The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-26
POINTS OUT The ADVANTAGES
Data Furnished Would Eliminate
Extravaganza in Making
Appropriations
U. S. EXPENSES NOW TOO HIGH

Washington. Feb 26-President
Tart today sent to Congress his much
discussed budget message. lie rec
commended the adoption of budg It
system Of relating proposed cxpcndi-
lures To expected revenues and de-
olarcd that Congress would bc greatly
benefited by having before it such a
statement before it began the annila,
grind upon appropriation bills. The
United States, the president wrote,
was the only great nation in the world
which did not use the budget system
ana IN consequence IL may bc said
To be without plan or program" He
indicated that owing To the late day
nj which he was able to transmit his
message he expected little legislation
On the topic from the present Con-
grcss.
Tie president took full responsible
ity for the message upon himself Con
Gress IN the last sundry civil bill di-
lccted the secretary of the treasury
TO submit estimates hereafter In the
cid way. Mr. Taft pointed out how
ever that hc had directed the secre-
iary of the treasury to agree with the
directions of Congress ana also to send
TO him information FOR budget mes
sage. lie referred Congress also to
the portion of the constitution which
requires him from time to time To rec
ummend such measures as he shall
deem necessary and eXpcdient
Advantages Pointed Out.
Some of the advantages of the bud.
get system as pointed out by the pres
ident were:
\ means of locating responsibility
tor estimates in keeping with rev
cnueS.
means Of allowing Congress to
see how much gross it viii have to
spend before it begins appropriatinE
for each department or detail of gov
ernment machinery
Because II would furnish Congress
and the public with ready reference
10 reports and detailed records Of
account
Because it would produce an ado
quate organization for assembling and
classify ing information 10 be used In
telling the country what has been
done and of The governments future
needs
To aid in working with a we'll de-
fncd purpose in many bureaus hither-
To organized but directed under an
inn.
To cancel the nations 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 Charg-
es against the government the prcsi
dent proposes
To create a sinking fund commN
sion to consist of the chairman of the
finance committee of the Senate; the
chairman of the House ways and
means committee; the attorney gene
raj and the secretary of the treasury,
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 I. 1914; Congress
should set aside $4,000. 900 annually
for that purpose. That would he $15,-
100000 n year less than the present
amount required by law. That fund
should be Invested In three per cent
government bonds and In twenty
wears the SLIGO 100000 debt. the pres
ident says, would he retired.
Plans TO Save Money
The adoption of a definite theory is |
recommended for future proposals for
internal improvements so that sucn
improvements would he i'm accord with |
we'll thought out plan. In that con
nection the president suggests the
saving OF the rent paid In Washing
ton for buildings used by the govern
ment through the construction OF new |
buildings to cost about Sl00,000000 TO |
De paid for through period Of TWEEN
" years.
Briefly stated wrote the president.
my suggestion is that the government
hrst plan for it's land purchases.
buildings, and public works, then bor-
row money to acquire and to con-
struct them. proportioning the cost
over period Of twenty years, and
making the bonds issued to meet the