The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-09
Democratic Leaders COnsid-
ering Plan-Budget Com
mittee Talked Of
HISTORY OF METHODS
OF APPROPRIATION
Fitzgerald Would Separate Legisla-
tive and Appropriative Work.
Shirley of Kentucky Has
Budget Committee Plan

Washington June S-(Special)- with a
full realization that something must be
done to change the present system of
making appropriations by Congress if
the democratic party is to live up to Its
Baltimore platform, wherein the party
went on record in language strong and
epecific: "We denounce the profiigate
waste of money wrung from the people
BY oppressive taxation through lavish ap-
propriatons of recent republican Con-
crosses, and demand return to that
simplicity and economy which BELTS a
democratic government" leaders of the
party now in power are considering some
plan whereby the tendency toward ex-
travagance may be checked through a
budget committee
Under the present system the appropria-
tions are made in IS annual bills, and
eight different committees unrelated 20
one another and without co-opera ton, in
fact extremely jealous of outside inter-
ference or suggestions. are charged with
the responsibility of preparing these bills.
Each committee works with regard only
to itself. and from the past records made
work with only one view and that is
to get their share of the contents of
the treasury. Coordination Is practically
impossible and under no kind of leader
ship could well apportioned budget be
the result of such a situation.
Learning Lesson
With their first experience in some
years as the controlling party the DEM
ocratic leaders promptly learned their
lesson. In spite of the warnings of the
leaders in the House, who did their best
to check and hold in restraint the various
appropriating committees of the House
In the session of Congress which ad-
journed March 4, last, they passed ap-
preparation bills aggregatng 81 l,09S, 647, 960
and authorized further contracts which
committed the government to additional
expenditure of s76,956,14 making a total
demand upon the treasury for the year
ending June 80 1914, of 81 .175, 600 in
round numbers This, too, after the lead
ers had used the pruning knife unspar-
ingly in their efforts to cut these appro-
priations down within reason.
IsWith these various committees who
have the power and authority to originate
appropriation bills composed of from 10
to p members each, all striving to get
as much possible for his particular
scs7tiop of the country, and each mem
5 i slsr = get his own demands
,3effR 2s ~ u.be faea.nees h arcer To-
secnf yheH sarpet si4a41aaffs- inf-
3ossshie Ier tbs iee s ~ ma fts now
sinet. d nos dHisen "a taair affar4s.
TO live UP 10 a.e Iaftf deifasstior ol
economy to hold heavy approximations ih
check. In addition to this. the conssit-
uents of a congressman demand that he
use every effort to secure a berth upon
one of these important committees such
as rivers and harbors, public buildings
and grounds, in order that he may be in
better position to get federal contribu-
tions for his district in the way of locks
and dams for the local creeks masquerad-
ing in many instances under the name
of rivers. or public buildings for post
offices of imposing architecture in small
towns whose present postoffice receipts
are better kept in the background but
the future possibilities of which are won
derful to describe.
New Committee Created
Prior to the year 1865 the ways and
means committee had control of appro-
priation bills Then the committee of
appropriations was created and given full
control of the supply bills This plan
continued until 1885 when jealous Of the
power exercised by Samuel j. Randall,
the House proceeded to take from the
appropriation committee the right to make
the appropriation bills for the army the
diplomatic and consular service, the mill
tary academy. the navy. Indian affairs
and the postoffice. Since that time it |
has yearly been growing more impossible
to keep down extravagant appropriations |
that move marked the beginning of the
era of extravaganza in which the Con- |
gress has INDUCED itself ever since
While the democratic party got off bad
In the first innng-there is no doubt about
ths-they could not deny it if they would
the leaders propose to hold the rank and
file In the future to the party doctrine
of economy. In order to bring about this
10 =,
budget plan for making the appropria-
tions which will insure all the bills com
Ing under the scrutiny of those only in
terested in supplying the needs of the
government as to the great supply meas
ures, and to the needs of the country
at large as to improvements in the rivers
and harbors and the building of federal
structures throughout the United States.
Representative John j. Fitzgerald. chair
man of the committee on appropriations
Is In favor of plan which embraces
the idea of putting all the appropria ton
bills in charge of one committee and TAX
ing from that committee the power to
1egislate. In other words, this committee
can only draft and submit the appro-
pration bills and they will contain no
legislation of any nature outside of the
appropriation of funds. 1t has been the
custom in the past and frequently very
annoying one. of appropriation bills car
rying other legislation; sometimes this
is done by originating the legislation by
the committee in the bill and sometimes
1t is offered in the form of an amend
ment. This practice has been growing
In disfavor and it is quite likely that
a ban will be placed upon it by this
Congress.
Another plan. advocated by Represen-
tative Sherley of Kentucky is to create
q budget committee, composed of the
charmen of the various appropriation
committees. and one other member of the
majority of each committee and the rank
ing member of the committee of the op-
position party. The various departments
would then prepare the estimates as now
which would be diligently studied and
liver oil, potatoes, sago, vegetable