The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-06-27

of such instructions, get into trouble, I
cannot look to the State for aid or protec.
ton, however much aaay be endeayoring
to protect her interests
There is another feature Of the connec-
ton between the approving and tie paying
officers which should hare be emphasized,
and that is the Importance of absolute accu-
racy of work, and the practical necessity of
perfect correspondence ia the accounts kept
by each. The law creating the responsible
Office of school trustee, and regulating the
duties of the same, presents the strangely
incongruous situation Of an Office entrusted
with the disbursement of public funds,
while the officers are not paid dime for
their services, nor required to give dollar
OF bond for the faithful performance of
them. If is defended On the ground that
the School Commissioner is the approving
officer who passes upon the drafts Of trus-
teas, and that he is liable on his official
bond, I answer that cases may often occur
in which the School Commissioner may be
made to suffer through the careless acts Of
board of trustees, and yet he and his sure
ties have no recourse upon them. They
are irresponsible in law for their acts.
What recourse has the Treasurer except
uron the School Commissioner in case of
an overpayment consequent upon an over
draft by board of trustees7 1t is an ine-
quality and an injustice to bond some and
not others of set Of officers connected in
the same business. What accuracy or
fidelity can be looked for from an officer
who is neither salaried nor bonded? Yet
in contemplation of law the boards of
school trustees are supposed to make no
mistakes. The law contemplates that
boards Of school trustees, having been fur
nished By the School Commissioner with
an estimate of the pro rata upon which each
may draw for any given fiscal year, may
ances with which to swell their credits with
tha Treasurer the following year and be
applicable as cash to new claims arising; or
they may draw up to tae notch and stop;
but beyond this they cannot 60. All order
drawn in excess of the fund is declared By
ststute to be void, and IL worth no more to
the holder, or to tho Treasurer either,
should he psy it, than She paper on which
it is written, When he pays such draft
although he may be ignorant that it is an
overdraft, and therefore innocent-he pays
it from his salary. The law contemplates
that each board of srustees has drawn
always within the MAY gin and has kept an
account in which an accurate entry Of each
claim drawn has been made, and that at
the School Commissioners Office another
account has been kept rsith that district on
which appears as approved the identical
claims drawn, and that these two accounts
correspond precisely in sheir footings; that
in each Office and in each account that dis
trict stands credited w:ea the same am mount
subject to draft; so that even should an
order by chance be drawn in excess of the
fund By the trustees, th5 School Comuis.
sioner will make the discovery, disapprove
the order, and notify the board and have it
stricken from their BOOKS. There should
be no reason for Treasurer to fear that be
might pay an overdrpft. The books Of
cbool trustees should ech year at given
time be balanced with The accounts of the
School Commissioner, and they In turn be
balanced with those of the County Treas
urer. Not only the accuracy Of the work Of
the County Treasurer, but the safety of his
salary, depends upon this and yet he has
no power to enforce it. and in Anderson
county it has never been done, so far as
relntes to balancing of accounts of trustees
and School Commissioner with each other.
and doubt seriously whether every board
/ OF trustees in the county could show set
of hooks at all.
Now, if lis replied that i am insisting
upon too much nicely in this business, or
that the dangers to the paying officer are
speculative rather thar real, I answer by
giving few figure, from the books Of last
year, l387-88: In one district overdrafts
$159. .96, in another SIZE. II, in another $685..
96. n has been a constant f9htto avoiI pay.
ing these ,overdrafts, and notwithstanding the
most constant WatchfIiness on my part
against this danger, have been caught in
two or three instances. and in one serious.
;ly, for in one district paid $685. SO more on
claims than I collected, through an inaccu-
racy in the report to me OF claims approved
forthat year BY the School Commissio
the report, showing clains approved SS1.62
within the margin, when it should have
showed $3.50 beyond and overdrawn, q
difference of$170.5s. j can only look to
the State Legislature to legaliize the trans.
correctness of work in other Offices along
the line for granted, l. would have been
to-day the holder Of orders amounting to
$45255, tor which h&d paid dollar for
dollar, which the Legislature declares to
be worthless, and which. is nearly go per
cent. of what I get for a years work, wear
and tear in the Office.
My only reason for referring TO these
matters is that the people of the county
may know that I am noJ recklessly casting
asidea position with which they have
kindly entrusted me, bllt that there are
reasons for the course ] have pursued.
The condition of things under which
anu placed is one for which neither nor
the people of the county are responsible,
and it is condition OF things in which
they cannot come to mT relief, Isincerely
trust, therefore, that my withdrawal, which
I make under pressure, will not be the occa.
sion of any breach between Us. I expect
to live in Anderson cornty as long as hon.
est industry will ensure me a livelihood.
here, and my interest il tho welfare Of my
county will not be abatea one whit. The
substantial proofs Of tie true friendship
which many have giver me in connection
With the Office I can nevsr forget. 1t would
be 8 pleasure to serve ne people of the
county to the end of my term could do
so in manner satisfactorily to myself and
to them, but am sure that cannot. My
withdrawal at this time finds endorsement
in the necessity which I am under of re-
. cruiting my health, which has yielded ma
teriauy. to the pressure during the past few
months. Withdraw without any i'll will
towards any man or officer in the county,
and shall hold myself ready to render any
aid in my power, not only to my successor,
but to any of the officers of the county
when occasion offers.
w. II. FRrERsoy.