The Dillon tribune., 1882-12-23
c1rn1cA1 ERRORS CONSIDERED.

ty for the year Iooo'o1t P"O'
Butte Miner. did not show any errors IN
the outstanding warrant account OF ene
county. The annual exhibit published In I
the Tribune last spring, for the year 1881.
&, allowed an error to the amount Of
SI.877,o6. The difference between the two
exhibits called for an investigation, tor IT
one exhibit was true and correct the other
must be faulty and In error. The Grand
Jury considered the matter at the last term
Of District Court, and ordered an invests
CATION BY the County Commissioners. Inc
Commissioners at their last regular meet
ing employed Messrs. Smith and Eliel as
experts to overhaul the records and point
out the errors. The report of the experts
is she'd in another column, from which
It appears that the actual errors-after a
number Of corrections had been made
amount to $1,3s7.76. These errors accu-
mulated during number OF years back
and they were not rectifed in issuing the
true annual exhibit published prior to the
exhibit Of ISSI.S2. An annual exhibit pur-
ports to be a true exhibit. Each exhibit
says that 1t is a true exhibit and the tax.
payers pay for 1t as such. 1t is presumed
that the report of the experts, who careful
ly investigated the matter. is correct-al'
though they do not clearly account for
$4a.2s Of the $1,3s7 Is.
The action of the Board of Commission
ers on the findings Of the experts accom-
panies the experts report. The Commits
sioners' conclusions may be carefully read
and it is doubtful If a single taxpayer will be
uncharitable enough to conclude the doc.
ument was prepared for whitewashing pur-
poses, although by hasty reading 1t might
| be SO construed. The Commissioners or
der the $l,3s7.76 to be added to the out
standing warrant debt making II $17,ooS.S3,
and that the latter figures be taken as the
basis Of the warrant debt for the next true
annual exhibit Of Beaverhead County. The
Commissioners attribute the discrepancy OF
$1,3s7.76 to clerical errors, which Is, doubt
less true, but the finding Of the Commits.
sioners that these errors have not affected
the finances Of the county is an error itself
perhaps clerical error. Anything that
takes money out IF the county treasury
affects the finances, and clerical errors are
not excepted, or the cost Of their correction
Had the Commissioners carefully exa,nin.
ed and found the exact amount these errors
have cost the county it is quite probable they
doing SO they would have omitted that par,
Of their conclusions wherein they conclude
that the county's finances have not been
affected by these clerical errors under con-
sideration. a few hundred dollars may
not seriously affect the finances Of Beaver
head County-still, that sum Of money vii
affect the finances to q certain extent
What has been the cost to the county l.
not given, although money has been paic
at different times 10 correct these clerical
errors which have at last been corrected.
These annual exhibits are, or have been
costly documents for the ax-payers, with Of
without clerical errors in them. Since thu
year 1874 annual exhibits have cost tn.
county considerable money, The cost o
making out an annual exhibit has been nj
uncomfortable sum each year and the pub
lisher's fees for printing has been no small
iten,-and, taken together, they have rur
into the hundreds Of dollars annually fo1
years past If an annual exhibit be incor
rect from clerical errors It costs all thu
sane to print It.
We sincerely believe that this annual ex
hibit business Is costly hu,nbug for thu
tax. payers which could be curtailed very
materially. Apply the decision Of the Su
preme Court Of Montana in the Madison
county case to Beaverhead County and tn.
cost Of making out an annual exhibit vii
be nothing but the blank paper used Il
write 1t on. Cordense the exhibit and tn,
printers fee would be light. Let the Com
nissioners enforce the law and then If cler
ical errors, 5lunders or incompetent per
formance Of work appears in every othe,
line ofan exhibit, as thick as sinners in pur
gatory, the county's finances will not suffe
in consequence thereof The experience
Of the past should be guide for the Com
missioners in the future.