Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-02-22

-tiu' tt'AN' hN FNNihH ttlN 'bNiUt FNi'tf'r
The conditions became intoIerahle
Democracy almost ceased To function
% tho piping times OF peace" The
organieaiion could not function in the
strenuous nelce which will succeed
;his
Illinois in Lead,
Illinois Is the first state to ma Sc
preparation Tor the strenuous pence
Which is comiRS |; has taken the
first step-and long orr-to set its
house in order It has placed its
tate government upon a basi, OF ad-
m'nistrati'e responsibility and etti
frr
Since July /. 1914, the executive
agenc'cF under the governor have
Jeen Ont rating under reformed pro
crture. IN act. known popularity as
t|o con ol,lation act. but known legal
Is as The TIM, Administrative Code"
tc.amo effective ca that day.
The Code Law.
What Is "The { .cil Administrative
C'tlrS: ia popular name is more
sispilicrnt that lis legal title
Il abolished at least l26. ii not more.
'ndspoadent officers. bureaus. boards
am commissions. II substituted in
their place nine department.. IN each
Of which IL a responsible head know n
as . director, The director i rrspon
stule to thu governor. The act simply
cCnsolidates governmental agencies
No attempt was made To change o.
AIRY lhe substantive Ian. The law, st
far a. il affects the citizen. remains
tho game The instru,nentaltes thr'
Which il il enforced above are
changed. In other words tn" general
ASSEMBLY, Of this state in III, did for
Illinois what President Wilson now
asks Congress 10 permit him TO Il
for the nation
Offices are Consolidated.
In the construction the consolida-
ton act the statutes hae been picked
up as they are and their enforcement
correlated to the proper department
Under our form OF government til
general assembly decides what shall
be done and what shall not be done
As President Butler says:
AN experience proves that II
what is to he done is decided in
haphasard and desultory fashion, or
in response to the uncoordinated
recommendation of hundred dif
forent administrative officers there
will be waste. duplication OF effort
and inemectiyeness.
To prevnt this waste, duplication o.
effort and inefTectiveness is the par
pose OF the budget scheme.
4 bulge, simply means intelligent
planning. Tho legislative must ap
prove. Tho executive department
must initiate. In that branch the
spending and operating oiHcers are in
constant contact with work. They
know the needs and responsibilities
o, the enterprises Tl!pt have q vi
sion OF the tulAra determined by the
eyqof'9ns@b of the past
The budget scheme proceeds upon
the theory Of executive responsiDi.
tt..-.
Our appropriations heretofore HAYS
been hapha2ard Hereafter they vii
BE- made upon a theory Of classified
Tons and analysis. The head of the
/ finance department must receive from
each department, institution and ex
ecutiye officer, including the elective
state officer, not lator than the first
day Of November preceding the con
yening Of the general assembly, de
tailed estimates Of all appropriations
! for the next biennium. The director
OF finance studies these estimates Hf
takes into consideration the needs 81
the whole state. He can adopt them
revise them or reject them altogethe:
When he has approved the estimate;
/ for the sevral departments he sub
mits them to the governor The GOV
ernor then submits tho estimates. &c
gethGr With statement Of tho need
OF the state, to the general assembly
The budget scheme il az complete q
'ould be attempted under our prescn
constitution,
If carried out in the spirit OF tn
law It viii mean not only a gree
saving in public expenditures, but ais
result in a great saving Of the TIM
OF the Legislature.
Heretof the legislature has mad
up It's budget and passed it's apprC
rriations on the last night OF its ses
sion Hereafter the first thing Z
come before the legislature VIII be
detailed budget explaining each tier
'or which money II desired, Dnde
he budget, appropriations will b
ased upon independent investigation
md win be measured BY the need
( the state.
II is recognized by practical admir-
strators, as we'll ~ By theorc,icf
tudonte Of government, that eXec'
i've functions are susceptible OF Nv
lassihcatious ri sc classification
arc.
Firs,. Those functions that are
purely executive, and
Second Those functions which
are quasi judicial or quasi legisla'