Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-02-17
u S. NEEDS THE BUDGET SYSTEM
No One KHows Nations Exact Financial Situation


: Corrective measures will not stop
there. but method viii bo installed
whereby permanent committees or
boards VIII be entrusted with the
duty 20 assist In properly drafting
legislation.
The idea Of having a law In effect
Ike the excess profits tax iaw for
months before the executive and nd
mirlqtrative departments will even
venture u guess as to It's meanipS
/ renders our situation ridiculous
The Kennedy
| a remedy IL vol known III liz In
ienect In all Europ.an bations ~
consequence. II II tho budget sys-
lsm homr OF our states have seen
the llght and this system Ia gaming
IN favor rapidly Maryland seems
10 nave gone further than the others
ana II II conducting Its government,
under this plan satiBfaotorily
Nothing VIII contribute more 20
! 'ottlciAl integrity and efficiency than
complete mandatory budget sys.
/ tenn.
= private corporation, before turn
lns money IN its treasury loose for
dhulbuuon. requires ltH agents to
present a carefully itemized state
ment showing for what purpose IN.
money IN TO he used. Every business
man VINO Socks accom- m odntlon from
banks prepares n statement OF re-
sources and requirement. for sub
mission and care In exercised by we'll
managed banks TO ascertain 'he cor
tectness Of tho statement
budget System has been adyo-
Gated by the last three presldsnta
~ has been advanced by economists
and students for years, but we SIM
tnehnder along in the same old sloth-
ful way, II seems II is necessary 10
begin AT the grass roots In order TO
arouse congress and the logialati
assemblis from their letharsy.
At present In legislative bodies no
one IL presumed to know anything
Ihbout the general fiscal affairs ex-
cept members OF committees on ap-
preparations and they are 10 impor.
tuned by repreaon LstiveE OF public
departments and public instit,tions
seeking big appropriations as well
hS by other mombefs' OF the body
seeking 10 get u slice OF pork" for
their locality. that their efforts are
unsatisfactory. Driyen TO derpera
uon. the committee usually capitu-
lntes and the departments get ali
| lhey ask and promptly return. at the
end OF the flsns year, with big
deficit. Not only this. the cork"
system has developed to such a de-
gree that our Legislative, bodies seem
unable to rescue themselves from It.
Encuttvr RodG~t Br~t
An executive budget system will
bring relief TO the country from this
chaotic condition. II seems best
suited to secure tho proper results
N ata a..
ZION. tho president. should be
charged with this duty The execu-
tive should have power to appoint a
non partisan board OF not less than
-four, nor more than six. 10 net with
him In preparing tho budget This
budget should he q approved and
placed In the hands OF each legisia
tor at least twenty days before the
beginning OF the session at which Il
s 10 be considered
The legislative depa rtment should
have power to reduce or eliminate
any Items by majority vote and
have the right 10 increase items only
upon hree'fourths vote. This com
mittee or board should be a pefma
mont body. and II might be we'll to
grant ,nqsisitorial power, unless this
power 10 already secure In tho execu-
government and each institution
should be required to submit reports
10 this body upon demand to~the end
that the reasonable requirements
can he provided for In the budget.
such reports are necessary In order
to secure check on dishurpv m ent |
so We oan get away from the present !
almost hahitusl practice OF having
deficits II may be necessary to 60
even further and adopt a constltu-
uonaI amendment. limiting the i'm
posSion OF direct tax.
In England a budget Ia submitted |
in complete itemiTed form TO parlia-
ment. II rejected the ministers so
before the people for expression
thereon In Germany budget ISL
be considered and approved In de-
tailed form before credit IN voted for
the items therein specified
Efforts OF tho Presidents
Referring again to the efforts Of
past executives. President Taft went
further than any other to promote a
budget system. In the absence OF
legislation, no did great deal OF
good In cutting appropriations for
useless departments and fossils on
the payroll announcement was
slight from the legislative branches
President Roosevelt, after invesu-
cation, found. faulty orsa niEation IN
many OF the departments that
methods were wnstefui and inefn-
cient '1here is no reason said he,
why our executive and KoVernmen-
tai machinery should not he as well
planned. economical and efficient as
the best machinery OF the great busl-
ness organizations which at present
ia not the case An urgent recon
meudation was made for legislation
to provide a change 10 secure bud
get system and to promote economy