Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-21

FINANCIAL GUARDS.
-s------t-s--
Representative Hodges Has q
Drastic Remedy
TO PROTECT PUBLIC MONEYS
From Dishonest County 0IHeials--Mr. Newton
Wants Work Done
BY the officials Of the Courts, so That They
Won't Get Behind swayno's Hlll 10
llahi6n nuckols Against Rail-
road Consolidation.
TO PROTECT PUBLIC MONEYS

Austin. Tex, Feb. TO- Especially THE
Gazette has already noticed the fact
that Representative Hodges proposes 10
lcrislatc the deiaulung county officers
out of Texas.
at last, and today wheu The Gazette
correspondent pierced him With an me
tcrrorntiou point. hc cXudrd copiously.
lie admitted he had the bill ready 70
Introduce aud said
~ propose to make such changes IN
the law governing county finances ns
will give The county commissioners cours
a better check on tax collectors ana
county trcasurprs will 30 amend the
law that the county clerk shall keep a
complete rcrurl of all monlrs Couecttu
10y the tax collector charging hin Win
the tax rolls nnl occupation tax rrcvlpts.
lie must also return the money collected,
must also return HE money cuierteli
the unused occupation tax rcceipts ana
the duinuupnt tax list hctOrv lac can ha
released My bill requires him 10 pnN
AN monies collected hy him into tie
treasury upon tho warrant of the county
clerk and he county clerk snail fiN1
him credit for nl monies Ho paid ln ny
htm Ii Will also require that mo- money
shall be- into the county treasury eA-
pcpt upon the warrant ui the county
clerk aud the county clerk shat charge
tue treasurer with all money held ny
him, aud when any money ~ pald mo
the treasury the clerk shall charge tue
treasurer with the amount. The tens-
urcr aud The county clerk shat enrli
keep book in which shall hc registered
an claims against the county, the treas
urcr not to register amy script That nus
not been FIRST Registered by the clerk,
aud the treasurer shall not pay ont
any money except the claim has heen
registered ns above provided Tor; fur
thpr the Hill will require the treasurer
90 make report 90 the clerk &C the end
of each month, showing all ,crint that
has boon registered aud requiring the
clerk 90 compare the report with hiA
book, aud II found Co bc correct approve
aud Gle la Ids office II will also me-.
Qurc him To mako Ia writing report
OF the amount puid ont by him aud the
clprk viii give him credit for the Amount
Tho treasurer shall make report To
the commissioners court nt each regular
term thereof, aud Hhnll file with such
report Vouchers Tor an monies paid out
ntd the court shall examine the same
aud cnusc the clerk 90 crodit the treaH-
tcor With the amount shown TO have
been properly paid out by the treasurer,
hnuhcC the account nnd bring down the
hnlauce. The court shall nt once count
the money ot such treasurer, and II the
treasurer W short, lac shnll cease To eX-
crplHu the functions of hs Office until
such shortage b. made good. These are
suinr oi thu main icnlufcs of the bin. !
uukr Il a penalty OF 5000 for my Of
tiucr tn fail 10 carry out the provisions
of This act aud think u Il becomes a
law und h enforced IL win greatly lessen
the number of deluultlng trcnaurnrs aud
tnN collectors. u b. appalling when we
consider the number of deihutiur col.
lpctors nnd treusurprs this state has had
IN tlo hast few years There h hardly
county but has had trouble la this
liuc, and II ig not hccnusc Of dishonest
uihvuiH, but ON account of inefficient OF
iiccrs aud Use lpuHpnrsA of our laws ON
this subject Nv bin provides That the
county clerk shall hold chccl, ON the
TREASURER and collectors aud the commits
siunerH' court supervision over ALL
can't Aoc how any one can fail tu see
! the absolute necessity for such improve
meuts n The laws governing our county
! hnnnrrs The trouble heretofore has
| been that tho legislature has all the tme
been porircliuR tho lnws governing the
state finances. mud leaving the counties
umcnrcd for ! would make Il unlawful
| for the treasurer ~ iise cor pay ont any
money without a warrant properly drawn
| uu him"