The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-30
ReturnIng to tlie Budret.

While the Telegram does not agree
Win some OF the statements made by
the Philadelphia Record In the fol-
lowing editorial, especially that 81
the Democratic party's being n marty
OF economy extraordinary, semi
Reputation based on It's many minor.
ity tactics and platitudes. there Is
presented a renewal Of the budget
system idea, which II made somewhat
flexible might prove most beneficial
and certainly quite economical. al.
though too much Capitalization in the
estimate and apportionment of funds
for public improvements and public
outlay is not desirable by the pro-
gressive citizen as one department OF
government equally deserving may be
made to suffer for the more than
equal attention given another. but
even this under the budget system
can be overcome, II the various COM
mtttees be permitted to recommend
to those in charge OF the budget
making, and then properly informed
the budget committee can make lust
pairing, II the same be necessary, to
meet the revenues Of the government
and the amount at hand to be invest
Led IN service and improvements:
The president could not do better
than to press upon the attention Of
Congress in his message-as It is pre-
dicted that he will do-the import
anee Of applying the budget system
to our national finances It is the
only road to national economy. 1t is
the only way Of keeping our expenses
within our income. A House Demo-
cratic caucus early in this adminis-
tration rejected the budget PROPOSE
ton, but It made great mistake, and
1t Is to be hoped hat the president
Will convince Congress of this. and
that the Democratic party will Jus
tify its claim to being the party OF
economy by returning to system
that existed during large part Of
the country's history.
Originally the committee on ways
and means had jurisdiction over all
bills for raising and for disbursing
revenue. This was budget COM
mittee. After a time the committee
on appropriations was created. and It
prepared all spending bills. This was
not quite SO good as budget COM
mtttee, but It was good enough. One
committee considered the revenue at
its command and distributed It among
the various branches of the public
service. 1t was not likely to exceed
the revenue.
From time to time appropriation
bills were taken from the appropria-
tons committee and assigned to other
committees for the avowed purpose Of
getting more money appropriated,
and the purpose was promptly at
tanned. II was thought that It would
be popular with the farmers to spend
more money on the department Of
agriculture than the appropriations
committee would assign, SO the agri-
cultural bill was transferred to the
committee on agriculture, which did
exactly what 1t was expected to do.
1t was desired by congressman to get
more money for rivers and 1arbors
than the general committee felt
could be spared, SO the river and
harbor bill was assigned to the river
and harbor committee. The same
thing was done with five OF. six other
bills.
Each committee is liberal to the
branch of the public service of which
1t has particular charge, and the re-
suit is q steady increase of appropria-
tons. The Democratic party has not
been very much better than the Re-
publican. The Democratic party is
responsible for the removal Of most
Of the bills that have been taken
from the general committee and as
signed to committees on the respec-
tive branches Of the public service.
The national expenses can be cur
tailed, and the Democratic party can
demonstrate that 1t is really the par
ty of economy, only by creating a
budget committee, or, at least, BY
restoring all the appropriation bills
to the committee on appropriations.