Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-11-12
GOV. HARRINGTON
TO BEGIN ON BUDGET
Seeks Expert Advice IN Starting
Off New System.
MARYLAND ACT A PATTERN
Many Other States interested Ia Plan
And VIII Observe Its
Workings.

1 3Vh q iiOA &AGt AAAtENbt AGH SAAkCN
that he will begin work this week on
the budget that, under the budget
amendment, he will have to submit to
the General Assembly within a short
time after it conyenes next January.
The authority to make up the budget
is vested in the Governor alone. How
ever, he expects 20 employ expert as
sistance in the preparation of the first
budget if such expert assistance is
available. His first work viii be to
prepare proper forms This is the
part of the work TO which he will de-
vote his attention this week, and the
week after he will start hearings.
The Gveornor said he proposed TO
confer with President Goodnow, of
Johns Hopkins University. who was
chairman of the commission that
drafted the budget amendment, before
beginning the actual preparation Of
the budget. Just now DR.. Goodnow
is out of the State.
Best System Yet Devised.
Maryland's budget system has at
tracted attention throughout the coun-
try Only a short while ago a delega-
ticn came here from Michigan to study
it, Michigan is contemplating the
adoption of budget system and has
appointed a commission, of which the
Governor of the State is the head, to
draft the law.
Experts upon the subject declare
that Maryland's is the most advanced
budget system that has been put into
effect in this country Numerous arti-
cles have been written about it and
the probabilities are that it will be
taken as a pattern for other budget
systems that will be put into effect in
this country within the next few
years.
Under the amendment the Legisla-
ture can reduce any appropriation al
lowed by the Governor in the budget,
but cannot increase any of the allow
ances. Nor can it provide for a new
appropriation without passing bill
to provide the funds with which to
cover the appropriation.
The work the Governor will have to
do will materially lessen the work of
the Finance Committee Of the Senate
and the Ways and Means Committee
of the House. 1t also will lessen, it is
anticipated, the importance of these
two committees, regarded heretofore.
as the most Importance of all legisla-
tive committees.
Won't Work In Dark.
Another advantage that will be
reaped from the adoption of the bud
get system will come from the fact
that almost at the beginning of the
session everyone in the State will
know just what amount of money will
be appropriated for various purposes.
Heretofore the appropriation bills
rarely have gone in until the last
week of the session, and sometimes,
as was the case last session. not un-
til the last day
Il also will do away with, to
large extent, anyhow, the traffiicking
that used to be resorted to in connec-
ton with appropriations. Members of
the Legislature, each with several pet
institutions desiring appropriations,
would trade back and forth, agreeing
TO support the appropriation or meas
ure of this man in return for his sup
port of their own appropriation or
measure
Then, too, the old method frequently
placed club in the hands Of men who
were INSCRIPTIONS enough to use it.
They would tell some weak member,
anxious to get this or that local bill
passed just to show his home people
that he was on the job, that his bill
could not be passed unless he would
agree to support this or that appro-
priation.
But, above everything else, the bud
get system will prevent another deficit
such as occurred four years ago when
the Legislature appropriated a whole
lot more money than it laid taxes to
raise and forced the passage of a
bond issue TO cover the deficiency.