New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-19
A TREASURY BALANCE SHEET.
WHAT SENATOR DAvIs's EXPERTS HAVE FOUND A
PROBABLE REPORT THAT NO WRONG HAS BEEN

WHAT SENATOR DAYIs's EXPERTS HAVE FOUND "A
PROBABLE REPORT THAT NO WRONG HAS BEEN
COMMITTED
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUEE.l
WASHINGTON Aug 1s.-It has often been asserted
in Congress and by newspapers that a correct bal"
sheet, showing the exact condition OF the imam
cIal affairs of the Treasury Department had never
been and could not be made. This assertion, taken
in connection with the rumors which have gained
currency at different times of discrepancies amount
ing to hundreds of millions of dollars has given rise
to belief in many quarters that immense roDDer-
les Of the Government funds have taken place IN past
years. and been covered up by system OF
false entries which, owing to the immensely Oh the
transactions in the department and the complicated
system of accounts maintained have never been
brought to light.
When Mr. Glover began his Investigations into
these rumors, he sent into the Treasury men VINO
hardly knew the difference between journal ana
ledger These experts have been at work for long
time but 1t is probable that the great things when
are sad to be fully set forth in the mass of unpub-
lished testimony taken by his committee will never
come to light In fact the abest of the Glover eE-
perts. one who spert the greater part of his official
life in the file-room of the Treasury
was told when near the end of his
labors. by the clerk who was detailed to
assist him. that he dare not publish the result OF ms
Investigations for the developments were all iound
to bear heavily against his Democratic friends.
Full explanations of particular discrepancies"
have repeatedly been made TO committees OF the
Senate, showing that they were only apparent ana
arose from changes suggested by experience Ill the
system of accounts. Other Senators have been sat
isted but Mr. Davis, OF West Virginia, could not be
convinced Unlike Mr.. Glover, when he secured
committee of investigation, he selected as experts
two gentlemen who were practical accountants ana
possessed Of abundant common sense, as they have
shown by their methods Of procedure. These two
experts have been busy for nearly a year, having
been given a room in the Treasury Department,
with ample privileges of calling for whatever they
might want in the way of books. vouchers and re-
ports and for such assistance from the clerks of the
department as thcy might think was necessary.
They have caused to be made out for them several
reports, which have occupied many clerks months
at time to prepare, and IN this way have been the
cause of considerable delay in the work Of some OF
the bureaus. One outcome of their labors has been
the preparation of balance sheet which comprises
the entire money transactions of the Government
from March 4, 1889 TO June 80, 1876, and showing
the aggregate receipts aud expenditures for each
year during that time. From this sheet 1t appears
that the total receipts Of the Government from all
sources, from the beginning, until the end OF the
fiscal year in 1876, amounted tOSl0 ,OOI GJ0' 100 ~
The total expenditures during the same period
were $3.50, 006Gs0 80. In the recapitulation
the balance in the hands Of the Treasurer shown
by the report OF Treasurer Wyman Of june 30,
1876. was $3.50 6S9, $50 90. EX-Treasurer Spinner
also arknowl lodges his responsibility on that date
for the amount OF S47, O97 GJ, stolen by Ottman
aud Halleck four or five years ago. These two
amounts added TO the total expenditures will be
found TO balance the total receipts Of the depart
ment to a cent. An examination Of the statement
shows a very steady aud gradual increase IN both
receipts and expenditures from the year ending
December 81, 1893, when they were the smallest
he receipts Tor that year being So 12O62i =, and
the expenditures S7.520,575 JJl up 90 the year
ending June 30 1868, when both receipts and oX-
penditnres reached their maximum, the former
being 81, sos, 1913 $50 80 aud tho latter Sl.OO6-
433.33l 81 The statement also gives the annual
appropriations made by Congress and the annual
amounts of the surplus fund since the foundation OF
the Government. The former aggregate 4lj,0J3,-
Ol0,73I II aud the latter Sl4O,SO0973 "a.
Mr. Dayis's experts are very TetiCent with regard
10 the results OF their work, having been explicitly
instructed not 10 dIyulge anything they might dis
cover But there are indications which lead to the
belief that they viii report that they have found
nothing wrong in the transactions OF the depart
Insnt. Some criticism Of some of its methods Will
doubtless be made. These, however, arc in a great
measure matters Of opinion, and not evidence of
coruIDtOn or iuelhCieuCy.