The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-02-26
TAFT'S MESSAGE
T0C0NCRESS TODAY
RECOMMENDING THE ADOPTION
OF A BUDGET SYSTEM RELAT-
ING TO EXPENDITURES, ETC.

Washington, Feb. 26.-Presiden,
Taft today sent to congress his mucl
discussed budget" message. He rec
commended the adoption of q budget
system Of relating proposed eXpendi-
lures to expected revenues and de
clared that congress would be great
ly benefited by having before it such
statement before it began the an
nual grind upon appropriation bills
The United States, the president
wrote, was the only great nation in
the world which did not use the bud
get system and in consequence it
may be said to be without plan Of
program" He indicated that owing
10 the late day at which he was
able to transmit his message he eX-
pected little Legislation on the topic
from the present congress.
The president took full response
bility for the message upon himself.
Congress in the last sundry civil bill
directed the secretary of the treas.
ury to submit estimates hereafter in
the old way. Mr.. Taft pointed out,
however that he had directed the
secretary of the treasury to agree
with the directions of congress and
also to send him information for a
budget message. He referred con
gress also to the portion of the con"
stitution which requires him from
time 20 time to recommend such
measures as he shall deem necessary
and eXpedent.
Some of the advantages of the
usget system as pointed out BIZ
the president were:
A means of locating responsibility
for estimates in keeping with reve-
nues.
A means of allowing congress 10
see how much gross it will have to
spend before it begins appropriating
for each department or detail gov
crnment machinery
Because it would furnish congress
and the public with ready reference
TO reports and detailed records Of
account.
Because it would produce an ade-
quate organization for assembling
and classifying information to be used
in telling the country what has been
done and of the governments future
needs.
fined purpose in many bureaus hith-
erto organized but directed under an
inconsistent and ill-defined program.
To cancel the natic;s debt, through
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 sinking fund commits
sion to consist of the chairman uf
the finance committee of the senate;
ne chairman of the house ways a1d
means committee; the attorney gen.
cral and the secretary of the treas
ury, with the comptroller Of the
treasury as annual auditor of the
sinking fund account. Legislation
which would wipe out the national
debt in twenty years after July l,
1914. congress should set aside $45,-
G0000O annually for that purpose.
That would be sl5,O00,O0O a year
less thar the present amount re-
Quired by law. That fund should be
invested in three per cent govern
ment bonds and in twenty years the
81, 100, 100000 debt, the president
says, would be retired
The adoption of definite theory
is recommended for future proposals
for internal Improvements so that
cord with a we'll thought out plaE
In that connection the president suS
gested the saving of the rent paid
in Washington for buildings used by
the government through the construc-
tion OF new buildings to cost about
100000 to be paid for through
Il period of 20 yearl
Briefly stated" wtote the presi
dent, my suggestion is that the
government first plan for its land
purchases, buildings. ard public
works, then borrow money to acquire
and to construct them, proportion
ing the cost over a period of 20
years, and making the bonds issued
TO meet the cost payable out of an
adequate sinking fund"
or a reduction of the salary roll