The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-21
what . Budget system Should and
Should Not Do.

This Government is In crying need
of n budget system. 1t cannot be
overlooked, however, that a good sys.
tenn for one country with its own po-
litical principles and institutions may
be a bad system for another country
with, Its different principles and In
situations. So while we are about this
national budget business we want to
scrutlnize not only the prime purpose
of such a plan but all the probable
and possible results.
In the United States Senate Mr..
MCCORMICK Of Illinois has introduced
several bills looking to and bearing
upon the establishment Of a budget
system. His programme may not be
the last word In successful budget
making, 1t may be susceptible Of re-
vision, It may require 1t; but the prin.
ciples Of that programme are sound.
They cannot be ignored with safety
to our theory Of government. They
will never be ignored by a Congress
adhering to the fundamental principle
underlying our Government, national,
State and local, and underlying the
government Of every true democracy.
This is that the man or the authority
doing the spending for a people must
never be permitted. directly or indi-
rectly. to do the appropriating for that
people-must never be permitted 10
decide how much or how little shall
be spent, In what manner 1t shall be
spent or where 1t shall be spent.
1t is idle. moreover, to talk about
non-partisan budget commission.
budget department or budget board.
There can't be such thing. there
shouldn't be such a thing. The ap-
preparation of public moneys by legis-
latlve representatives Of the people
is not merely the best safeguard ever
devised against Executive tyranny.
Executive absorption of other powers
and Executive building up Of personal
political machines; 1t is the very es-
sence of democratic life.
The amount Of money spent by a
Government. the purposes for which
1t Is spent and the efficient way or
the inefficient way in which 1t Is spent
should always be-in a self-govern-
ing country always will be-a politi-
cal Issue. The governing party should
always be held strictly, mercilessly
responsible to the voters. No budget
commission, no budget authority of
any sort or description should shield
party whose writ to govern runs
from the people. The spendings Of
the people as taxpayers should al
ways be a political question up before
the people as voters.
The various bills introduced by
Senator MCCORMICK would not permit
Director of the Budget subordinate
and responsible to the President; and
this principle Is right. They would
not permit the Executive estimates to
he binding upon the Congress author
ity of appropriations; and this prin-
ciple is right because, In that event.
instead of the Congress approprlating
power controlling the President, the
President, with his budget restrictions,
could control the Congress authority
and everything else.
Exactly as an Executive with the
right to determine the maximum of
an appropriation for a given purpose
could thus be free to squander In that
quarter as he pleased. SO an Execu-
tive with the right to determine the
minimum of an appropriation for
given purpose could starve out a de-
partment created by Congress against
his wishes, or hamstrlng a service,
like the army or the navy, essential
to national safety but in conflict with
his theories.
The bills, on the other hand. would
create Comptroller Auditor General.
together with proper assistants. who
should be appointed by a concurrent