The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-27

WASHINGTON. Feb. ss.--Tsresidsnt
Taft today sent to congress his Fnuch~
discussed budget message.
He recommended the adoption or
a budget system of relating proposed
expenditures TO expected revenues
and declared that congress would be
greatly benefited by having before II
such statement before II began the
annual 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 II
-&may be said TO be without plan or
program" 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 responsible
sty for the message upon himself
Congress in the last sundry civil bill
directed the secretary Of the treasury
70 submit estimates hereafter in the
old way Mr.. Taft pointed out. how
ever, that he had directed the secre-
tary Of the treasury to agree with the
directions OF congress and also to
send to him information for bud
get message. He referred congress
also to the portion OF the Constitu-
ton which requires him from time
TO time to recommend such measures
as he shall deem necessary and ex-
pedient
Some of the advantages of the bud
let system AZ pointed out by the
president were.
& a means of locating responsibility
for estimates in keeping with reve-
nues.
4 means. OF allowing congress to see
how much gross II will have to spend
before Il begins appropriating for each
department or detail OF government
machinery.
Because 1t would furnish congress
and the public with ready reference
TO reports and detailed records OF
account.
Is Because 1T would produce an ade-
quate organization for assembling and
classifying information to be used IN
telling the country what has Deem
done and OF the governments future
needs.
ia aid in working with a well de-
lined purpose In many bureas hitherto
organized, but directed under an IN
consistent and ill-defined program.
The National Debt.
To cancel the nations debt, through
q sinking fund. and to eliminate the
deficit, which is slowing growing
TO carry ont the budget plan, TO
reduce the deficit and the fixed
charges against the government the
president proposed to create q sink :
ing fund commission. to consist OF
the chairman of the finance commit
tee OF the senate. the chairman OF
the house ways and means commit
tee, the encouragement and the sec
rotary of the treasury, with the CON
troller OF the treasury as annual audi
tor OF the sinking fund account.
LEGISLATION which would wipe out the
national debt IN twenty years. After
July 1. 1914, congress should set aside
$4,000. 600 annually for that purpose.
That would be &f5.o00.oo0 year less
than the present amount required by
law That fund. should be invested
Ia ! per cent government bonds, and
iii twenty years the $1.16a.0Q 200, 900
debt. the president says, would be re-
tired.
THE adoption Of definite theory
Ia recommended for future proposals
for Internal improvements, SO that
such improvements would be In ac-
cord with a well thought out plan.
/ In that connection the president sug-
Gested the saving Of the rent paid In
washington for buildings used by the
slgpvernment through the construction
#6f new buildings to cost about $lOO,-
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