Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-01-29
FRIDAY MORNING. JAN. 20. 1886
A BETTER WAY.

A BETTER WAY.
The recent events in their two counties,
have induced Mr.. Koiner of Augusta, and
Mr.. Webb of Rockingham. to introduce
bills in their respective houses of the leg
islature to provide against recurrence of
such defaults by State officers who handle
its moneys. The first proposes one expert
inspector to make an inspection of the &C.
counts of such public officers, as well as
corporations and institutions as hold the
funds or property of the State. The 9TH
er proposes five inspectors to do that
work. Mr.. Koiner's proposition is not
practicable one. No one man could do the
work. Mr.. Webb's is only a little less
impracticable, from the fact that he gives
larger number of inspectors. But the
truth Is that both gentlemen, neither of
whom is what might be called business
man, can find better plan in the COM
mon one found by successful business
houses. The place where all accounts ought
to be inspected is the Auditor 3 Office in the
basement of that capitol, in which both of
these plans are being discussed. With
competent force OF trained clerks, whose
business in life has been Business, Audi
tor Marye, who is himself business man
and one who has the eputation Of being
an expert, could inspect all the &C
counts of the county and city treasurers
and other custodlans of the States mon
eys. The system of bookkeeping used by
the State may not be pei feet, few systems
are, but one of its imperfections is not
weak places to let defaulters through AS
rigidly enforced, and pursued with the
same facilities and the same interest as
that of large business Arm, 1t would leave
NO defaulters Of magnitude worth men
tioning. The concern of Sic Semper Ty-
rannis & Co.. the firm name of the Com
monwealth. has not so large business as
one might imagine. There are commercial,
houses within the Commonwealth that do
much larger business. and without her
advantage in the way Of compulsory treat
ment of the creditor land yet do it without
serious loss. The Assessors return their
land books to the Auditor and from the
moment they are received, there should be-
and is-if the business regulations are
rigidly enforced-no way for Treasurer
to get behind" as the phrase is unless
by actual outspoken theft. The Au-
dit0r's Office has the books and knows
what each man acting for the State has
to pay, when he has to pay it, and the pow
er to make him pay it on time, or CON-
Eaence against his sureties for the same.
Accounts are opened against every money
holding or money collecting officer of The
State, the time their account becomes
due is defined by law, and officers of the
law are furnished all over the State to see
that it is paid.
The State wants neither one inspector,
essaar FIVE inepec-ors. but enough trained
and efficient clerks at the Auditors Office
1t Is USED as ali argument for the inspectors
that the National Treasury Department
uses that system with the banks. 1t is
not an analogous case. The government
has no means Of knowing IN advance the
business or condition of the banks. The
State has this advantage with her Treas
urers-she knows after the Assessors
books are turned in, exactly the amount
the Treasurer should pay and the time be
should pay it and when at that time he re-
turns neither the whole amount nor de-
linQuent taxes enough to make up the
amount, the State knows just what she
has to do and the power given her to do
tho 1ooielafuro fru Tho ovpncjpoopf
of running State financial affairs on bust
ness principles with business methods, and
it will get business results. The creation
of new officers should always be undertak
en- with caution amounting to Jimldity.
In creating the new inspectorships pro-
that it is not laying the foundation for
still greater Irregularities than the past
has brought forth. Certainly an inspec-
tor cannot report to the Auditors Office
more shout the business of county or
city treasurer or clerk of the collt an
clerical force to strictly attend to and rig
idly force the regulations that affect both
The State Agricultural Society is ask
ing the legislature to appropriate $1,000
to it, "to be used in aid Of the permanent
support of said society in the dissemina-
ton of useful information among the
people, and the successful maintenance of
it's annual exhibitions" One would think
that with two. thirds of the members of
the legislature from districts that live
almost solely by agriculture, the bill would
find an easy passage through the legisla-
ture. The sum asked is much less than
many other States give without hesitation
to their State Agricultural Societies. We
think it would not be bad idea to double
the amount and incorporate with the
Society's fairs the keeping open of per-
manent (all the year round) exhibition Of
Virginia products, minerals, grains saDd
so forth, with geographical maps for the
setting forth of the advantages of our
State.
docs prohibition prohibit ?' Let
Maine answer. The total number of per-
sons committed to jail in that State dur