Evening journal., 1920-12-02
governor AN
ADVOCATE OF
BUDGET Plan
IconlInued rrom FIrsI page.l

Continued From First page.)
public affairs alb udget system is es-
sential for the orderly and intelli- !
gent handling Of finances. In spite /
Of this, however, il. is admitted that |
the budget system has fallen short |
Of expectation in many common |
wealths where Il has been in opera |
tiun. Inasmuch as all business ex-
perience proves the wisdom and ef-
hciency of the budget method Of
handling revenues and expenditures,
we must look elsewhere than to the
system itself for reasons of the dis
appointment.
"One of the large contributing
reasons is that common fallacy
which seems to be inherent in the
human race, the fallacy Of expecting
laws automatically to bring about
desired reforms. For one reason or
another, real or fancied, the public
becomes dissatisfied with existing
conditions. It proceeds TO organize
q movement which eliminates in
placing upon the statute books a law
establishing some new government
tai system or practice. For argu-
ments sake it may be admitted that
in the majority Of cases the new
legislation is generally commend
able. But having thus wiped out
the old and set up the new, the pub
lie loses interest, sits back and eX-
poets the innovation to bring about
u millennium in public affairs. II is
soon demonstrated. however, that
the human equation is and must al
ways be the largest and the domi-
mating factor in public government,
quite as surely as it is in private
business, and this is the factor which
the public overlooks in its perennial
efforts 20 reform government.
Neither laws nor systems operate
automatically. No system Of govern
ment can be efficient unless it is
directed by men who are efficient.
The early returns from the opera
ton Of State budget systems would
indicate that people have once more
fallen into the error Of looking 10
laws rather than to men to bring
about that efficiency and economy
which they desire. II i sa vain hope
Experience with the budget sys-
tenn proves two things are essential
to make the system workable. First
efficiency in public administration
must be an antecedent 10 the pre-
paration and the submission Of the
budget. Second, efficiency in public
administration must follow the pas
sage of the budget and must govern
it's expenditures. Efficiency is 9
much abused word. II is used loosely
to cover a multitude Of sins. / shall
attempt to define what | mean b!
efficiency in State administration b!
approaching the problem from a ne
gative standpoint. / will set f0rtl
what | believe TO be the underlying
reason for lack Of efficiency in Stat
administration. In other words, be
fore we prescribe we must diagnose
"Some years ago a wave Of re
form'-another popular and mucl
abused word-swept the country
This reform was directed at admin
istration of State affairs. The JUS
tice Of these popular movement
does not enter into this discussion
There may have been need for cor
rection of administrative evils an
irregularities. It is with the re
suits obtained that we are now con
cerned, for they have a very import
ant bearing upon the present pre-
blems of the budget system.
"Bv common consent the reforT
movement took the direction Of do
Capitalization Of administrative
authority and dissipation Of admir-
istrative responsibility. Instead q
correcting existent evils by holdin
those in executive authority to stri,
accountability, which is the only el
fective way of correcting admins
d 10 hafrurt fH Il
mand the creation Of all sorts {
commissions and bureaus whic
should take out Of the hands Of e.
listing administrative agencies tho'
functions which they hadAbeen pc
forming. Not only were commi
sions created for the purpose of tai
ing over duties heretofore assign'
70 and performed by administrative
agencies, but there was hardly
State in which there was NJ
brought into being by legislati'
action commissions which were NJ
only administrative but were endoN
cd with quasi-iudicial and quas
legislative powers. These commi
sions and bureaus were clothed WI
such authority as 10 make them a
solutely Independent Of all Sta
executive authority. So wide W
the sweep of reaction against Q
old form Of government that
many instances legislatures creatl
these commissions and clothing the
with vast powers, found later on,
their surprise and grief. that tn
had brought into being governme
tai agencies which defied even th'
creator. The result Of this mot
inent we have with us today in {
multiplicity of bureaus and CO.
missions, in the duplication and I
plication Of work and effort, in
o. multiplication Of expense, in
lack of coordination and co-opei
tion Of the administrative agenc
Of the State government.
Created originally as the res
Of a protest against existing adm
istrative agencies too many of tn
commissions took their cue from
condition Of public temper VIII
called them into being and set abb
fighting other State departme
and State officers rather than
operating with them. In too ma
cases this spirit still exists. All
this has worked toward disorgani
i. tion rather than organization.
has brought about disservice rat
than service in public affairs. IL
Ii prevented State unity and st
planning. Il is not putting IL
strongly that in some comm
80 A a..