The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-10-09

!: this cause, was, for many years. an al
J nual deficiency IN the treasury OF tn
!, Territory. a depreciation in the valu,
!: of warrants and the payment OF inter
J est. annually, to large amount. Thes'
results, under present laws. may occu
again in the future. No detnite esti
mate can be ma1e in advance, OF ever
. the probable amount Of delinquencie!
which will have to be allowed 10 the
several Counties, and should they, a,
any time. largely exceed what they are
at present. We will again have sn empty
treasury before the close Of the year
the credit OF ,hs Territory will be i'm
paired ard the bai practise of paying
interest upon warrant. will ag,iu bs
rasorte1 to.
Should these credits 10. be allowed
in the future, the rata OF taxation tor
territorial purposes can be Immediately
reduced II three mills upon the dollar.
In the event that tho present system Is
continued, then some measures should
be devised under which the Territory
can Iealize. within a reasonable time
the credits which are annually claimed
by the counties for delinquent taxes.
Tie payment, by the Territory, of the
costs and expenses attending the con
viction of criminals for felonies. is a
very doubtful policy. After thorough
consideration Of the question. l have
arrived at the conclusion that it will be
be.tar for the Territory. th. counties
and :he tax payers. ard that it will be
81. ii
counties in which crimes are commit
ted t. defray these expenses. The prac-
tica effect Of tue present law is, that
. county having no criminals. or only
few. is called upon to pay the expen-
ses OF another county which has large
number. If there are any sound rea-
sons to support this policy. / am not
aware of them.
The bills presented to the Territory
IN criminal cA>e', >cI.aratcly and IN the
a.gre-a'", nave u -snmci very large
/ propprti us. an are instantly furnish
( iug questions o. disagreement between
+ tn. territorial officers and the counties
/ in which they accrue. During the past
two years cost bills have been presented
amounting to Sl1 ,0963S. The largest
/ bill was 81 .O47 35. the smallest Sc so.
The total amount for the two preceding
wears was S5,547 81 This shows An
/ Increase Of thess cost bills in two years
| of 50 54S 8 , or more than one hundred
| per cent. If the counties in which these
bills accrue were required to liquidate
them, l am inclined to the opinion that
they would, in many cases. be very
much reiuced in amount
Should it not be deem d advisable to
relieve the treasury of the Territory
from the payment of these bills. then
| suggest that this branch Of ouI reve.
nue. laws be thoroughly revised and
made to hsrn.onize with other branches
| of the system.
The cost bills referred to. after ap-
proval by the Judge of the District
court, are paid by the respective coun-
ties in which they accrue. They a re
then transmitted to the territorial treas
urer who is required to allow credits
to the respective counties for the
amount Of the bills, to be applied in
payment of the taxes. due from such
counties. to the Territory. This is the
only Instance where money can be
drawn directly or indirectly from the
public treasury. without a warrant
issued by the territorial auditor, and is
in violation of sound fundamental prin-
ciples on which every financial system
should be based.
All territorial revenue should actu
ally be paid into the treasury of the
Territory, and should be disbursed
therefrom only by warrants drawn by
the auditor. All accounts against the
Territory should be presented to the
territorial auditor and audited by him.
These financial maxims are. and have
been, entirely disregarded. and as a
consequence, territorial officers have
been embarrassed in the discharge OF
their duties; settlements with couutes
have been retarded and prevented and.
in many cases, no settlements have
been made, from the time Of the enact
ment OF the law. authorizing the pay
ment Of these bills by the Territory.
down to the1present moment.
The embarrassment alluded to IS
owing to the fact that it is an open,
unsettled question. whether the District
Judge performs the functions OF tcrri>
torisl auditor, when he approves these
bills. or whether the territorial treas
urer is authorized to examine and pass
upon them. after they have been ap-
proved. The latter course has gener>
ally been followed. but its legality has
not. Ia all cases, been conceded by the
county authorities. and accounts have
therefore been left unsdjusted from
year to year, to the great detriment of
the revenue of the Territory.
If the Territory, in the future. is re-
quired to pay these bills. then recon-
mend your honorable body that all terri
torial revenue be paid into the treasu-
ry: that all bills for costs ana expenses
BE- presented to the territorial auditor.
for examination, and if the same are
found to be correct. and legal charge
against the Territory. that he be au-
thorized to draw the necessary warrants
upon the treasury, in favor Of the per-
sons entitled to the same.
The reports Of the auditor and the
treasurer, exhibiting in detail the f.
nancisl operations of the Territory for
the past two years. are. herewith SUBJ
mitted. They contain many valuable
and pertinent suggestions and recon-
mendations which should be carried on.
by appropriate legislation.
The following comparative statement
will show the condition OF the fnsnces