Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-19
Use OF PUBLIC FUNDS
rops OF THEIR DISBURSEMENT TO
STATE INSTITUTIONS DISCUSSED.
s.,,,. Of the Acts of the visitors Indirectly
Criticised--The senate Insists on
Having Complete Reports.


To, more than two hours yesterday men,
no.. Of the Senate engaged in an animated
5,scpss,6h Of the management of thepublic
institutions Of tho State.
INC subiect under consideration was Mr.
porr,'s bill providing for the disbursement
- money 20 public institutions, and it was
,1,o,..ht that senator's would address them
sclyc. directly 70 the change of financial
policg proposed to DO made. and to this
point only.
S,ob however. was not the case. Nine
contlemcn spoke. some more than once
I'D others at considerable length, and the
dchatc assumed very broad latitude. Some
~ he speakers evinced considerable feel
.,, beinC deeply interested in the matter.
i expresscd themselves with unusual
70. Fspccially was this the case with
v.ssrs Berry and Echols, the former lead
.or tho fight in favor of the measure and
Iii, latter against II.
THE BILL.
The bill. which was called for by Mr..
p,rrv as soon as the morning hour was
a,er came up "a the unfinished business
f,or last Friday, and the question recurred
~ Is being ordered TO It's engrossment.
tbo amendments proposed by the commit
&C., having been agreed 10.
The hill provides That all money ap-
,r.priated - the educational and
l.awoSVnary institutions of the Common
,r.ai.h shall remain in the Treasury to the
c-elit Of the respective institutions, 10 be
drawn on 10y the president or principal
.ar.rs Of the educational institutions,
c1rn,erAgncd by the secretary or clerk
,h.rclt. and by the superintendent and
l.rk of each asylum and the institute for
,se leaf and dumb and blind. and in each
r.ee % be approved hy the chairman of
.bs Executive Committee or some resident
m,mler Of the board appointed for that
All drafts upon the Treasury shall
name the party 10 whom payable aud spe-
citcallv for what service or supplies the
d-.ft - drawn: and when bills for mer-
rl,ndise are paid they must be accom-
,arted by the itemized accounts; tins,
however. shnil not apply TO drafts for in
1,denfl expenses q detailed account of
Vhich shall be forwarded quarterly TO the
treasurer If the Commonwealth, and asum
not exceeding $500 shall be allowed for
sgch Incidental expenses 10 each institu-
I, shall be the duty Of the Treasurer
oFfhe Commonwealth TO keep we'll l-bOund
i,.k in which shall be kept the account
.fearh institution credited by the appro-
rr,ations madO to it and charged with each
drafi drawn on the fund, which book shall
boat all times open to the inspection OF the
Ttoeutive and TO members of the General
Assembly. together with the drafts aud
vouchers. which is hereby made the duty
Of tho Treasurer 10 preserve.
Mr.. Fchols. who had the floor when the
srl1oct WAS last under consideration, re-
ouested the patron TO explain the object
sought 20 be accomplished by the enact
ment of such law and the necessity for
theproposed change.
THE PATRON DOES EXPLAIN.
Tho Senator from Amherst did explain
the object aud scope Of the bill and made
ono of the clearest-cut and most sensible
epeech,s delivered on the tloor of the SEN
lie tins session. IL was short but TO tho
MONT. The bill he said. was no new prOpO-
sit,0n. having passed the Senate two years
400 ideutically in It's present form and been
d,fsstol in the House. ltewas merely a
h.ires. plan such as any man of practical
sense would insist upon IN the conduct
Of his private affairs. In the on
set be dsclaimed any intention OF
rejecting on the boards OF visitors or
directors Of any institution. He had no
p,r-aral end 10 accomplish nor any enc
u.,- O.. punish. His sole aim was TO put
III, administration of the financial affairs
of the State on such a practical, PLAIN,
sensible footing as would be- required by
any man or private corporation. If these
-oruirements would be made in man's 8
private business. why not SO IN that OF the
Slater
Mr. Berry said II is imperatively neces-
sarv that there shall be kept somewhere n
record Of the financial transactions of
these institutions. supported in whole or
I'D part by appropriations from the State,
s9 that they may at all times be open to
tue inspection of members OF the General
Assembly. There could be no better place
f1an in the basement Of the Capitol. If
the institutions wanted money Kept IN the
l.cal banks he was not particularly opposed
g. such proposition, but there should 10
warrant. drawn on tho Treasurer or Audi
t0rf0r al large sums expended and quar-
i.ily reports should be made of the inslg-
utcaut items so as 10 show just where the
money goes who gets, 1t, how much any
ulccets. and what for.
sIPsuOD METHODS.
W. Berry strongly criticised the present
slp-h0d method of conducting this de-
uar,rucut of the States affairs, which he
declared reflects no credit on the Senate.
which. with the advice Of the Governor,
appoints the boards and Is supposed 10 be
arpri~-d Of their acts. He emphasized
i.opO,lti0n taken by Mr.. Iieaton III insist
.l- ou compelling the officers OF the insti-
tuuaas TO make complete itomized ac-
counts Of their expenditures, and said ai-
f..urh this request had been made re-
rei.dly in the last eight years
n politelv-expressed resolutions offer
ID lv the Senator from LOudoun
it seemed impossible to get proper re-
-r.nses He referred 10 the voluminous
papers brought in by the Committee on
lrUlc Institutions few days ago, and de-
,.rsl that If such statements had been
prepared by the agent or clerk of private
concern IN response to call for an Item
il.d account such clerk or agent would
have been summarily discharged. Ihls
..oull bee so. When compiled statement
va, asked for 10y the Senate, any institution
t.whlch the request was addressed should
respond with an exhibit that, while giving
ili information, presents the facts III "a
concise and intelligIble manner.
Mr Berry SAID there was great necessity
Z such a law, and strongly argued IN
favor of it, Jie again declared that the
Ir,-ant system IS loose. careless, and sip
s.0d And" he added. lit Is Just such
..pnrtunities as these that make thieves
o. mon who under different circumstances
would be honest" He closed by quoting
f,um the report Of the Superintendent OF
I4tic Instruction, which had just been
placed on his desk yesterday morning, 10
..w that IN the reports made by the pub,
Dr. lrs,itutiOns 10 that official the law had
been COinpitN VIII. lHV NV'"ia''
a-ares were not given. but aggregated
amounts which did not explain how the
money was spent or who received 1t. He
quoted particularly from the re-
ports of the State Normal and Col
lo-Yatc Institute at Petersburg and
tho University iof Virginia. where
ueither the names of the professors nor
their salaries were reported but simply
.4larie- tos0 many men 50 much. Other ex-
panh,uTes were grouped ina similar man
n.r. The proposed method, Mr.. Berry de
ciared. would work no hardship at all un-
lc-- ~ be ON few clerks who would have
their labofs slightly increased, for which
'hes have abundant time. The informa-
t.a sought to be obtained is necessary
tri proper for the protection OF tho inte-
I,st of the Commonwealth.
IlIE OTHER SIDE.
NJ. Echols spoke next and opposed the
tl lie could see nothing IN what ms
feud from Amherst had said to show the
necessity for such "a change IN the law as
uas proposed. He believed IT would be