Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-20
Mr.. PINcHoT'S CITIZENS com.
MlT1CE
BY GEORGE non MCCAIN

CLIFFORD PINCHOT'S Citizens Com.
~ mittee to study the income, expenditures
and appropriations of the Commonwealth,
which holds its initial meeting in this city
today, will inaugurate new era in the
fiscal affairs of the State. And new era is
not only due. but is absolutely essential to
the honest and economical administration of
our finances.
The practically limitess liberality Of past
Legislatures, particularly the last one, and
the unsavory revelations concerning affairs
In the former State Trcasurer's and Audi.
tor Generals Offices have left no doubt in
the mind Of every honest citizen that the
time for new and up-to date system In the
States fiscal management is at hand.
The selection by Mr.. Pinchot Of com.
mttee of leading citizens. under the chair.
manship of DR.. Clyde l.. King, Of the Uni.
versity of Pennsylvania, nationally known
as publicist, has been the most far sighted
movement ever inauguratcd by any candi.
date for Governor.
Granted that 1t is unofficial, that it is
without express sanction of Legislature or
direction of law, yet its membership carries
no salary or emolument Of any kind. It
will ask for no appropriation. For these
reasons it will command the support Of that
great body Of citizens who believe that
economy is inseparable from clean politics.
a briefer and more appropriate designa.
ton for 1t would be the Budget Commits.
sion, for. after all, all of its recommenda-
tions will be in that direction.
1t must have an intelligent appreciation.
an understanding of the detail work, of
every department on Capitol Hill. An i'm.
partial and searching inquiry into the
methods that have prevailed for years must
11,. ol.r
that present financial methods at Harris
burg are antiquatcd. obsolete inefficient and
extravagant.
The State is burdened with MULTIPLICITY
of commissions. They are not only ex.
pensive. but unnecessary, They were
created to supply jobs for political parti.
sans. They should be abolished. Their ac.
tivities should be centralized In depart.
ments already in existence. What is true
in this respect is true of other bureaus and
dircctorates.
Every Chief Executive in the history of
Pennsylvania, no matter what his preyious
experience with financial affairs in Senate
or House has been compelled to undergo
sort Of training which only reached n
point of efficiency about the time he was
preparing to retire from Office
Clifford Pinchots experience of affairs nj
" hNu III IhtItT years at Harris.
burg, his knowledge born Of intimate con.
tact with the inside of things, particularly
financial economy in administration, in.
spired the appointment by him Of the com.
mittee which meets here today.
IL the publc-spirited men and women
who compose II perform their duties earn
estly, impartially and intellgently, with n
comprehensive report of their findings and
recommendations, Clifford Pinchot will have
been educated for his job of Governor instead
of being educated by it, He will be in nos.
session OF facts and recommendations that
could not possibly be acquired within n
year after tho time OF his inauguration a.
Governor.
He will, or should have in the findings
OF this committee an asset never possessed
by any one of his predecessors.
Its importance, therefore, cannot he I'm :.
dervalued, either in it's relationship to tho
incoming Governor or the benefits which will
accrue to the taxpayer from its activities