The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-09
SYSTEM
IS NEEDED AFFIRM
NATIONAL SOLONS
Institution of Method Is Not
Matter Of Party Politics But
Of Administrative As Well
As Financial Necessity.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9.-Almost ev-
erybody Is agreed that congress should
establish a federal budget system. Pres
ldent Wilson has so recommended to
congress, and Senator Boise Penrose, of
pennsylvania, leader Of the Republicans
IN congress, said at the beginning OF
this session of congress that what we
must have Is a budget system hat is
Administrative and legislative. .
To my mind it is the most important
question before congress-"
But despite the Pennsylvania sena-
tors estimate hat consideration OF, a
budget system of appropriations and
expenditures Is the most important
matter before congress, he evidently
continues to feel that Pennsylvania pol
tiles are even more important. At
least his absence from the senate until
last week Is still the subject Of COM
ment, and although congress has now
been In session four months and a half,
The senate finance committee, of which
Mr.. Penrosc Is chairman, has held but
one or two perfunctory meetings, and
has accomplished nothing. 1t certainly
has not taken up the question of a
budget.
In the house, the matter has been
given some consideration, but even
there the Republicans, who are in con-
troll, and who have been b%emoaning
alleged e~xtravagances, and have de-
clared that the budget system will be
a cure-all and must be established, do
not seem to be able to agree on any
plan, In consequence congress does not
appear to be any nearer the establish
ment of a budget system today than
u was the day the Republicans organ
ICED both houses after President Will
son convened the special session. But
in this, however, they are merely run
ming true to form. for with the excep-
tion Of repeating the tax on soda water
and passing two or three small pop
gun" tariff bills, demanded bv individ-
ual Republican members of the ways
and means committee, the house hasn't
accomplished anything, and indications
are that the present congress will live
and dies and the country win still be
/ whlstling for its budget SYSTEM {
The little attention that members OF
the majority party in the house have
emphasize the fact that they aren't
agreed among themselves. Proof Of
this Is contained In a letter recently
written to Representative Near, Of
wisconsin, by Representative Steener.
son, Of Minnesota, Both are Repub.
leans. Mr., Frear Is n member of the
way and means committee, and is al
present In the Pacific Northwest, as
chairman Of the subcommittee investi.
eating air craft expenditures during
the war. Mr.. STEVENSON is chairman
of the committee on postoffices and pos
| roads, n both therefore are high ii
the councils of their party.
Mr.. S~teenerson's letter, In which HI
severely condemned his fellow Repub'
| lican, the pride of the Republican "in
vestigators," by the way, was In repl,
to a letter to him on the subject Of
budget by Mr.. Frear and to the latter
remarks and bill on the subject. Re
plying to Mr.. Frear's letter, Mr.. Steen
erson wrote;
Your argument is that 1t would b
in the interest Of economy and eff
cheney that all appropriations by con
gress should be passed upon by a sin
gle committee, rather than by owe
twenty irresponsible congressional com
mittees.' Your plan contemplates
concentration of power, compared t
which 'Cannonism' In its palmiest day
would be but a shadow. The few con
gressional districts whose members hap
pened to be on that all-important com
mittee would have an unchecked an
undue influence over all legislation. |
is a plan in the interest OF augment
ing executive power and diminishin
the power of the peoples direct repre-
sentatives,"
In the meantime plans for a bulge
system aren't getting anywhere.