The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-10-03
THE A-B-C OF THE BUDGET
PLAN AS PROPOSED HERE
Simply a COmmon-Sense Way of
Tlansacting Business, And Means
Order And Foresight.

get amendment. 1t is in the form of
primer and represents the simple.
clear-hsaded view of a man who has
been in the forefront of both bust
ness and the everlasting fight for
good geyernment.-By Joseph ID. Ba-
ker:
Question-What is the budget?
Answer-Simply common-sense
way of transacting business. The
Government aScertains first how
much money it will have for general
expenditures in the year, and then
divides that sum between its DEPART
ments and institutions, and the pri-
vate institutions it desires to aid
The budget means order and fore
sight. Z
Q.-Do you mean to say that has
not been the rule in the past in
handling the finances of the State of
Maryland?
A.-Unfortunately, that has not
been the rule. Otherwise the State
would rot have had to borrow the
huge sum of $2,000,00O to meet a
deficite 8in its general treasury; it
would not have had to borrow that
sum to pay current expenses which
should have been met with current
incomes.
Q.-Well, what system has the
State used in handling its finances?
A.-The 129 members of the Leg
islature5 have done the best they
could, without having any system
worthy 8the name. The only infor-
nation they had about expected re-
ceipts was the general estimate in
cluded in the Comptroller's report
They had only the most haphazard
information about the needs of the
and institutions seeking
appropriations And most of the
129 members were men who had had
no previous experience in legislative
work and, consequently, were totally
unfamiliar with the business Of dis
tributing the States money. What
happened was this; Nearly every
fellow made it his business to look
after the department in which he
had friends, or the institution stu
ated in his locality. Pressure from
home made him do that. Then he
found that if he were to get what he
asked he had to let the other fellow
get what he asked. 1t was Kiss me
and I'lE kiss you" The men who
did that were not bad; most of them
were good, decent fellows; they SIM
ply followed the line of least resis-
tance. But the result was bad, be-
cause nearly everyone was interested
in getting through one or more ap-
propriatsons, and hardly anyone was
interested in keeping them down.
The END of it all was great over
appropriation, and the State was
com. <lIed to borrow that s2,00O,000
in or to make the over-appropria-
Q.-9ou say that under the Dnd--
get system the State will ascertain
how much money it will have, will
limit it's expenditures to that amount
and then will divide it. Will you eX-
plain more fully the details of that
plan?
A-Some months before the Leg
islature meets the Comptroller will
hand the Governor an itemized state
ment of expected receipts for each of
the next two years. The Governor
will deduct from the amounts for
each year such sums as will be nee
essary to meet the expenses OF the
Legislature and the Judiciary, to
pay the salaries of officials and to
meet other expenses prescribed by
the Constitution or the laws. These
amounts will be in the nature of fix
ed charges. When they have been
deducted what remains will be avail
able for general appropriations.
Then the Governor will have each
State department and institution, and
each private institution seeking
State aid present to him a statement
of it's needs. That statement must
be in detail and will be made public.
1t must show how much is needed
for each purpose. 1t also must show
how much, if anything, was spent
for that purpose in the previous
year. When the Governor has studi-
ed all this information, he will frame
money among the departments and
institutions. These bills then will
go to the Legislature.
Q.-What will the Legislature do
with them?
At may strike out or reduce
any appropriation.
Q.-Why is it given that power?
A-So that the representatives of
the people will have a check upon
the Governor. If he abuses the trust
given him and Improperly favors
some institution with a too high ap-
preparation, the Legislature can re-
duce or eliminate it.
Q.-Can the Legislature put items
into the budget bills or increase ones
put in by the Governor?
A.-No. If that could be done
the door would be opened again for
mad scramble by each of the 1923
legislators to increase the appropria-
tions to the departments or institu-
tions in which he was interested.
And that would mean danger of an
other over-appropriation and anoth-
er deficit.
Q.-But suppose the Governor had
a grudge against some institution
and did not give it its fair share of
money. If the Legislature could not
increase the appropriation to that
institution would it not be subjected
to great injustice?
A.-Provision is made for such
contingencies. The Legislature may
pass special acts of appropriations if
it provide in them for revenue sutfi-
cient to meet the sums appropriated.
In case the Governor treated some
institution unjustly, the Legislature
could meet the situation with that
machinery.
Q.-Will not that power lead to
the Legislature again piling up eX-
cess appropriations?
Aft it should, there could not
be another deficit, for each such ap-
preparation act must carry provision
for its own payment. And it is i'm
probable that the power will be
abused. 1t is easy to get an appro-
priation through the Legislature, but
it is hard to get through new taxa
ton to meet it, unless the purpose be
clearly good New taxation hits
some or all of the people, and must
be explained satisfactorily to them.
/ Q.-Is not the power to frame the
budget bills too much power to put
into the hands of one man, the Gov
ernor?
| Ale has as much power now
and there has been no charge ol
abuse The Governor may veto any
concentration made by the IeSiSla-