Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-17

may rosien In favor Of Cabinet which
commands the support Of parliament
Or IT. ma: appeal, through the crown.
10 the people TO send otner represcn.
tatives who Will support the govern
mont on tine question at issue.
notice very brieny the actual pro.
cedurc:
Tho British financial year runs from
April TO March 81. IN the preceding
November the various department csti-
mates arc submitted to tho Cha nceilor
CT tho EXcntquer. who is member
OF the Cabinet and, usually. head OF
consultation with the different depart
mental heads. the Chancellor Of the
Excncauer d!gests and correlates these
estimates and formulates definite
financial program. Finally everything
i3 worked into budget backed by
necessary Tor rapid aid intelligent con.
aidcrstior.
Estimates OF expenditures are taken
~ first IN the House of Commons On
the day appointed for this purpose, the
Chancsllor OF the Exchequor appears.
presents tho estimates and explains
and defends them In detail. The OPP
position may question. Il may propose
reduction, II may reject outright,
but. under a rule OF the House adopted
as early as l7l3. Il may not introduce
Al item or rropose an increase. This
process goes on for fifteen or twenty
days, the fsruen being kept constantly
before the public through tho news.
papers and otherwise. Item by item.
The cotirnatos are sanctioned, modified
or rejected. a rejection OF q vital pro-
posal would rrecipitato the Resignation
OF this Cabinet OF the dissolution OF the
house.
The Chancellor OF tho ETche1uer
acting for the Cabinet IS thuy respon-
public expenditures. He is also re-
spon.!blc for the methods OF raising
revenues to meet these expenditures.
:. day is appointed for the considera.
tion OF revenues. the house then sit
ting as committee OF the whole on
wayg and means. It IS a. taa ,imo
that the Chancellor OF the E1chcaucr
delivers the budget speech" contain
ing history OF the nations Gnanccn
fer the preceding year, and outlining
Ia detail the revenue p!aa OF tho gov
srnicnt for the coming year.
Here again the opposition may Ques-
ton, ina. point out defects, may pro-
|! rose 10 reduce or reject. but the house
Will hear ''uo motion for raising revs-
nue., save by minister OF the crown,
unless such a tax te substitution bS'
way OF equivalent, for taxation a: that
monenJ submitted for the consdera-
ton Of Parliament" In practice, few
changes IN the budget plans are made
by the house. Modifcat tons. II modit-
cations becorc necessary. are made by
! the persons responsible for the cati-
mateS-the members vv the Cabinet
themselves.
All this refer, only 70 procedure IN
the house. Since the parliamentary
reforms Of 1911. the House OF Lords
has: been practically without power
with respect TO money bills.
The foregoing indicates. In very
bric. ard general way, the prosresy Of
the British budget from tla comp;!a :.
lion through It's pas.sSc TO vote. and
on 10 its final authorization. Add TO
this plan OF audit and control, which
is 4 model of It's kind. and iinallY ar
| Investigation and report each February
b. committee OF eleven from the
house. and wc have system which ha,
justly challenged the admiration OF the
| world
This system provides. among other
things, for expert supervision and cate
In tho preparation OF Estimates, FOR
intelligent and effective criticism and
Tor definite respons!eiu:r, /: rrovides
against the shifting OF responsibility
from the executive to the legislature
ard thcn on TO persons Who cannot be
! siole changes and an1endments. There
! !s no pork barrev hero. There are
no irrelevant riders" having nothing
| in common, as come one has said, but
their common desire Ia he legalzed.
! Far removed from tho system Just de-
! scEibed Is the system followed b. Con-
T,ess and many OF the American states
rhere are differences, OF cour:e. be-
! tween the procedure Of Congress and
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