Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-09-01
HEEXAMINER'SR REPORT
Blanchard's Report of State
Finances for the Year
Ending June 80.
Interesting misunderstanding to
Banks--COunty Finances
--Official Bonds.


Public Examiner Blanchard has
just sent to press his annual report
for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1892. The report is quite yOlumin-
Gus, and shows a wide range of official
Investigation, and is full of interest
ing and valuable statistics, which
shows, among other things, the con-
dition of all banks in the state organ
lied under both the old and new
banking laws and the receipts and
disbursements of cash of the 81 coun-
ties of the state in the various funds
of each county. A summary of the
more important statistics shows that
that the amount of cash on hand in
the state treasury in round numbers is
5000, 900, distributed as follows: Gen
eral fund, s39,6S4; permanent school
fund, S14s, 149; telephone, 81, 222; inter
est and income, s45,0l6; sleeping cars,
s113; bond, interest and sinking fund,
s22,6 6l; insane from counties, S3s, 974;
soldiers home from United States,
1921: settlement account; 1886;
express company, s2,068; and other
small accounts. The sources of
income and the amounts are also
given and are as follows: Amount of
state tax paid by counties, 1926, 900;
fees received from state officers,
s21 900; insurance tax collected, $780,
900; expense Of constitutional con-
yentiOn paid by United States, s15 900.
Interesting data is given in regard to
all the state institutions and the
report shows the following offices and
institutions to be under the examin-
er's supervision: Fffty-one counties,
10 public institutions, 10 banks
organized under the new banking
law, 80 banks organized under the
general banking law, besides all the
state and county officials with a few
minor exceptions. The report dis
cusSes the laws relative to the methOd
of accounting between state auditor
and treasurer and cOmmends the law
of 1891 requiring a check by reach Off
Ger upon the other a feature wanting
heretofore.
Under the head of county finances
the report goes fully over the work
done by the office and does not spare
criticism where needed. In speaking
of the uniform system of bookkeeping
now in vogue, the report states that
the new system is now in operation
in a greater or less degree of peTfec-
tiOn in every county but one, and
that the books of the various officers
are generally kept in a creditable
manner. The report Criticises the
reduction of the salaries of county
auditor and says: THE salary as
formerly fixed was much less in pro-
| portion to the duties and ability
required than any other officer. The
office requires the best ability the
county can afford. The auditor
should be a man acquainted with
business, a practical bOokkeeper, an
accurate accountant" and the report
shows that the interests of the county
are placed in jeopardy by placing the
salary Of such an important office
below that of an ordinary clerkship,
as it will be in many counties under
the new law.
Under the head of official bonds ref
srence is made to many errors and
Irregularities overlooked by boards of
county commissioners in approving
bonds and states that sufficient care
is not exercised by these officers in
one of their most important duties
and that much important business is
often transacted by them with but
little consideration or concern.
Many of the official bonds approved
by them were found to be worthless.
In this connection the public exam
liner says: Il am highly gratitled at
the advancement made not only dur
ing the past year but in the last four
years, as l note the progressive devel-
| opment Of the work from the chaotic
state in which it then existed in
many of the counties to its present
orderly and approximately uniform
condition" The report states that to
the $40, 900, 900 of reported d]efalcation
in the United States for the past year
not a dollar has been contributed by
the officers of South DakOta-a record
of which the state may well be proud.
BANKS.
The report explains the new bank