Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-01-24

fearlessly perform your duties, and see TO
1t that impartial investigation and unbias
ed judgment take the place OF special
pleading and selfish interests.
Let it be demonstrated that the cause
Of the whole people is safe in your hands.
The Condition Of the Treasury.
The last report of the secretary Of
state showed balance in the treasury to
the credit Of the general fund. on the
Both Of September last, OF s345 .895 Oh
On the 18th Of January, at noon, when tie
administration was changed, there was
turned over 10 the incoming state treas
urer, as the balance OF the general fund,
the sum of s23,599,32, appearing upon
the books Of the outgoing treasurer In
point OF fact, however, the general fund
Of the state was more than exhausted. At
that very moment, warrants upon that
fund to the amount Of s36. 09667 had
been dra=s by the outgoing secretary Of
state, Of which those for the sum Of s35,
64208 had been actually signed on the
morning Of the 5th Of January, and but a
very short time before the transfer Of the
Offices % the incoming administration.
Besides these warrants largo number of
unpaid obligations, Immediately due and
entitled TO discharge, and for which war
rants should have already been issued, re-
NAMED unaudited By the retiring secfe-
tdry Of state, and the additional sum OF
81, 984 Al has been necessarily audited
By the present secretary, and warrants
drawn therefor upon general funds. In
the meantime this fund had no consider
able receipts and can expect none
Of substantial amount until about the
middle of February In this condition Of
things the creditors Of the state are either
obliged TO wait, or the treasurer IS pat r.
the risk, In order TO protect The credit OF
tho state, Of employing other funds in his
custody to discharge warrants drawn upon
the general fund. 1t needs not be said
that such a condition Of affairs ought not
TO be encountered The annual revenues
accruing TO the general fund are sufficient
to discharge oil the annual obligations i'm
posed upon 1t unless understandable and ex
trayagant appropriations be made. and
this difficulty has arisen. as believe.
not from real insufiiciency Of receipts TO
discharge the obligations Of the general
fund, hut from fauly practices in legisla-
ton hitherto prevailing 1t has been Gus
tomary IN making special appropriations,
to direct that they sbail be payable from
any moneys in the general fund not other
wise appropriated, whereby an immediate
liability for the entire appropriation is
imposed upon the treasury, notwithstand-
ing, IN many instances, considerable
time may elause before the money will be
actually required and that when required
it's disbursement should more properly be
made in installmcnts as expended
1t Is respectfully recommended that this
practice be corrected by carefully proyid
ing in every appropriation for TIE dis
bursement of the money from the treasury
from time to time only as it shall be
actually required for the purposes 10 which
it Is applied
Another practice has added 10 the diff
fCulty mentioned, and seems 10 me to re-
quire correc ion. This is the payment in
advance quarterly, of the regular annual
appropriations for the maintenance of the
various public institutions which derive
support from the state This money
should remain in the treasury to be dis.
tursed as needs require The general
fund, by these methods, can be kept at all
times adequate to the demands made upon
T., instead Of being periodically largely
oyerdraWn, because moneys not yet
actually expended have been paid out in
advance Of necessity, and often perhaps,
Tor the mere convenience or advantage Of
special troasurers
tits obvious, also, that Il the policy
shall be adopted that recommend in this
OF making use Of the interest
which may accrue from the treasury funds
for the benefit Of the state, an additional
reason for this course lies in the addition
Al gain which the people may thus enjoy
The following is statement of bal
luces in the several funds OF the state
treasury Mt noon % Monday, January 9Th,
1891;