Evening star., 1922-04-10
The Budget-and Its Amendment.

the action of the House in inserting
! OOO, 900 for river and harbor improve
| ment The increase Of the original
item from s27.O0O.oOO to s42,0o0,o0o
does not sit well with the editors OF
the nation, if one may judge from
opinions reflected through their edi-
torial comment.
The opposition is in no way politi-
cal. 1t appears to originate chleny In
an outraged sense of failure properly
to test out the budget system before
amending it, as the Chicago Dally
News suggests. by dehclency appro.
priations, additions and the tricks
we'll known to experienced congress-
men" The ancient cry of pork
likewise is revived, with suggestions
that in the present age 1T should De
eliminated from congressional pro-
cedure.
Citizens must stand firm for the
budget SYSTEM continues the News.
and demand that 1t be upheld by
their congressman. Indifference on
the part Of tho public will speedily
work the ruin of this important SAFE
guard against profigate waste.
Still the moral is always the same
one" in the opinion of the Rochester.
IN. Y, Times-Union independently
which, after registering its protest
against any suggested emasculatlon
Of the budget bill. or the recommenda-
tions of its creator, Gen. Charles
Dawes. declares that firm leadership
is as indispensable to assure sound
financial method in the United States
government as it is to insure the sue.
or international" Following out this
suggestion the Philadelphia Bulletin
independent republican, considers
that discriminating furtherance OF
public works in a systematic manner
is one thing and wholesale grabbing
OF pork is quite another. To upset
the budget system and overrule the
program is a confession OF the para
mount weakness of the congressman,
seeking to make good with his con-
stituency." And the present is only the
first step in the opinion of the New
ark, n j.. News independently, which
believes that "as yet the Jovian
thunderbolts have not struck the ven
turesome Ajaces of the national legis-
lature. They are taking heart OF the
adage that. what man has done man
may do, and before they get through
are likely to have Director Dawes and
his estimates hanging out on the Inc
to dry after the food that results
from the break in the appropriation
dam"
AS a talking point for political
campaign the Ohio State Journal Gre
publican) believes the present budget
may be all right but it emphatically
registers it's belief that the document
carried items already too large. 1t is
convinced that Congress should con-
slider the obligations morally binding.
and regrets that "the old pork barrel
bill seems to involve more temptation
than three out of four members OF
the House are able to resist" And so
far as political effect is concerned. the
Lansing. Mich. State Journal dnde-
pointing out that with the federal
budget continuing to grow in popular
esteem the time will come when there
will arise a direct issue between the
plan of considered expenditures and
the piecemeal haphazard system in
vogue in the House" While the Jack
sonville, Fla. Metropolis (democratic)
suggests that this business of run
ming the government, by oy,Iai budget does
There comes the suggestion from
the Philadelphia Public Ledger
independently that Congress is in
stiff necked. cantankerous mood"
and hardly can be blamed for op-
posing the budget For how can a
he can get money to make Crooked
Creek, Skillet Fork or Mudcat Bayou
nayisable?' it asks. Which leads the
New York World (demooratic) to
characterize the acLlOH VI Iiic I1ou0o
as a challenge which the administra,-
tion cannot dodge without FORGETTING
all claims to the confidence OF the
business community" Or. as the
indianapolis News independently puts
it. "the responsibility Is with the
ma aiority party" which suggestion is
carried along by the Wilkesbarre. Pa,
Record in the declaration that If the
President were to throw out q hint
that he was strongly opposed to
lump appropriations for rivers and
harbors without specific apport1on-
ment. the hint would no doubt have
a sobering effect upon the congress
sional grabbera
Soundness and sanity are needed In
orr national financial legislation. In
the belief Of the Lincoln. Neb.. State
Journal independent republican,, but
n believes that the Senate and the
President must provide for 1t.
CLEARLY the national house" It con-
tinues, with an election pending, is
obviously incapable of it." Yet the
Decatur, ILL.,. Review Gndependent)
holds out little hope that there Will
he any change. declaring that Con-
eresa docs seem to get very liberal
With other peoples millions. While
the Chicago Post Independently 10
convinced from the Developments
that the country is badly in need of
a new insurgency in Congress"