Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-11-09
THE LEGISLATURE.
OUR MONTPELIER LETTER.
Inc Legislative Machine RIM
hhns Under Full Pressure

ne important Duties of the State An
"i'of---Shall We Have n state Eng,-
heer'---the Newspaper BiII-.-tbe To-
cal Option school Bill.
MONTPELIER, Nov 7.
In the Republican state committee of
LOU the secretary of state and state treas
urer each failed of denomination. and when
the Office of auditor of accounts was reacbod
IL began to be in the air that there was to
oe a clean sweep. Against the then in
cumbent of that office, Hon. E. H. Powell
there was nominated Franklin d. Hale Of
Lunenburgh, and the tide in seconding
speeches seemed turning strongly his wav
When Z. A. Prouty of Newport arose and
IN substance said: ''Mr. President, am
well acquainted with Franklin d, Hale
lie Is mighty good fellow. We all know
n Henry Powell to be a mighty good au-
1ltor' We are nominating an auditor"
On the ballot which soon followed Mr.
IoWell was renominated, result, as manv
Cnought, OF MIR. Prouty's terse little speech
OF tour sentences. Two years afterwards
MI FoWell, after fourteen years of faithful
service in the office, voluntarily retired and
Mr.. Hale became his successor. His MANY
friends think that he has already held the
once long enough to demonstrate his right
10 De called good auditor as well as a GOOD
IelloW. In Vermont we are accustomed to
associate the term auditor with the duties
OF checking up and verifying the accounts
OF Others, and all may not be aware that
tne auditor OF accounts is practically the
disbursing officer of the state, through
whose hands more than half a million dol
lars passes each year. This is not in actual
cash, OF course, for he only draws his orders
on the state treasurer, and the larger part
OF these orders is drawn in discussing the
appropriations made by the legislature,
and in compliance with the common law.
Still the auditor has discretionary power to
quite an extent, and by his Judgment, firm
ness and integrity, or by the lack of these
qualities, the financial interests of the state
are affected for better or for worse.
One bill, at least, is pending before the
present legislature instructng the auditor
to draw certain orders, if in his judgment
it seems for the best interest of the state
so to do. 1t is the duty of the auditor to
settle at the close of each county court with
the county clerks and sheriffs of each coun-
ty, and to make settlements with trial JUS
tices in all cases involving expenditures by
the state. In these matters cases arise oc-
casionally where some trial justice or other
officer, through false construction of the
law or other cause, presents bills of ma
ture which ought not to be allowed. Some
of these bills may have been actually paid,
and the claimant suffers loss if not reim-
bursed, but the auditor, if he does his duty,
is guided solely by the law, and rejects all
claims not fully authorized by it, These
rejected claims are usually carried to the
legislature, referred to the committee on
claims, and heard by them in the office of
the auditor who acts in the capacity of
counsel for the state. If the claim is IA
just one in his opinion, although one that
the law did not authorize him to meet in
his official capacity, he interposes no OBJ
lection. If he deems it an unjust claim he
freely expresses his opinion, and almost
always the committee report adversely.
Often times claims rejected by one legisla'
ture are brought before the next succeed
ing one, and this practice would doubtless
be very largely on the increase but for the
knowledge that the state auditor stands on
guard in full possession of all the facts.
Steam Boilers and Steam Engineers.
The house bill creating a state board of
steam boiler inspectors and requiring all
persons operating stationary engines and
steam boilers to pass an examination be-
fore the board and receive a license before
being allowed to continue their work is be-
ginning to attract attention. The bill pro
yides that the inspectors shall be assigned
to different districts, hold meetings at
points to be selected and grant licenses to
those passing sui able examination for the
term of one year only, the fee to be 81 for
the first certificate and 80 cents for each
renewal. Any person violating any of the
provisions of the act shall be fined not ex-
ceeding $50, or imprisoned not more than
so days, or both, in the discretion OF the
court. A hearing was held before the gen.
eral committee on this bill. last evening.