Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-23
THE PAYMAsTER GENERAL.
His Annual Report Submitted to the Secre-
tary of War.

i
tary of War.
| RISKS RUN BIZ PAYMAsTERs IN CARRYING FUND.-
| TO REMOTE Posrs-AccoUNTs HELD Up IN TIL
| TREASURY DEPARTMENT, THOUGH PAYMENT
WE'RE MADE By ORDER OF THE SECRETARY.
Attention is called by Brig. Gen. Smith, pay
! master general of the army, in his annual 70
port, to the risks that have to be run by arm,
paymasters in making their trips across tn,
| country on the frontier where railroads anC
express facilities are not within reach. Il,
says: The appropriations made for pay o. thu
army and for the Military Academy proved
ample for the past year. The payments have
been effected promptly and without loss Of
funds. The transportation and escorts which
have been furnished to paymasters when on
official tours have proved sufficient. and, with
out exception, the funds have safely reached
the appropriate points at which they we're to
be used. No uncomfortable share of the risk
felt by the paymaster is that placed upon him
while the public funds with which he is charged
are in transit" For these funds be is held
responsible from the moment they are drawn
from the appropriate depository until they are
placed In the hand Of the soldier Mt the remotest
post To illustrate: Fort Apache, Ariz., lie, BY
the route taken by the paymas;er, five hundred
which the funds used at that post are drawn
365 miles of this distance il by rail. the remain
ing 100 miles is overland travel with escort.
tat was on this route that Major Wham was
robbed of the funds which have recently been
credited TO him, as noted in this report) The
time and circumstances of the periodical jour
neys made by paymasters are well known, and
II Is to be regretted that the remote and isolated
sections Of the country are not the only ones in
which their movements are regarded with in
terest ii most certainly becomes the pay
master when on his official trips to be cautious
and equipped for emergencies. He is very
properly relieved Of the personal care Of the
public funds while travelling on routes upon
which express facilities are available, but on
overland journeys he must depend for protec-
ton upon, his own watchful vigiIancesu, pported
by that OF q sufficient escort.
ACCOUNTS HELD Up.
Gen. Smith also remarks upon the RESPONSE
bility placed upon the paymaster through the
liability of the officers OF the treasury to dis
allow accounts that have been paid by officers
OF the pay corps of the army upon the order OF
the Secretary Of War. Several such instances
are cited, among them being the case OF an &C
count for the services OF stenOgrapher em-
ployed in the trial Of Cadet Whitaker at the
Military Academy, which is still held up in
the treasury against the paying officer. Legis-
iaIion to remedy this evil has been attempted,
but It has failed, and the paymaster general
asks the Secretary to give his cOuntenance and
assistance in a new effort to obtain relief from
the embarrassments which have sprung wholly
from obeyiug orders issued in his office.
1T is not difficult to STE that the commission
Of paymaster, he continues, would be i'm
periled should he, when such accounts are pre-
scented. defy the Secretary of War by refusing
to obey his orders. We're a parallel case to
arise today nv instructions would be 20 obey
the orders of the Secretary of War, trusting to
~ g. ,,1.,.
ton. As long as disbursing officers are held
to this condition of double responsibility there
must necessarily he confusion and uncertainty.
The authority. apparently paramount, created
for the guidance and protection of the dlsburs-
ing officer. authorizes and directs an expendi-
ture; another authority lies in wait and finally
reyi.es and AS far as possible vitiates and multi
fies the antecedent action by charging the ex-
peuditure 70 the disbursing officer. Serious
embarrassments must result as long as these
conditions are continued.
TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTS.
Notice is also directed to the matter of trans
portation accounts, which, from the variety of
fashions in selling railroad tickets, is some
what complicated. Parlor and sleeping car
charges also complicate the accounts. Gen.
Smith SAYS: II therefore urgently renew the
recommendation made in the last annual re-
port from this office, and urge that Congress be
the distance travelled, instead OF the present
arrangement of cents per mile and actual cost
OF transportation. Whether the present allow
ance ior travel is adequate or not depends
upon the character OF the journey. The ex-
peI-ses incident to a change OF stations. direct
and indirect. are nearly always largely In excess
O. the mileage allowance. Nearly 20 per cent
o. mileage expenditures arises from change OF
stations IL a recent communication the In
spectO- general OF the army states that
o-,.cers Of his department and those Of the
lIi.e OF ;he army haDItuaiiy lose money under
lneir travel ORDERS. In journeys of some
length. involving short absences and no delays,
the present allowance may be adequate. IL is
undoubtedly the intention to repay otncers
VINO travel on public duty the reasonable and
necessary outlay occasiened by the journeys
required of them. 1t Is perhaps impossible 10
nix u rate that would In every case be absolutely
just and equitable. But l am satisfied nXed
rate per IniIe would be more satisfactory than
the present system. As in last years report it
Is recommended that 10 cents per mile be made
the rate. Under the existing arrangement gov
erning mileage an officer may be innocently,
but none the less surely. embarrassed imam
cially by frequent orders requiring change OF
station.
Gen. Smith asks for two more clerks in his
Office at 81 100 year apiece. AS to the mat
ter of pay masters bonds he says: "Paymasters
ask to be placed, in respect to official bonds, on
the same footing upon which other dis bursting
officers stand 10 accomplish this l respect
fully recommend that Congress be asked 10 re-
peal section 1892 of the Revised Statutes"