The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-30
Problems of the Budget
Congress May Savings Instituted by Director of
Budget to Keep Down Expenses

tered when nations; are concerned.
For a mans expenses to exceed his in.
come means he must run in debt ana
borrow, paying interest. For govern
ment to spend more than its income
means the same thing. There is not the
element of personal misery which
Micawber speaks of, but there is sub
stantial national embarrassment which
may result in personal misery for
many of the unthrifty nations indi-
viduals.
Practically the sole trouble with
European nations which now are hav
ing such grave financial difficulties
is that they went on a war spree AMI
spent vastly more than their income.
That is the case with Germany, with
France, with Italy, with Poland and,
in lesser degree, with England. They
spent more than their incomes and
now the must borrow. Their curren,
cies have deprecated because they
have not kept their budgets balanced.
This has rsulted in loss of trade and
and in ruinous prices for the necessi-
ties of life. They represent instances
in which the unthrifty policy against
which Micawber unttered his warnings
have cause personal misery to thous-
ands.
There is something to be said on the
other side of the case. Many of the
separate bills to be introduced will be
worthy; in fact most of them will and
great difficulty will be experienced
in defeating them.
Assume that the department of agri-
culture has sent in budget which ex-
! ceeds what can be allowed if ex-
| penditures are to stay within income
! The budget bureau lops off a few mill
! ions. Among the items cut off, let us
| assume there is an item of $4,000 for
! the continuance of an agricultural
experiment station. At this station
| the department scientists are working
out series of experiments relating
to the cotton boil weevil. Five year:
are required to carry the work to a con.
clusion. The completed work may re
veal scientific facts worth millions tc
the cotton growing industry. The work
has been going on three years. If il
stopped now through lack of appropria
ton, all that three years work il
lost for the experiments must be> con
tinuous and there is a possible poten
IAetl iOoo VI NdSlly ludu Iu6 WOIh
will cost. Yet the figures show plainly
that there is not enough money to e.
around. The work must stop.
There are instances in which sub
stantial losses have been sustained
by the government in this manner
Government work is in process ant
specially made, expensive tools hav,
been purchased and special building
erected The budget cuts off the mex
years appropriation. There is no
even enough money appropriated t,
pay for storing the tools and instru
ments and maintaining watchmen a
, the buildings. Tools and instrument
are lost or stolen and buildings fal
into disrepair. Persons familiar witt
the government know of these case
and therefore have some sympath
with the extra appropriation bill
= which de evade the budget.
This is just one of the problem
which the men who run the govern
l. ment have to face. How they will fac
!. the crisis of the budget this winte
will be a matter of interest to ever
: citizen and taxpayer.