THE NEW BUDGET

The Republican party has long enjoyed the reputation of being a better business organization than the Democratic, and its supporters will and in the new budget bill much to praise. It is, of course, a long-looked for reform in government administration,, and the arguments in favor of it are familiar to everyone. No business organization would attempt to get along without a budget, and in many cases a large company will have individual budgets for its various departments. The government is the greatest business organization in the country, and it is almost humorous to think that in this land of highly developed business methods it has been for so long without a budget system. It is expected that this innovation will do away with much of the waste now seen in the administration of the government.

At present the bill has not become a law, but reports from Washington indicate that the Senate and the House will soon reach an agreement on the minor differences that are keeping the bill from the President. One of the most noteworthy provisions is the regulation made concerning the power of removal of the Controller General, who will be the chief accounting officer under the Law system; the House has made the provision that this officer shall hold his position while in good behaviour, and may be removed by Congress without the approval of the President, but the Senate allows for the President's opinion. Although both House and Senate appear to be trying to keep this office out of polities, the Representatives seem the more determined in their efforts. At any rate, it is an excellent sign when these legislative bodies attempt to make the man more important than the office, and efficiency more important than politics. Much credit is due Representative Good, who has been leading the fight in the House, and who says: "The kind of men the President wants are those who have been making a study of State Budgets and off national expenditures--not men who have been able to control a ward or a country or a State politically, but men who are students of economics."