Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1837-04-22
STATE OF TUE FINANCES Of OHIO.
A SNAEL..

I STATE OF THE FINANCES Of OHIO.
! A sNAEL.
| Wehave received from Mr.. James,a copy q
an elaborate & practical report on the cond
|tion of the finances Of the State, made b,
him as a member Of the financial committee
in the Senate. Tho report is statistical IN IT
character, exhibiting dates and amounts in de
! tail, and comparing statements made by on
branch of disbursing officers, with those o
another, showing in the most instances re
markable and to us inexplicable differences
The whole condition OF the finances appear:
to he a snarl which no one can unravel-a
oordian knot which cannot be united, an0
must be cut.
Whether the system Of keeping accounts
lin the Auditors department is essentially
defective. or whether there is rottenness or
want Of ca pacity in our disbursing ascnts,we
from our limited knowledge of the subject.
cannot saw; but it appears from the report,
that up TO the close Of the year 1892, the
charges and credits were nearly alike. A.
bout that time a faithful officer was removed
to make room for politician by trade, who
had lust come to the State; who had no ex-
per;ence in our Einc:es; and who, it is said.
wants the application and business habits ne
cessarv to the chief and financial officer.
The report desents from the Audi,orin the O.
p;nion EXPRESSED in his late annual report,t that
.sthe finances Of the State still remain in a
PROSPEROUS condition. and shows the expen-
ditures from the Treasury for State Purpo-
ses, have it four years exceeded the actual
revenue 52,867 doilars;-that the charges on
the canal debt, have in the same time excee-
ded the whole amount of canal tolls and ca
nal taxes 1884, $50 dollars; and that the sink.
ing fund, which should be $4,000 dollars.
does not exist! Tho report discloses the
nnwelcome intelligence that in order to
supply the DEFICIENCIES which appear to ex.
st in the general and canal revenues, an IN
crease Of taxes will be necessary; and after
Exhibiting in figures many differences which
;ppe ar between the statements OF the Audi
or and other functionaries, 1t concludes with
he following paragraph:
..Thus. bv going back to the day when
heir reports nearly agreed as to the amounts
n a period of four years the Fund Commits
ioners report receipt Of $77,713,25 cents,
more than the auditor has reported them TO-
,e charged with. The committee have not
attempted, by an examination Of books and
,apers to ascertain which class of reporters
5 most correct, for their other duties preclu- /
ed this; but they exhibited these details
rom the public documents to show how des-
I this time, and how incapable Of proper SUI
ervision under the present system. Such
eports confuse and obscure as much as they
nliyhten. and until some new system be adj |.
pied, calculated to ensure n rigid accounta-
I!ity. the public can never rest assured that
ne moneys Of the State are faithfully appli- 7
d, or that the reported and actual condition
the finances accord with one another.
The matter presented in this report, TO
,hich we have briefly alluded, show the ne
essity of special and thorough investiga-
the condition of the public money, by the
Of the people. Mr.. James
eservcs the thanks of his constituents, and /.
the people at large, for the mastery man.
er in which he has taken hold Of this sub
ct. He is the right sort of a man-both
ON his undoubted integrity and extensive
1ancial knowledge-to ferret out specula-
On and to rebuke corruption. Il
llent anecdo,e:
country man from the northern part Of the =
ate, once called upon Gov. Wentworth At Ports
Du,h, and begged his acceptance Of q saddle of
uison. The Governor loved venison, and smiled
%, graciously upon Jonathan as he accepted The
esen, and thanked him for % acceptable mark Il
his respect. But the man hemned, and scratch I,
his head, and was in no hurry to depart. The =
rand was but half done. His ExcelIency in "
ired Of him, IL he could in any way be Of ser :.
:e 10 aim, when Jonathan iaf;rmed him that there
Is no ensign in the military company at - .
d ne would be dreadfully obliged to his Govern
ship fora commission. The Governar would be !.
~ happy to oblige him, il he had the proper re-
and asked il the company had :
,cted hi,n for their Ensgn, OF sent any evidence
the wish for their appnintmenl' "Wby, no. !.
y it please your Excellencys Honor" sa,d JON :
san, s.therU are only two other men in town bat
self, snd one Of tbe@ - Captain, and the other
Lieutenant, and they exercise me and nance n
me 20 much that I am really afeard If I'm DOT
de an ensign pretty soon, they II dsiu me toI :,
lth." II
Louis Philippe King of the French, % said to bel
|, riches; man "a the world His income IS es,i-l