Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-10-28
AUDITOR GENERAL.
The Importance of the Office and the
Democratic Nominees Qualifications
for II.

lating to the public treasury and the
revenue of the commonwealth, and
the welfare of the State requires that
he should not only be honest, but en-
tirely competent to execute the duties
of the office. These duties are set
forth in Acts of Assembly that have
been passed from time to time, and this
officer is vested with power to strength
en- the revenues of the State and to
prevent dishonest use of the public
moneys. 1t is his duty to annually
examine the situation of the public
treasury in relation to the moneys
therein and the deposits in the several
banks, and also, if he deems it neces-
sary, to examine the accounts Of the
State Treasurer, with the several
banks and their branches in which the
public moneys are deposited. The
officers of the bank are required to
permit the Auditor General to make
this examination, and penalty is i'm
posed upon the State Treasurer for his
refusal to exhibit to the Auditor Gen
eral his books, papers or documents,
or the moneys reserved in his office to
meet occasional demands.
The Auditor General is also author
lied to take legal measures to recover
all moneys due to the commonwealth
from every person who shall appear
on a settlement of his accounts, to be
indebted; and he has authority to
employ counsel for this purpose.
The accounts for all expenditures
for the State Lunatic Hospital are sub
ject to the scrutiny Of the Auditor
General. In settling these accounts,
and the accounts for the contingent
and other expenses of the legislature
and other departments of the govern
ment, he has power to inquire into the
correctness and fairness of the prices
charged, and to disallow all over
charges.
All companies incorporated under
the laws OF the commonwealth for
manufacturing and mining purposes,
or for the Improvement of mining
lands, are required to make an annual
report to the Auditor General of the
whole amount of capital paid in, the
total Indebtedness, the amount of goods
manufactured, or minerals and metals
mined, and a general exhibit Of their
operations for the preceding year 1t
is then the duty Of the Auditor Gen
eral to prepare a condensed statement,
in tabular form, of such reports, and
submit the same to the Legislature.
All accounts for public printing
pass through the hands of the Auditor
General, and he has power to check
extravaganza in this department.
He is required to have printed an-
nually his reports on Finances, on
Railroads, Canals and Telegraph Com
panies, and on State Banks and Saw
ings Institutions.
The State Military Board, created
by law for the purpose of auditing
and adjusting all military claims in
cident to the organization and discip-
line of the National Guard, is com
posed of the Auditor General, togeth-
er with the Adjutant General and
State Treasurer.
1t will thus be seen that the duties
of the Auditor General of this State
are various and complicated. lie
should have capacity to examine, in
terpret and apply the Acts of Assem-
bly, relating to taxation, and the ma
terial interests of the State; he should
have executive ability to enforce the
powers vested in him by law. Should
the Office be filled by an incompetent
or dishonest person it is easy to see
that the revenues of the commonwealth
would be endangered, and the door
opened for fraud and corruption.
While the law does not require the
Auditor General to be learned in the
law, it is of great importance that he
should have legal training in order
to understand thoroughly the duties of
the Office. The voters of the State
have heretofore applied this general
principle by selecting gentlemen of
legal education and experience. For
the past twenty years the office has, in
every instance, been filled by lawyer.
Originally this officer was appointed
by the Governor of the State, but since
1851 he has been elected by the people,
and up to the present time the people
have always selected gentlemen from
the legal profession. The following
embraces all who have held the office
by virtue of election, and it is a coin
cidence that they were all lawyers
Ephraim Banks, Jacob Fry, Jr., Thos.
y. Cochran, Isaac Slenker, John +.
Hartranft, Harrison Allen, Justus +.
Temple, and William p. Schell.
OF the candidates for Auditor Gen
eral presented this year to the voters
of Pennsylvania, the Democratic can
didate, Colonel Robert p. Dechert, is
not only a reputable citizen and a