The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-01-09
A State Financial AGENT

In his report for the current year,
State Auditor Williams recommends
the appointment by law of special
State Commissioner, who shall be
known as the Financial Agent of the
State, and imployed in examining
the conditions of the county treas.
uries, in explaining the revenue laws
Of the State to fnancial officers and
generally seeing that the revenues
are collected and returned as requir-
ed by Law.
Uuder the law, as it now stands,
the Auditor Of State can only insti-
tute an examination when authen-
tic information Of fraud, defalcation
etc, is reported at his Office. 1t was
under this law that Gen. Goldman
was appointed to enquire into the
conditions of the Butler and Fair
field treasures and the frauds prac-
ticed there we're fully exposed. But
this law is incomplete. It stops
where it ought to begin. The OBJ
ject should be not so much to de-
tect violation of law and the misap-
preparation Of public money as to
prevent it. A Financial Agent duly
authorized and empowered to go
from county to county at any time,
without previous notice Of his com
ing, and make critical examination
of county records, would operate as
wonderful stimulant to officers in
the matter of keeping correct ac-
counts. The Commissioner would
report his examinations to the State
Auditor, and whenever q truly Wor-
thy officer was found he would be so
reported, and the endorsement would
go far in recommending him to pub
lie confidence for re election, and op-
crate as a reward for faithful ser
vices. Those who might be dispos-
ed to do wrong would be iDtimidat-
ed by the liability of detection and
exposure, which would follow an ex-
animation.
Then again by the Ohio system of
biennial elections,an the large num-
Der of inexperienced officers which
come with it, a great deal of wrong
is done ignorantly and without cor
rect knowledge of the law. An Of
ficer ordinarily requires a year to
acquaint himself full with his officl-
al duties, and in that time he COM
mits many errors which are not will
.ful but may be grave in their con
sequences. A commissioner whose
business it would be to instruct him
in his duties and to interpret the law
would facilitate his usefulness as a
public servant, and relieve him of
the embarrassment of his new posi-
ton. He would also operate as a
protection to the people against ex-
orbitant fees, such, for example, as
the auditor of Butler County collect
ed in all his official dealings direct
ly with the people.
The government OF the United
States has Inspecting officers in all
it's departments and could not do
without them. But they are no more
necessary in the Custom House, In
ternal Revenue and Post Office de-
partments, than in the extensive and
immense financial system of Ohio,
where $25, 100000 are annually col
lected and disbursed, and this
amount is passed through hundreds
of inexperienced hands, not to say,
in some instances, dishonest ones.
The amount of money thus to the
Counties and to the State, and ihe
greater efficiency and reliability of
the officers in question, would more
than compensate for the salary of
a Commissioner and would greatly
facilitate work in the Office OF the
State Auditor.
We therefore respectfully call the
attention Of our State Senator's and
our Representatives to this subject
and ask for it the consideration it
merits.-AEr0R Beacon.