Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-17
A Statement in Regard to the
Arrearages in the Treasury
Department.
How JOuett's Request for
Extra Allowances has
Been Treated.
Wa ShingtOn.

THE ARREARAGES IN THE TREASURY
DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15-Col. John
S. Williams, third auditor of the treas
1 ury, to-day addressed a letter to the
secretary Of the treasury, stating that
on the first day of May last, when he
assumed the duties Of third auditor,
it was notorious that the business Of
the Office was largely IN arrears, the
cause being that the clerical force was
not sufficient for the proper despatch
of the work.
The pension department was nearly
year behind in the examination and
settlement of accounts of pension
agents, involving the sum of 81, 9S7~
! SS5. Miscellaneous claims against
the government, including state and
war claims, amounted 10 $15, 597, ia
Some Of the work in the collections of
the division was over two years in
| arrears.
In the horse claim division over
II, 900 claims were pending and UNI
settled, involving $1,716, 1896. The
unsettled accounts of the army quar-
terSmasters and commissaries amount
ed to S. 458, 208. The unsettled &C
counts of the engineers amounted to
S. $50 826, making a grand total of
$104, 527, OH.
In the short space of four months,
ending on the 31st of August and
THE ENTERTAINMENT OF VISITORS ON
FLAG SHIPS.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15.-The Sec
ond comptroller has written reply
to Rear Admiral Jouett in regard to
the item of $500 paid for the enter
talnment of visitors to the flag ship
Tennessee at the New Orleans expo
sition IN which he reviews the whole
question in the light of the point
raised by the admiral in defense of
the expenditure. He takes issue with
the admiral that the expenditure
could properly be made from the
naval contingent fund, and quotes
from decision made by Attorney
General Devins in that contingent
expenses" as used in the approprla-
ton acts, mean such incidental
and casual expenses as are necessary,
or at least appropriate and convenient
in order to perform the duties requir
ed by the department or Office for
which the appropriation is made.
The comptroller says he has been
UNABLE TO FIND ANY LAW
which requires either the navy de-
partment or any officer of the navy to
entertain public officials at the ex
pense of the government, and adds
that he cannot assent to the admirals
statement that it has been the practice
of the accounting officers to allow
such disbursements under the head of
contingent or extraordinary expenses.
But whatever the practice in this re-
spect may have been he says it will be
conceded that if unlawful it cannot
be too promptly discontinued.
The comptroller adds that the
records in the treasury department
will bear him out In his statement that
from time immemorable it has been
the practice where public officers had
received money belonging to the gov
eminent to Which he was for any
reason not entitled to, to make stop
page In his pay account until the
amount illegally received had been
made good. In concluding the comp
troller sugee sted that the admiral
bring suit for the portion Of his pay
withheld, and so test the whole ques~
ton.
WITHOUT INCREASING THE CLERICAL
FORCE.
Auditor Williams says the accounts
of all pension agents have been eX-
amined and settled up TO the LIST of
June last, and the clerks IN the divi-
sion are now examining and settling
the accounts Of last quarter, which is
the current work. AS showing the
Improvement in work and the cana-
city Of clerks in that division, he says
that during the months of May, June,
July and August, 1884, there were
examined and settled, accounts ag
gregating SIG, 223, $50.
For the corresponding four months
in 1885, the same clerks, with three
or four exceptions, examined and
settled $50, los, IT'S. These figures
make their own comment. In the
house claims division, 613 claims have
been adjusted Or regulated, involving
SIC, 275, besides carrying on large
amount of correspondence necessary
to the proper disposal Of the remains
ing cases. During the same period IN
1884, 200 cases were disposed of,
involving S27, 774. The accounts of
quartermasters, commissaries and
engineers are up as far as
1T IS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE,
and the clerks in these divisions are
now engaged in the current work.
The claims division, collections divi-
sion, land horse claims divisions
are the only ones in arrears, and the
character Of the work necessarily pre-
cludes the possibility of its being done
promptly. This is explained on the
plea that in almost every case infor-
nation is required from other officers
and outside sources, which often ms
wolves long delay.
R1el Must Hang.