Show DAILY DAft Y HASKIN LETTER SPENDING UNCLE SAMS SAM'S MONEY III Estimating lIt Estimating Expenditures By FREDERIC J J. J HASKIN James A. A Gart ld who as chairman o of the committee on appropriation of the th house of ot representatives did much to systematize th the 9 money momy supply processes of congress once said Id that If tho the rt republic and nil all Its It records were wen utterly destroyed cd I Ie e except for tor for the th th hook book of ot estimates tc the of the tho future futuro could ascertain there thoro- from nil all tho essential o facts regarding r American J n civilization ci tho the of ot the and nd sciences and tho the character ch ra t r of o government 0 The Tho book of or estimates I la le lenow now no a bUlk bulky volume of or moro more th h SOO pages In which tho s secretary of or tho treasury treas u treasury ur ury submits submit to conS congress s at tho the beginning of each regular cession estimates of or tho the expenditure necessary BaT for th the maintenance maintenance nance n- n ance of or the tho government during the next fiscal year Before the of or October tho the heads of other departments submit to the secretary secretary secre secre- hiT tary of or the treasury treasury a tt statement of the expenditure which they the deem necessary ry for tho the discharge o of or their obligations and tho the proper roper functions of or tho the branches of or public public service within their juri Jurisdiction In parallel columns the estimates are compared com corn pared with tho the appropriations for the current current current cur cur- rent re-nt 11 fiscal caI year Any changes chances In verbiage of or the the- law Jaw are Indicated by Italic and omission IL are bracketed Thus It ma may be seen n at a glance whether an any Increase e of expenses is contemplated and and the reason for tor such Increases arc arc explained In n copious copious copi copl ous notes note For Instance under the hC heading bureau of ot corporations of or commerce commerce com- com merce merco Ui Is asked for tor salaries and expenses In ht 1015 1016 l IG as against a In ip 1 1014 H A noto note says pays that the tho Increase Is due to tho plan projected for additional work In ascertaining the facts regarding stock and bond hond Issues whether r they are wa watered etc 1 holding cos companies anies Interlocking Interlocking Inter Inter- lockin locking directorates tP Investigation In atlon of or tho the alleged alleged economy and and efficiency efficiency of ot trusts and inquiry Into conflicting state elate corporation corporation corporation corpora corpora- tion laws Secretary Cannot Revise Estimates The secretary of the treasury has no authority to revise the estimates submitted submit submit- ted b by his colleagues When ho he receives them ho Is to estimate e as nearly as possible the revenues for the ensuing fiscal year rear car and If It their total does not equal ual that of or the estimated appropriations pria he Is obliged to submit a n detailed statement of or all tho the estimates to tho the president This Is to enable the president to recommend to congress ho how the estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated appropriations can best be ho reduced or If It this Is Impracticable without Injury to the public service what new loans loan or taxes should be Imposed to cover the deficiency de de- The estimates are arc prepared b by the division of ot bookkeeping and warrants of or which Dr Charles Charl 1 II IL Miller is the tho chief Upon him devolves ell the Intricate detail of or this thIP highly important work ork and his word ord Is III accepted b by the secretary of or the treasury as s to the tho probable stage of or the revenues for tor the tho fiscal year Mr of 1915 1916 which will not be begin ln until July Juh I 1 1 1914 This task tuk Is difficult enough wh when n the revenue laws have not been to change for several years ears With a a. fixed tariff Dr Mil Mu- Miller ler reaches his conclusions b by of observation a se tion of or the probable condition of world trade and domestic Industry From the tho Internal revenue division dl he gains Jn details as to the prospective state of or the tho production production production pro pro- of ot spirits liquors and other taxable taxable tax tax- able beverages beverage cigars cl ar cigarettes and playing cards and from all the tho other departments de de- departments of or the government which collect collect col col- col- col lect up upwards ards of from a a wide variety varlet of sources he gathers vital in information information In- In formation as to the future promise of these receipts Consider Tariff and Income Tax But when n in November last Dr Miller set about p preparation of nr the estimates estimate ho e ehart hud hart to consider A new tariff that too took effect on October 3 3 except as 88 to sugar and wool and a new Income tax tax- For months before congress congre s began n In April Apr 1 to revise the Payne Aldrich Payne Aldrich tariff Importers Im nt port porters n had been purchasing only small stocks awaiting the establishment of or the time lower ower duties v Vast vt t quantities of foreign merchandise were vero shipped to the Un United Cd d States but instead of being entered w were re stored In bonded warehouses s to await the proclamation of or the new law when lower rates would be In effect all nil along along- the th line IIno But since the In law was vas 3 slowly revised lar large arge e amounts of these goods had to he bo entered at nt the Payne i l rates to replenish depleted ted stocks and therefore the tho revenues re for th the current year ear were rather higher than If It the Underwood- Underwood Simmons hill bill hail had become law In July or August The Tho new rates had b been en In ef effect effect ef- ef about six weeks when hen Dr Miller handed landed to Secretary McAdoo his final estimates of or revenue for the fiscal year of or 1915 1916 as follows Customs as compared with Ith In 1913 ordinary Internal revenue Income tax on corporations corporations cor core Income tax on In- In sales of ot public lands anda OO ml total The ordinary expenditures estimated e for t 1915 1916 16 therefore were only iO for tor as al hitherto explained the postal expenses ex- ex pentes are payable parable from tho the postal rove reve nuel This left lert nn an estimated d excess ss of or of or receipts over oyer expenditures just enough to supply the which It Is estimated the Panama canal will cost ost In 1915 but which Is not usually because bo- bo charged against the general fund fund- cause c congress authorized the Issuance of or bonds for tor tho the great T at isthmian enterprise Counting in tho the estimated for the po postal service tho tiro of ot the sinking fund and the 2636 85 Panama Panama Pan Pan- ama canal canol bill the tho grand total of ot estimated estimated esti esti- mated appropriations APpropriation for tor 1315 1915 is 1108 about about ten millions more than the preceding year car This showing showing created no n necessity for tor compliance with the tho law requiring a formal report to the tho president when h n th the expenditures threaten t-n t to exceed receipts but n nevertheless the president gave Hose close attention to tho the estimates and extra- extra l legally their consideration b by the tho cabinet cabi not net in le ono one of ot tho the mo most t. t important duties of the year President Taft raft endeavored to reform the methods of or public expenditure appointing apt ap ap- ap- ap t pointing for that thA t purpose an economy and efficiency commission w which has ceased I to exist det through congress congress' Ii refusal to continue con con- I its appropriation Estimates of or tho the prospective revenue Tc are ar prepared Ion long Ions In a advance vance of ot that formally transmitted to congress s 's by the tho I secretary of the tho treasury Considering th the fixed char charges 3 against ln t. t their depart depart- ments the tUo various members of the t net decide what policies can be he ur urged cd upon congress s without incurs incur much Mich hen heavy increases aa as to threaten deficit j These are placed before the who thus gets a c definite Idea of ut 1 p pr able demand demant on the public purse puree C i tale tain estimates are UI reduced rf t and c CUI ceri i projects H b or postponed i ithe U uthe th the matter prepared for the book ot of has reached the tho form in tn w NIthe wi NI the tho administration is willing It sh hc go 0 to congress con and thus thul bo be open opened d to eyes of the tho nit nation |