The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-06
AUDIT TO MINORITY
Is WAGNER'S PLAN
Senator Seeks to Put Budget
Power in Hands Of the
Weaker Party.
SEES REFORM AS RESULT

ALBANY. March 5.--Senator Robert +.
Wagner, minority leader Of the Senate
by the introduction Of an amendment TO
the Senate rules which he will present
Tomorrow night seeks to secure the ap.
polntment OF n committed on audit con-
trolled by the minority. In speaking OF
this proposed amendment to the rules
Senator Wagner said
II propose to Offer tomorrow night an
amendment, 20 the Senate rules providing
for the appointment OF a committee on
audit which shall be controlled by the
minority Of the Senate. The rule is as
follows:
"1Sule 1-a-The chairman and Ave
members of tine committee on audit
shall be appointed ~ the President Of
the Senate from the minority. The
committee on aud h Xamin and
review all reports received from the
Comptroller and make such !ndepend-
ent inquiries and such reports to the
Legislature as may seem desirable,
having TO do with estimated or actual
revenues. expenditures. c~ustodianship.
the condition os funds. State finances,
waste or ineiiic!ency IN administration,
N in its own discretion Il may sub
pDna witnesses and xamlnc them un-
der oath and may requisition any
State records not In use and may
have access to any and all state
records and documents. and for these
several purposes the committee may
meet and conduct hearings and may
request the Comptroller 10 assist them
In making their inquiries. A report
OF the committee shall be made to
the Leg isluturc, nj which tim" op-
portunity shall be given To the Gov.
ernor or any other state officer II they
10 elect t. appear and answer any
criticism or charges that may lac made
AGAINST them by the committee.
whether such criticism may relate to
past acts or plans ard proposals in
volving future expenditures.
This propose. is absolutely novel 90
FAR as our Federal or state governments
are concerned in the handing Of budgets
and appropriation bills" said the Seua-
tor. at has been tried. however, with
great success in other countries. There
Is such n Committ.. In the English Par
lament and in Canada. IL Is conceded
by all students Of ouf Government that
what il lacking IN the making up OF
our budget and appropriation bills Is AZ
effective and Intelligent criticism Of the
items making up such budget. II IL vel
known that in our own Legislature, out
lid of the Chairmeu Of the committees
dealing with the budget very few mem.
hers o fthe Legislature ha,. amy hnowl.
edge OF the contents of the budget and
they are asked To vote away, usually on
the closing day ~ the session. the state
money without any knowledge as To the
necessity Of tn" appropriations or
whether they eInbody extravaganza
81 have had some experience In the
Legislature and based upon hat expert
,nce ! confidently assert that no measure
could be adopted which would tend NOR.
10 real economy than his rule ! pro-
pose. 1t will enable the minority Of III.
Legislature to make a scientific inNes-
tlgation and criticism Of the appropria-
tons requested Of the Legislature.
cit will begin n public discussion OF
the budget which now Is mad. up in Il
committee room and which the minority
except in "a general way is unable &c
effectively c%riticiSc as 10 lack OF n"ces-
sity or desirability OF the appropriations
At the present time the state budget
receives practically no intelligent crit.
cism upon the door of the Legislature
because the minority is not In Possession
% sufficient facts or power To make 2
detailed analysis. Vet the appropriation
bills are the most important measures
coming before ~ fnr approval or dis
approval. Give tho minority the pOwel
as proposed by this new rule and 4
will change the method of making W
the budget from It one man affair to q
thorough and Intelligent discussion.
II hope the majority VIII see theiI
way clear to adopt this rule, for in m!
opinion nothing they can do this yeai
will equal IN Importance the adoption OF
this proposal"