The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-10-15
A
SCIENTIFIC
STEP MADE


budget system, a scientific step for
ward in the interest Of national eco
nomy, is about to come before Con-
gress in the form of bill to be re-
ported to the House of Representa-
tiyes by the appropriations commit
tee. Although a stubborn fight is ex
pected to be made upon it by old
President Wilson has reached
point in his convalescence where he
looks upon his doctor as a tyrant
without any sense.
time Congressional privateers, jeal-
Gus of their historic privilege to spend
ing the governments money with
lavish hands, it is expected that the
measure will pass. AS President Viii
son has consistently urged the enact
ment of such law there is no ques-
ton of his approval.
Democratic and Republican lead
ers of progressive tendencies has
realized that something must BE
done to abate the waste of money
that is annually appropriated by
Congress, hence the efforts for bud
get legislation in the Goth Congress
have so far met with less opposition
than ever before. Most of the other
large nations of the earth are admin
istered. on the budget system and the
United States has been, practically
alone in its legislative appropriation
system.
The bill as at present drawn will
differ materially from the budget
laws of other nations, this being due
to the difference in the American
style of government and placing, Of
responsibilities. Former President
Taft, an ardent advocate of a bud
get, and Carter Glass, Secretary of
the Treasury, another espoyser OF
the project, have been heard by the
committee and their views obtained
as to what they believe the bills
salient features should be.
The United States Government
has at the present time law the re-
vision of estimates, but it contains
no provisions for the machinery ne
cessary for investigation of the de-
STABILITY of the recommendation.
The budget bill now being evolved
by the House appropriations commit
tee becomes law there will be two
major officials in charge of the work
First, there will be a director of the
bureau of the budget, or some SINH
lar title, who would be appointed by
the President. His salary will be
| $4,000 a year and he will have an
assistant at $500. He will be as
signed a sufficient force to investi-
gate all claims for appropriations
and to keep tab on the necessities
of the various departments, not only
from month to month, but day to
day.
The director of the budget would
be directly under the President, and
on him the chief executive would
largely depend for his departmental
estimates and general information.
The other official will be styled
the auditor-general. He, too, will
be appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate and it is
planned that he be subject to re-
moval only by resolution of both
i Senate and House for misconduct
incapacity or such other cause. This
would remove this important office
beyond the reach of politics His
salary would be commensurate with
that of the budget director, and ne
also would have suitable staff. The
business of the auditorgeneral would
be to check the appropriations, rev.
enues and expenditures of the gov
eminent, so that Congress may OBJ
tain at moments notice figures or
the state of the national finances
and everything relative to eXpen-
ditures.
1t is considered possible that Con-
gress may recommend, or insist, up
on a joint committee of supervision
of everything concerning the bud
get. If done this will be sop to
the old-timers who today resent any
interference with their ancient pow
ers of disbursing the public money
AS matter of fact, the auditor-gen-
eral plan has been worked out with
the idea of securing to Congress the
control of all expenditures, but this
may not satisfy some Senators and
Representatives.
The departmental estimates will
be called under the proposed law to
the attention of Congress by the di-
rector of the bureau of the bureau
of the budget, as stated, while the