The diamond drill., 1922-02-24
cssynsss. wssssra ksv's.sss u.'s. I
xxvI.
EASY COME, EASY GO
By EDWARD G. LOWRY

about one-quarter OF what they arr
how. he became exercised and con-
cerned about the hIggledy-pIggIedy. un-
scientific. disorderly. grab-bag methods
by which your money was expended
for public purposes. He raid then
what Is equally true now. that the
activities OF the national government
'are almost as varied as those OF the
entire business world. The operations
Of the government affect the interest
OF every person living within the
jurisdiction OF the United States. It's
organization embraces stations and
centers OF work located In every city
and In many local subdivisions or the
country.
"rhis vast organization has never
been studied In detail as one piece
of administrative mechanism. Never
have the foundations been laid for n
thorough consideration OF the relations
OF all Its parts. No comprehensive ef-
fort has been made to list Its multi
farious activities or TO group them
in such a way IA to present clear
picture OF what the government ia
doing Never has complete descrfp-
tion been given of the agencies through
which these activities are performed.
AT no time has the attempt been
made 10 study all OF these activities
and agencies with view TO the AS.
slgnment Of each activity TO the,
agency best fitted for its performance,
10 the avoidance OF duplication OF
plant and work. TO the integration or
all administrative agencies OF the
government, SO far as may be.
practicable. into unified organization.
for the most effective and economical
dispatch OF public business"
This extraordinary and lndefensible
situation, which exists today as fully
and completely as II did when Mr.
Taft portrayed II seven years ago.
came about quite naturally and simply
through our tolerance and slackness.
For years and years the government
lived and grew and extended Its sc-
tivifies on Santa Claus money. Its In
come came as easily as money In
letter. For years and years the
national income was greater than the
expenses. Every year there was
surplus.
The government was precisely In the
position OF the Rockefellers and the
Carnegles and the Rothschilds. Its
problem was not how 10 get money
enough 10 live on, hut how 20 spend
It's income. II naturally got In the
way OF throwing some of II To the
birds. II lived like a remittance man.
You may remember that back In the
time OF the first Cleveland administra-
tlon one OF the problems of public
discussion was: "What shall be done
with the surplus1" Then there was a
Grange OF administration and Corporal
Tanner was made commissioners or
pensions. The whole country was
amused and had hearty laugh when
he announced his policy; God help
the surplusl" Them was the halcyon
daysi
Mr.. Gilbert, the present undersecre-
tary OF the treasury, In an address
said:
"The estimates for the year 1920
show that over n billion dollars OF ex-
penditures were authorized by the last
session OF congress In addition 10 the
amount shown In the usual compiled
statements OF appropriations. In fact.
the practice has reached such proper
lions as 10 be almost nationnf
scandal, and II was vigorously de-
nounced In the Presidents last annual
message.
"It has become the first principle
~ strategy on the part of people In
tcrested In appropriations FOR various
special purposes TO frame the matter
So as 20 authorize the use OF the
public funds indirectly. or In Indefinite
terms. or by authorization for ex-
pcnditure Of unexpended balances. per
hans appropriated originally for other
rrrnnses. or by authorizations 10.
divert government receipts before they
ever reach the treasury. Efforts are.
nude 10 find general words which do,
nui speak IN terms of appropriations
and cannot be readily calculated
"rhe last session OF the present
congress. for example, authorized adj
ditional expenditures out OF balances
~ prior appropriations and from re
ccipts 10 the amount of over $500 000.-
600. including over s40o 900 for the
shipping board. The present se~.
sion of congress by similar procedure
takes credit for refusing appropria
tions for the shipping board. but. ut
fhe same time. purposes TO authorize
the expenditure of receipts In amounts
that may reach as high as S200ono
600. BY the indefinite approprIa ~
for the railroad guaranty about sr-o-
OO0!Oo0 was In effect appropriated
withou, appearing In any Of the state
ments OF appropriations
You see how II goes.