New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-10
AN OBSTACLE TO ECONOMY

The New York Times" paid just
tribute 10 President Tafts capaclt!
and courage a. an administrative re-
former when it said yesterday;
II the Democratic majority in Con-
gress wish TO prove the sincerity OF
their desire for reform in the govern :
ment. fOl reduction in the burdens OF
taxation and for corresponding re-
duction cf the taxpayers burden, they
can do SO By adopting the recommends
ton of the President as 10 the Com
mission ON Economy and Efficiency.
The curious feature of the situation
has been that Democratic opposition
10 the Presidents efforts TO reduce
waste and 10 bring order into govern
mental methods of appropriation and
expenditure comes largely from leaders
i'm the House of Representatives who
are themselves prOfessed economists.
Mr. Fitzgerald. the chairman of the
House Committee on Appropriations,
has done much valuable work in cur
failing expenditure. He did what he
could at the last session TO keep his
Democratic colleagues from emptylnc
the Treasury. But at the same time
no one was more active than he i'll
fighting against a rational budget sys-
TEN and in whiting down the author
ity OF the federal Commission on Econ
cIny and Efficiency.
Mr.. Fitzgerald and many other Rep
resentatiyes with a preference for fru-
gality are the victims of false ira
dition. They want to retain the
nld-fashoned and disordcrly methods
which make the preparation of the
supply bills Chinese puzzle. The
more complicated the procedure the
greater the power and authority of the
few EXPERTS who have mastered the
present system. Congress now receives
estimates Of the appropriations needed
from many obscure sources ana pro"
Vidcs for the maintenance of govern
mcnt i'm ways unfamiliar TO the aver
ace legislator The chief appropriation
bills are i'm form survivals from sim
ulpr era and have never been rcmod-
cllcd so as 10 embrace all the eXpen-
ditureS which they ought TO carry.
Provision for the work Of single SER
vice may he made in several bills and
made in such way as 10 escape the
notice of all but few insiders.
\ simplification Of the system of eS-
Inmates and appropriations would give
the country clearer idea of how the
business Of government is being con-
Quoted But a sort of professional
pride on the part Of the men who sub
nit the estimates and the few leaders
who work them into shape in the crlss-
cross Of appropriation measures stands
in the way Of reform. That opposition
was manifested most clearly at the
last session of Congress. when a pro-
vision was quietly inserted in the legis-
lative. executive and judicial appro-
priation measure which directed that
the annual estimates of approprla-
"tiOnS for expenses of the government
"of the United States shall be prepared
and submitted 10 Congress by those
charged with the duty of such prepa-
ration and submission only in the
form and at the time now required
by law, and i'm no other form and AT
mo other time" That was a blow
struck in the name of hoary precedent
az Mr.. Taft's plan for q modernized
budget The animuS behind such oh
struction must he exposed and over
come before Democratic Congress
will cheerfully cooperate in putting
into effect the economies suggested by
President Taft'S commission.