The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-07
SEVERE ON MR.. WEIR.
Joint Investigating Committee
Finds Loose Methods
MANY FUNDS AND FEES TAKEN.
Returns to State Treasurer Were In
frequent and Irregular.
MANY FUNDS AND FEES TAKEN.
port, But Several Changes Of Pro-
cedure Deemed Necessary-Secretsry
Of State Writes Explsnatory Letter.

OITxrrA, March Especial. The spe-
cial joint committee appointed to examite
into the fiscal affairs of the various state
offices today submitted lengthy report,
having concluded its investigation. The
report is somewhat severe on Secretary Of
State Allen Weir, but the committee
charges him with nothing beyond loose
ness in management Of his Office affairs.
The committee first examined the Offices
OF the state auditor and state treasurer
and found everything in admirable shape.
The committee strongly recommends that
all officers with expense accounts be re-
quired to furnish an itemized statement, or
bills properly receipted and certified, mas
much as the auditor can exercise little dis
cretionary power in auditing accounts.
The management of the state treasurer's
office is particularly commended as care
fnl, efficient and economical. The COM
mitfee says the following with reference
to the secretary Of states Office:
An examination Of the affairs of the
secretary Of state disclosed some facts in
the management of that department
which. the opinion of the committee,
are ito express il conservativeiy, irregular
and utterly inconsistent with the ordi-
nary business rules and customs, such as
usually obtain IN department as import
ant as this. Your committee find no incl
dental expense account or record of cur
rent expenses kept in that Office. All ex-
penses, regular and incidental, are paid by
the secretary by formal orders on the au-
ditor, none of which are accompanied bv
the original bills or itemized statements as
vouchers. For example: Your commit
tee found in the auditors Office formal
61r n Int I1v r. 49, 70
which was noted in red with the words,
Repairs on furniture" Investigation dis
closed the fact that the order was drawn by
the secretary Of state for moneys to nav
for telegrams, coal oil, and a bill for
tacks, ooks and screws for the Office.
amounting 10 $19.49, and also for an
alleged partial payment Of $95 on a metal
fling case. billed July Is, 1850; total cost
$l95, and which had not been paid for
February IS, 1891. Your committee also
found another formal order drawn by the
secretary OF state on the auditor for 500.
dated January 81, 1s91, with the words.
metal filing case balance noted thereon.
That amount was the alleged balance due
on the metal filing case billed July Is, i690.
and which was not paid for February 8.
1871. None OF the formal orders of the
secretary OF state are accompanied by GER
tilted and receipted itemized vouchers. =
they should be. Your committee further
Cancu Tue dsecutiou Ot tne secretary TO the
orders drawn for postage every consecutive
month, which shows an average Of $50 per
month, and which were accompanied
by receipts from the postmaster. The
secretary stated that his chief clerk had
kept a record for . term Of three months.
beginning on the 18th of November. Al. hi
1859, and that the said postage for said
term amounted to $l56H Mr.. Davis
chief clerk. afterwards stated to your com.
nittee that an accurate account kent in
his department during the month of Feb
ruary last IN amount two-thirds of the
total postage used in the Office Of the sec
retary OF state, amounted to $lO.d. and
explains the discrepancy existing in the
average of the three months above mem
toned and the month of February last as
Occasioned by the enormous amount of
mail being sent out incident to the terri
tory entering statehood, notably commits
missions to notaries public, etc. The
law provides that fees collected by the
secretary of state must be paid into the
treasury from time to time as collected
tSee page 81. session laws of 1SS9sOl. Your
committee finds that the payment of fees
into the treasury were made with COM
mendabie regularity from April III until
June s, 1890. Then followed a Iapse of a
month without payments, and on July
ne PAID INTO the treasury the sum of
$3l7.s0; on the 11th, four days after. he
paid over $79-55- There were no more fees
turned over from that time until Septem-
Der 20, when he paid into the treasury
$l2470. Another lapse of nearly three
months went by without making any
returns. and on December q, 1880. he
covered into the state treasury the sum
of $1,000. On January s. 1881. he Maid IN
the sur- of $472.i0, SO that it is apparent
that the secretary had retained In his
hands between September 80. Isa0. and
January 6. 1891, the sum of nearly So 0nl
In the matter of insurance, of which the
secretary of state is ex-officio commits
sloner, Your committee finds that the sum
of $500 was appropriated for the compen-
s2tion of the assistant insurance commits
sioner. until March 81, 1891. Section Ii
session laws of 1880. relating fo fees
contains this proviso: That the fees
arising from this duty shall be naid
into the state treasury. The secre-
tary's Interpretation of the law is that
the only fees to be turned into the
treasury are those arising from the eram-
ination of companies organized in this
state; and which amount to S. per dav for
such examination. The fees TINS far
turned over from this source. m tn Ianr-
airy 5, 1891. amount to SD; the total anonnt
of fees charged up to February q, 1871, in
eluding the appropriation, amount TO
81, $50. 20; expenses up to February d
amount TO 81 .64607, leaving a balance III
$71463 now in the hands of the insurance
commissioner, which he claims under HE
construction of the law, that he is nerson-
ally entitled TO. If it was the intant;on of
the trainers of this law that the secrefary
should retain the balance of the fees over
and above the expenses of this denart
ment. there should be charged 10 the in
surance account reasonable pro rata of
the expenses of the Office rent. light fuel
ianitor service, water. etc. now nroy,,iei
and paid for ont of direct appropriations
made for this purpose to the secretary
OF state. Your committee finds that
this has not been done. Your COM
mittee also finds that there was
appropriated $50 for indexing and dis
tributing session laws, under direction Of
the secretary Of state As the time OF the
secretary was paid for by g salary. the an
preparation evidently, in the intention of
the trainers. was for some one, who should
under the direction of the secretary index
and distribute these laws. But yof,- com
mittee finds that the secretary ;nSered
and distributed them himself, and al.
verted TO mis- own use and benefit the
amount as appropriated"
The final affairs of the executive depart-
ment and adjutant generals Office were
examined and found IN excellent shane
The committee says in conclusion.
In conclusion We would say il is the
opinion Of your committee that the man
agement OF the business OF the public IN
stitUtlons of the ssate-penal, educational
and eieemosynary-should be entrusted
TO an ex-oftielo board of state officers. con-
sisting, so far as might be practicable. of
members composed of the different state
officers for each institution and Zach az