The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-03-08

fss DsrIclr in the State Treasury is
ssmmooed up a. follows BY the expert
employed BY the Board of Examiners,
Mr.. Henry B. Bostwiek:
From the special school land money
deposits SCI, 22s 80.
From the sale of revenue stamps,
$2o.sls 6.
From moneys called in from County
Treasurers in advance Of regular periods
of payment, S2s,lls IS.
These items make an aggregate sum
Of $l06, l6l 81 aud tina, is the amount
Of the deficiency. These moneys were
exclusively within the custody Of the
Treasurer and their sum or their dis
position were without the official knowl-
edge of the Controller and Board of Ex-
amipers. We quote as follows from Mr..
Bostvick's report:
These items make up the amount of $780,
l6l ST. one hundred and six thousand one
hundred and sixty-one dollars and fifty-seven
cents, nearly the entire amount Of the deficit
of the late State Treasurer accounts; and
possibly the immunity from immediate and
effective supervision, in these respects, may
have led to the first tampering with the public
funds, which ultimately eliminated in the
present regretable state Of affairs. There lay
= large sum of money idle in the hands ofthe
financial officer of the State, and it was likely
teal check upon it. 1t is placing temptation
IN the way Of q public servant. 1t seems to
me like holding out premium for malver-
sation.
The delinQuent does not mean to be unfaith-
fol to his financial trust. The money is ly-
ina in his possession unused. He palters
With his integrity and quiets his conscience
by using il asN temporary loan to be repaid
long before the money will be required of him;
disastrous results ensue ruin Of personal
honor, and large and serious loss to the
Commonwealth.
Had there existed State Auditor, whose
duty it would be to make himself acquainted,
and keep himself Thoroughly eonversant, from
day to day, with all the financial transactions
of the Treasury, and thus make himself com
petens to furnish at any moment, an intelii-
rent and reliable statement of all the trans
sections Of the Treasury, such a state of things
~ At present exists in that branch OF the pub.
lie service could not have come about; by
comparatively small expenditure. in creating
and maintaining an Auditors department,
q constant and Efficient review ofthe finances
would be secured and any loss to the public
such as that under consideration, would in all
human probability be prevented.
The present supervisory machinery IS de-
feetive, and does not meet the ends for which
it was designed. in that moneys are constant
" passing into the hands Of the Treasurer for
mouths, without the knowledge of the Con-
troller. The Controller was designed and is
popularity supposed to be complete check
upon all the transactions of the Treasurer's
Department, but from the fact just stated, he
Is not 80 and, BY reason ofthis radical defect
the Board of Examiners in their inquiries
into the administration of the public finances
from time to time, are hampered in their ac-
ton, being Obliged to go outside Of the Con-
trollers Office, and to other sources of infor-
nation not placed at their disposal BY the
statutes, ifthey would arrive at satisfactory
knowledge Of the condition Of the Treasury.
and to devote to this search, time which should
be given to their other official duties, to an
extent mot possibly contemplated BY the Act
creating and defining their duties.
Thus it is shown that under the pres
cot existing laws the Treasurer is the
unRuarded custodian of an immense ag.
eregate of funds, of the amount Of
which and the employment of which
no one but himself has any authorized
means Of knowing. These very loose
laws certainly need amending; for as
they now exist the Controllers Office is
n " check" upon the Treasury only in
n very limited extent while the much
vaun,ed powers of the Board of State
Examiners are cou6ued to the inquisition
Of vouchers and the counting of snch
sums of coin and greenbacks as may be
20 hand in the Treasury FROM month to
mouth.
Nevada can lily afford to lose this
large sum of money yet We cannot re-
press q doubt tina, it will be a total loss,
i,asmuch As what is gone was not
within the State Treasury proper;
Tor the State Treasury is well known TO
be guarded by the Controllers Office
md watched from month TO mouth by
The Board of Examiners. These doubts
Suggest the apprehension that the
rreasurer's Bondsmen may escape the
Of their bonds. If they are
compelled 20 make good the deficit, one
IF the first instances of the kind will
have to be recorded.