The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1868-12-24
TERRITORIAL TREAsURERs REPORT

We have received, through courtesy OF Hon
/ C. G.. Dudley, member of the Council it"'"
| Boise county, copy of the First Biennial ne
MORT of the Territorial Treasurer, Mr.. T.. "
Sterling for the year 1867 and down to Dec
1st of this year. 1t is certainly Report Out
nothing more, because it gives neither approx
;,note nor actual exhibit of the condition OF the
Territorial finances There are several pages
of" statements" of figures in connection "i''
the several funds but after close examl"a'
t;on of the whole batch we find no stdteme"
which shows the real financial CONDITION vi 'no
Territory. The Report is bungled, botched'
imnerfect. and manifestly a made up docu-
ma,t We are aware of the fact that MI
Sterling is by no means skllltul, or correct
bookkeeper, nor is he competent puolic OH
COR. but We conjecture there Is something
deaner than mere Ignorance of keeping ac-
counts and of adjusting balances, III TINS matter
of his Report A man may be a cunning though
be be not an expert boOkkeepcr. We have
known instances in which dishonest men kept
Incorrect books, and on being asked to explain
their irregular method and false entries, they
could readily do so, provided the person 10
whom they were showing the books either did
not understand bookkeeping well enough 10
discover the fraud, or were too careless to give
attention TO the errors III this connection We
will soy that we see the Democrat protltrs AS
surance that Mr.. Sterling's books Will bear cN-
animation. Now, how does our contemporary
derive that knowledge Is it from Mr. STR
Hng's say so, II it is, We submit that We re-
member last winter to have read IN that paper
(when Mr.. Browne was rditor) that the nc-
counts of the Ada county Treasurer exactly
and evenly balanced. On asking Mr.. Browne
by what means he ascertalnrd The tact, Ia H.
formed us that he had taken bri"t LOOK nj the
totals. and saw that the two sets "t hg"rrs
agreed to cent We asked him II hc had
gone over Tie two dillcren: columns ot hsurrs
10 prove their separate and joint correctness.
He said he had not-that he saw the two
took ii for granted that 40 man would write
down a given amount ia figures as i t"ial M
less the column when added would prove the
sum and justify the written figures. Has the
present editor been imposed upon III tAls mat
ter Of the Territorial Treasures books IN =
way 81 milar or nearly IL that in which lis
predecessor was bambooz!rd II the instance
We have ju>. related
We hope the Legislature Will iGst..u;" 4
thorough examination ct the Territorial iuau-
ca conditioned the books of the C"nptro,-
Ter as well as Of the Treasurer To this end
not only Committees of that body viii be- Re-
quirrd, out also the services of horc,i. comrr-
tent. Shillful bouhkccpcrs. who shall g. over al
the books, AMI no, culp down. w.thnu: qucs-
ton. or further Investigation. ar III" prnduc-
ton o: abs"lu;, vouchers or proofs. cgcry ~
plaaation at difficult, or tangled or confused,
or mystIhcd points. which II" Treasurer or
Comptroller would seek 70 impress upon ;Aclm.
Let there BE- rigid. faithful. scru:m.z.9c H.
vestigaton of the TrraSurrrs books. 1t nil
events. The extraordinary document which
has emanatrd from that iunctionary. aud .,
dgnlfrd with the name Of First Biennial Rc.
port" is ground sufficient to warrant the as
sertlon that a very thorough "ycrhaul.us Of
that office is not only required bat is i,nprra.
lively necessary. The citizens OF Idaho wish
to have Report made from which they can
gather fair information Of the manner in which
the Territorial monetary affairs are conducted.
and of the approximate or actual condition OF
the funds. Mr.. St"rIing's Reports have never
yet given this lutormaton