Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1889-12-27
,pisauRsEmGNr OF FUNDS.

Tho systcm Adopted by tho United States
u Treasury Department.
When Congress has authorized n
payment for any purpose the Secretary
promptly advises the Register thereof,
and directs him to make an entry oil
the amount on his books under proper
heading, that It may be drawn against
as. needed. This done, the treasury Is
ready to pay any claimant the sum due
him out of this appropriation, and IL
the Comptroller has received from the
Auditor, approved and In proper FORM
claim made thereon, he will. II he
sees no objection to paying 1t, ask the
Secretary TO issue his warrant upon
the Treasurer In favor OF the claimant
for the amount stated. A warrant Will
consequently issue, but 1t will hrst go
TO the Comptroller. that he may minute
II on the account, then to the Register
who will charge the amount to the
claimant and TO the proper appropria-
tiOn, enter 1t In the general account OF
expenditures under the proper classih-
cation. then send It to the Treasurer,
who will pay the claimant as directed
obtaining his receipt therefor on tho
warrant or on check issued in his
favor. and then send warrant and re-
ceipt 10 the Auditor as q credit vouch-
or for moneys paid out Thus this pay
warrant, like the covering warrant,
becomes the authority for the needed
entries OF the amount and ends Its
course. as did tho covering warrant
by becoming q credit voucher In an
account Of moneys paid.
The number OF the warrants Issued
annually is about $4,000 and to pre-.
pare, sign and properly examine and
enter them involves no little clerical
labor. But TO pay every public cred-
itor In this way would require millions
OF warrants instead OF tloisands. and
TO avoid such lnbor md consequent
delay moneys are drawn In bulk
upon warrant in favor OF some
disbursing officer, and placed In his
hands to distribute among the claim
ants upon their receipt therefor As
a guarantee, however. tho disburser is
required to give bond. with suretes,
to the comptroller. for the proper dis.
position OF the money. Although In
this way the claimant gets his money
without delay. the treasury relaxes no
vigilance in Its scrutiny Of the pay
ment and II voucher rendered Is
found insufficient in any way, its
amount Is disailowed. and the officer,
or his bondsmen. must mako good any
loss the Government has sustained
through the unfortunate transaction,
or what payments the officer can
properly make, the auditor is advised
by law. regulations, or by other sources
independent OF the disbursing officer,
and there is no escape from his
vigilance II payments have been
made to the army. the auditor has
been furnished with the muster-rolls;
q to pensioners, with list Of pension
certificates issued; II to u contractor
for constructing building or a
war vessel. with copy OF all con-
tracts and agreements pertaining to
the matter; and II the disbursing Off
Ger does not keep himself equally as
we'll informed as to the law and regu.
lations governing the disbursement MS
does the Auditor. he will quite likely
some day pay dearly for his Ignorance.
Every year six million of these vouch-
ers are received at the Treasury. and
in case Of pay-rolls, hundreds OF names
arc sometimes upon one voucher.
Every item is, however. subjected to a
searching inquiry us to its correctness
in every respect, and to avoid possible
chances Of wrong, the Comptroller as
well as the Auditor examines the
vouchers, thus duplicating the work;
yet every item is passed on, the calcu-
lations necessary arc all verified. and
the work completed In due time by a
section OF the clerks pertaining 10 the
Treasury. 7. X. Upton. ipa Har-
papia Waaklv