Evening star., 1924-01-21
The text CT the Presidents address

Members of the Government
Business Organizations:
Two and half years ago you
were called together by President
Harding to attend the first regu-
lar meeting OF the business or
ganization of the government. 1t
was new kind OF meeting. There
had never been one of such wide
scope before, nor one to discuss
i'll detail the text that was chosen
as it's keynote. The theme of that
meeting was economy and eff
cheney in conducting government
affairs. 1t was the first time in
the history OF this nation that the
Chief Executive personally out
lined and presented to a gather
ing of the officials of the bust
ness organization of the govern
ment an executive plan Ior the
unified conduct OF governmental
business and retrenchment in gov
ernmental expenditures consistent
with efficiency These meetings
have become q fixture in the eX-
ecutive branch of the government
This is the sixth OF these regular
meetings, and We are met here To-
day TO review what has been done
and to consider what ought to be
done.
No Deficit shown.
With what success the joint eff
forts of the Legislative and cNecu-
tive branches of the government
have been crowned is shown by its
present economic condition. This
is the first midyear meeting that
has been held when the estimated
income and expenditures did not
show the expectation Of Il large
deficit. The surplus for the pres
ent year promises to be We'll over
$500. .000,O 600. This has been accom-
plished by Il steady decrease Of
the cost Of government. For this
you and your associates are en-
titled to the praise and gratitude
OF the American people. You have
relieved them of an enormous bur-
den and inspired them With new
hope.
You have your appropriations
for the current fiscal year. At
the last meeting of the business
organization OF the government.
June is, 1923. you We're enjoined
your expenditure program so as
to live Wi hin your appropriat tions
and effec' some saving therefrom.
You were informed that for the
next fiscal year il was hoped to
bring the budget for the ordinary
running expenses OF the govern
ment, exclusive OF what will be
necessary for the interest and re-
duction Of our national debt and
for the post Office. which is eX-
pected to he self sustaining, to
$l.700, ,000,0 900. That has been
more than accomplished. 1t was
proposed 70 secure 4 reduction in
iNtO. afAS Of OF Loo
Sl26, 6,000,0 600 below the appropria-
tions for 1924. That plan has not
only been successful. but has been
surpassed by s55,000.000.
Calls Budget Success.
The budget has been a success
You have demonstrated that there
can be and is a business organ.-
cation of the government. With
the easing OF conditions, the time
IS at hand when We shall decide
whether a business administration
is tn continue or whether our
government is to lapse into the
old UnhuSinesslike and Wasteful
eXtravag gance. As for me. am
for economy. There is scarcely an
economic i'll anywhere in our
country that cannot be traced di-
reCtly or indirectly to high taxes.
To increase that burden is to dis
regard the general welfare.
Through constructive economy to
decrease taxes is to enlarge the
reward of every one who tolls.
| say TO you frankly that, ex-
cept whore specifically authorized
by law, | VIII not countenance the
incurring of obligations in excess
OF these appropriations. am
equally frank in saying to you
that | do not look with favor
upon the practice OF asking for
additional funds for the year in
progress. These latter requests.
commonly known as supplemental
estimates, may be justified occa-
Sionally to meet real emergencies
or contingencies arising after the
budget has been sent to Congress
or to meet obligations authorized
hY law. It is only in cases such
as these that the Chief Executive
Will favorably consider the trans
mission to Congress of supple
mental estimates.
Servants of the People.
We are all the servants of the
people OF this nation. When Con-
greSS, representing the people, has
appropriated the funds with which
to carry on the business of gov
ernment we must confine our oper-
ations within the limit of these
funds. We have neither the au-
thority nor the right to incur OBJ
legations beyond such limits. On
the other hand, our plain duty is
to make every possible effort to
effect some savings from these
funds. This public trust which l
hold and which you hold is a Sa-
cred trust. It's fulfillment as such
should and must be our only con-
slderation and duty. The budget
reflects financial program which
- impersonai, impartial and nom
political. This same policy should
govern you in your expenditure
program. I realize that pressure
may be brought to bear to make
provision for this or that project
from YOUR available funds. It is
sometimes difficult under these
conditions to give the matter i'm
partial consideration. But | urge
upon all OF you to view your re-
auirements in the sole light of
their necessity from a standpoint
of the interests of the whole gov
ernment
take this occasion to state that
nave given much thought to the
question Of federal subsidies to
state governments. The federal
appropriations for such subsidies
cover wide field. They afford
ample precedent for unlimited ex-
pansion. ] say to you, however.
that, the financial program of the
thlef Executive does not contem-
plate expansion of these subsidies.
My policy in this matter is not
predlcated alone on the drain
which these subsidies make on the
national Treasury. This of itself
is sufficient cause for concern.
But / am fearful that this broad
ening of the field of government
activities is detrimental both to
the federal government and the
state governments. Efficiency of
federal operations is impaired as
their scope is unduly enlarged.
Eficiency of the state governments
is impaired as they relinquish and
turn over to the federal govern
ment responsibilities which are
rightfully theirs.
Real Accomplishment shown.
These last two and one-haIf
years have been years of real ac-
complishment. Diminished reye
nues have been more than coun-
terbalanced by reduction in ex-