildings in Dis
trict to Save Rent.

congress his much discussed
budget" message. He recon-
mended the adoption of bulge;
system OF relating proposed ex-
penditures to expected revenues
and declared that Congress would
be greatly benefited by having be-
tore 1t such a statement before il
began the annual grind upon ap-
preparation bills. The United
States, the President wrote, was
the only great nation in the world
which did not use the budget svs-
tenn, and in consequence it may
be said to be without plan or pro-
gram" He indicated that. owing
to the late day at which he was
able to transmit his message, he
expected little Legislation on the
topic from the present Congress.
Takes Responsibility.
The President took full responsibility
for the message upon himself Congress
in the last sundry civil bill directed the
Secretary of the Treasury to submit esti-
mates hereafter in the old way. Mr
Taft pointed out, however, that he had
directed the Secretary of the Treasury
10 agree with the directions of Congress.
and also to send to him information fo.-
q budget message. He referred Congress
also to the portion of the Constitution
which requires him from time TO time tu
recommend such measures as he shall
deem necessary ami eXpedient.
Some Of the advantages of the budget
system as pointed out by the President
were:
\ means of locating responsibilities for
estimates In keeping with revenues.
y means OF allowing Congress to see
how much gross IL will have to spend be-
fore il begins appropriating for each de-
partment or detail OF government ma
chinery.
Because it would furnish Congress and
the public with ready reference 10 reports
and detailed records of account.
Value Of the System.
Because it would produce an adequate
organizati ton for assembling and classify
ing information to be used in telling the
country what has been done and of the
governments future needs.
To aid in working with we'll defined
purpose in many bureaus hitherto or
ganized, but directed under an Inconsistent
and ill-defined program.
To cancel the nations debt, through a
sinking fund. and to eliminate the deficit,
which is slowly growing.
To carry out the budget plan. to reduce
the deficit and the fixed charges against
the government the President proposed to
create a sinking fund commission, to con-
sist Of the chairman of the finance COM
mittee OF the Senate, the chairman of the
House ways and means committee. the
Attorney General and the Secretary of the
Treasury, with the controller Of the
Treasury as annual auditor of the sink
ing fund account Legislation which
would wipe out the national debt ia
twenty years. After July I, 1871. Congress
should set aside $4o,o00.0o0 annually for
that purpose. That would be $lJ,UO,oeD
a year less than the present amount re-
quired by law. That fund should be ili-
vested in per cent government bonds
and in twenty years the sl,16c,Ooo.ooo
debt, the President says, would be retired
Question of Improvements.
The adoption of definite theory Is
recommended for future proposals for in
ternal improvements. SO that such i'm
provements would be I'm accord with a
we'll thought out plan. In that connec-
ton the President suggested the saving
of the rent paid in Washington for build
ings used by the government through the
construction of new buildings to cost
about O0,OO0OO0. to be paid for through
a period of twenty years
Elimination of waste i'm the distribution
of public documents: reduction Of the
number of United States assay offices
and. possibly. the number of mints and
their consolidation into one, are othel.
recommendations.
with much hesitation" the President
recommends the organization of "a budget
committee of Congress. 1t should act a
a final clearing house through which all
the recommendations Of committees hay
ing to do with revenues and expenditures
would pass before they take the form OF
bills.
.'The special reason / have for urging
this committee. wrote the President. "i.;
that at present the administration is seri-
ously handicapped by not being able to
take up proposals for constructive meas
ures affecting any particular department
With any one body or committee whicn
will undertake to consider them in al
their aspects.
Budget Summaries.
The proposed budget carries the follow
ing summaries:
Summaries submitted as a basis for
considering the present and also the
prospective fiscal condition:
Budget statement No. 1-Comparative
current balance sheet showing the fiscal
condition of the government as of June
80. 1911 and June 80 1912.
Budget statement No. Fund state
ment showing the condition of the gem
eral fund and of other funds and APP
propriations of June 30. 1872
I.udget statement No. 3-Comparative
account of operations showing the reye-
nues and expenditures of the government
for the fiscal years 1911 and 1912, and
the estimated revenues and expenditures
for 1913 and 1914, with the resulting an
nual surplus or deficit.
Budget statement No. 4-Treasury sur
plus account, showing the cumulated
CONTINUED on Tenth Page.l