Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-10
BUDGET SYSTEM
FOR CONGRESS IS
PENROSE'S PLAN
constructive Program For Re-
publicans Rather Than
Mere Criticism

gram which is before the new Con-
gress was to-day graphically out
lined by Senator Penrose of Penn
sylvania, prospective chairman Of the
Senate finance committee.
In this first statement to be given
by the Republican leaders in the
Senate on the work that Congress
has to do, the Senator from Penn
sylvania made clear that there is to
be O busines5-like regime in which
the passage of the delayed appro-
priations, the enactment of bud
get system that will check waste and
extravaganza, the elimination of the
luxury taxes and the gradual reduc-
tion of taxation and the early con-
sideration of the railroad problem
will be given precedence.
Investigations by the Republicans
into the conduct of the war, the Sem
Rtor found essential as a means of
guarding against mistakes in the fu-
ture, rather than for political pur-
poses, but they deprecated spending
too much time over events of the
past when there is constructive leg
islation for the future awaiting at
tention.
Money Bills First
The first tasks of the Congress, of
course, will be consideration of ap-
preparation bills which failed in the
last Congress-" Senator Penrose said
to-day. These bills will have to be
passed upon before the end of the
fiscal year, June 80. Even now there
is hardly sufficient time for the con-
sideration and passage of these i'm
portant measures involving the eX-
penditures of millions of dollars.
Congress should have been called
together a month ago, soon after the
experience of the last Congress, to
consider the appropriation bills and
the other important matters press
ing for attention. Until the appro-
priation bills are disposed of, which
will hardly be until the end of June,
it is not likely that any other legis-
lation can get any thorough consid-
Grafton.
Later on these other measures
will come up, and of course, Will
prolong the session indefinitely.
To Repeal Luxurics Tax
"As far as revenue legislation Is
concerned, it is likely that a resolu-
ton will be proposed for the repeal
of the so-called luxury taxes.
Perhaps the most important leg
islat!on to appear in the present Con-
gress and relating to the revenues
is legislation to provide for a bud
get system" the Senator continued,
"and by this / mean a budget sys-
tenn administrative and legislative
as well. There is an almost COM
plete absence of any budget system
either administrative or legislative
in the government of the United
States, and this fact, together with
the habit of extravaganza and
wasteful expenditure developed by
the war will produce a chaotic con-
dition in the income and eXpendi-
lures of the government unless a
budget system is permanently pro-
Vided for.
Budget System Necessary
The subject is already receiving
the attention of some of the most
prominent businessmen in the United
States, as well as of the executive
and legislative departments. To my
mind the establishment of such a
budget system is the most import
ant question before Congress, as all
others are ultimately related to it.
Steps are being taken to formulate
an inquiry looking to legislation at
an early date upon this all important
question.
Later on, at as early a time as
practicable, the question of simplify
1Hb llc ldN laws ouSllI W DS lethSll
up, especially with a view to simpli-
flying the returns to be made out by
the taxpayers, individual or cor
porate. 1t will hardly be denied that
the tax returns in their present form
are incomprehensible to the average
taxpayer"
Regarding a reduction in the tax
burden now on the people, Senator
Penrose declared this was a question
which reverts back to the need for
q budget.
Hazy on Expenditures
TT is no exaggeration to say that
there is no official connected with
the American government at the
present TIME in a position to give
even the vaguest information as to
how great will be the expenditures
which the government will be called
upon to make during the next year"
the Senator said. The first step
clearly is to find out the require
ments. AS it is now, different cabinet
officers go to Congress with their
own independent recommendation
without any concerted action as il
lustrated by the situation described
by me in the last Congress in
speech in the Senate, when it was
shown that nearly $40, 100000
had been actually recommended by
cabinet officers or reported favor
ably by committees or in the way
of being acted on favorably over
and above the actual estimated eX-
penses of the government, including
war expenditures.
1T would seem that we would
have to find out how the growing
deficit which is being incurred by the
railroads is to be regulated before
we can discuss the amount of money
which the Treasury is going to re-
uuire. For myself, 1 believe economy
and retrenchment should be the
watchwords from now on and if
care is exercised and waste abolish
ed taxation. of course. can be reduc-
ed. 1t must be reduced or unfor-