Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-07-03
BUDGET SYSTEM
WILL BE URGED
BY PRESIDENT
Plan for Economy in Govern
ment Expenditures to Be
Made Part Of Democratic
Program at Short Session,


economy one of the main issues of the
short session OF congress- beginning In
December. Party leaders realize mat
the democratic majority IN congress
has made "A good record Of achieve
ment almost In every direction eNcep-
ting that of economy They agree
that while the majority cannot be held
entirely hlameless for the failure Ia
reduce appropriations. yet. consider
ing the large amount of important
constructive legislation enacted. there
Is some excuse for the non redemption
of the pledge to cut down government
expenditures. made In the Baltimore
platform, and IN every preceding plat
form of the party for the past genera
ton
The plan to paramount the econ
omy issue In the next session, Which,
because of It's shortness. cannot take
up any important general work, N ne
ing commended by party leaders gen
orally. The plan is TO have the presl-
dent. in his message, lay stress upon
the virtues of the budget system OF
national housekeeping and urge con-
gress to adopt that system without de-
lay Should this be done, the appro-
priatinns for the short session will be
maze un0Hf tllAl NANAfll anu nv 'lNN"
ton Of whether It will be possible rad
ically to reduce the annual outgo
from the treasury thoroughly tested,
Duriue the past dozen years, or
more. The nbprupfiatlon totals hnNe
been growing steadily from session To
session. in spite of all that could be
done to prevent The republicans, while
i'm power said that the expenditures
were bound to grow with the growth
Of the country. and that idea was epi-
dramatically expressed by Thomas u.
Reed. when he said in reply to "a
taunt from the democrats upon the
billion dollar total being reached Tor
the first time In tho biennial outgo,
that the United states was "a billion
dollar country
The democrats came into control
of the house as the result Of the l9lu
electors. and ever since they nave
had to assume responsibility for the
size of the annual outgo from the
treasury. From 1910 to 1912 they
controlled the house only, but since
1912 they have controlled both houses
of congress and the White House; but
still the appropriations continue toi
mount skyward.
Extravagance May BE Issue.
The ordinary disbursements Of the
government have increased from
SAT-, 900. 900 in 1902, to S6S2, OOOOOo
in 1913. For the fiscal year which
will close June 80. Secretary McAdoo
estimates that the ordinary eXpendi-
lures will be 1903, 100000. But eX-
penditures not covered by the WORD
Ordinary" swell the actual total in
recent years TO much larger total ~
the session which closed In March'
1913. the appropriations reached to-
tai of more than 81 900 .000. 600, an in
crease of nearly SS0,000,000 over the
previous year What the total for
the next fiscal year viii be, nobody
can at this time say with certainty,
but it Is known that II will exceed
that for the last year of the Tart al
ministration, just referred to. There
has been a looping off of millions
here and there by the house commit
tees. but without visibly affecting the
grand total
The campaign of 1914 must be
made on the record of the special ses-
sion of last year. and of the regular
session. now well under way me
hone of the democrats is that thelr |
constructive program will he regard
ed with so much favor by the coun-
trv as to prevent an issue beng inaue
Of the economy question. Meanwhile
as already announced. 1t Is the pan
to take up economy in the session OF
next winter lay particular emphasis
lupon il. and see what can he done To
reduce EXPENSES under the operation
of i thorough going budget system
Other Nations Use Budget.
The strong argument in favor OF the
midget plan is that ii is in operation
lin all other countries of the world ana
irenresents the common sense way Oh
doing things The individual citiZen
of the republic cuts his garment ac-
cordine to the cloth in hand. or III
other words. makes his outgo pear
scientific relation to his income why
In is asked, should the government NOT |
do the same thln5
Several times since the democrats
have been in control of the mouse 'he
budget plan has come up for serious
consideration and on one or two these
occasions seemed as if it would pc
adopted. But other and presumably
more important matters had right OF
way and nothing was done
Even with the most rigid care, the
federal expenses must continue 10 DC
large in order to meet the demands OF
Ia government such as that ~ 'he
United states AMI the work OF inter-
nal Improvement. But there Is no
question that many millions OF doiiars
can be saved every year without I'M
pairing the efficiency OF any uepart-
ment of the government ana Wl'houe
Withholding aid from any improve
ment which has legitimate Via'"i'
Wilson Eavors Change.
The president has not lormahy saia
that he would take up the budget iaea
next winter, but those VINO haNe
talked with him about the importance
Of reducing expenditures Ieei cerlaii,
that he will do so. Ne has expressed
great interest in the matter on preVl-
| ous occasions, and is expressing the
same interest now. lie mas as'es'
| with several of his callers that the
coming short session will be favora-
| Bile time for making the experiment
with a modern budget system
Broad-minded men in all political
narties are now agreeing that the fan
IRE of the democrats to bring ABOUT
reductions in expenditures, although
sincerely DESTROYS of doing 50, clearly
Indicates that there can be no reduc-
ton of moment until there has been
change of system. Any polltlcai party
| that administers the government un-
der the old fashioned and unsclehtlllc
hit-and miss plan now in vogue, II Is
pointed out, will find. the totals IN
creasng year after year The ihiiure
of the democrats to make COCA the
economy plank of the Baltimore pat
form thus becomes the strongest ar
gument in favor of the budget system
! that has vet been made.
nusiuess priuciplc1 Needed.