Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-11-18
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY IoRyIyG, nov. is, 1871.
Official Corruption.


The Seattle MtcN;gencer in commenting
upon the svindliug bills allowed by the
RI late Territorial Auditor against the Trea-
surs, seems disposed to shield the Judges
3 Of the District Courts for their part in the
disreputable business. 1t says:
"Nany items in that account, no doubt,
were e1travagant nd should not have been al
lowed by the Auditor, whose business it was
to examine them rs to correctness, instead of
the District Judge. The certificate of the
Judge is appended to such accounts simply as
evidence of the facts that the person present.
ing the account performed the service, and
that in the opinion Of the Judge such person
has just and legal claim against the Territory,
thus leaving t, the Auditor the duty, imposed
upon him by law, OF determining the proper
amount which should be allowed and paid in
all cases. Hence Judge Jacobs, as doubtless
the other Judges referred to have done, before
giving his certificate in the case, only satisfied
himself that the service had been performed,
and of the legal nature of the claim. That has
been the general practice, in consequence Of
there being Territorial Auditor, whose duty
it was and is to examine minutely into the cor
rectness of all claims or accounts presented
against the Territory. II our Judges, however,
are to become Auditors for the Territory, in
their several districts, it would be better If the
matter were more distinctly understood"
Wesgrec with our contemporary that the
certificate Of ohc Judge should not have
been considered authoritative, except as
.attesting the legality Of a claim, showing
that such compensation was contemplated
by the law, and that provision had been
made for its payment. The certificate of
the Carson bill goes further than this. 1t
declares the charges to be not only "legal,"
but "correct and just" and therein we
hold the Judge is liable to severe censure.
But it does not justify the Auditor in aud
iting bill he knows to be swindle. 1t
i the most sacred duty of officers charged
with the disbursement of money to guard
the Treasury against all fraudulent claims
upon it, no matter how we'll clothed in
legal form they may come, and the COM
muuity would gladly sustain an officer who
possessed the decision and moral courage
to close the door against such dishonest
transactions A case in point occurred
several years ago when s. b. Fargo pre-.
scented . bill Of 81 900 for bringing q
single prisoner from Walla Walla to the
Peniteutiary, certified by the Judge of the
First Judicial District to be illegal, cor.
rect and just" The Auditor rejected
the bill as swindle, aud the Judge fthe
Second District was induced by Fargo te
intsroede with the Auditor for the allow.
ance Of the bill in full, without effect
While the Judge possessed the authority
70 compel the auditing Of the claim, he
refused to exercise that power in legal form
manifesting that his counsel was Influenced
BY . desire to promote the claimants inter.
ests. and mot to secure him in legal ex
setiou Of his just dues.
If Judge Jacobs intended to audit and
spprove the items Of Mr.. Carsou's bill, he
i 8 censurable as the man who attempted
70 Perpetrats the sxiudle; if he did not dc
this. lor i be did, It vas the duty of the
Auditor to asdn the bill, and guard the
Treasury against N unreasonable allow.
ancs, and the Judge should not have
placed himself in . position for the Audi.
tor 70 dodge behind his coat-tails, and
whine, 81 didn't do it." OF course no
Republican would believe for an instant
that Auditor Sparks was Influenced by par.
TALLY, or favoritism but that he unfortu
natsly entertained an erroneous view of his
duty! This i charitable, to say the least
end Ne ask Why they should place 10 Of.
fsss mao Who every body knew vas re.
moved from the Office of United States
Assessor for incompetency, as they lately
have one Who was removed from position
ppdsf the Government for dsfaloation?
The hst i the times are sadly out Of
joaqk Pebble sentiment has been corrupted
byths disposition Of those in power to
plasdsf md rob the people, and the Re.
pullicas party easdidly cknowledges the
sifsaiies bst makes No effort to check the