The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-02
IN "A REUBEN" STYLE.
Accounts Audited in the State
Auditors Office
WITH 4 CHEAP RUBBER STAMP.

Asa Consequence state Officials E1n0
That They Are short in the Amoun..
nua Tbem-Au Old Evil That Needs
Correcting.
When the new state officers went to
draw their first salary yesterday, or the
part due them for the latter half OF Jan
uary they made discovery.
They discovered that all the money
due them wasn't there. That is, that
their predecessors had overdrawn their
accounts and that the appropriations
made by the legislature two years ago
for the succeeding two years, had oeen
worked down much lower than tney
should have been ooo
The salary of the governor IS $5,OUO
year. and the legislature two years ago
made an appropriation of $6OO0 Tor tnas
purpose. When Gov Morrill, went 10
the treasurer's office with his voucher
yesterday he discovered that the appro-
nriation had been overdrawn, and that
Gov Lewelling instead of drawing out
$4,000 during the last two years had ex-
ceeded that amount by just $50.
Private Secretary Bristow also made
discovery. He learned to his sorrow
that Fred Close had overdrawn to the
amount of $5335.
The other three clerks in the COVER
nor's office faced a com bined shortage OF
s53, and the clerks in the Office OF the
secretary Of state found themselves short
$50 altogether.
The account of almost every employe
under the last administration was found
to be overdrawn, some of them just one
days salary, but they were all IN 1t to-
gether and all because the state of Kan
sas has in practice bad system Of audit
ing.
1t is well known fact to people hav-
ing business with the state that it is an
old established custom of the auditors
office to audit all bills, claims and ac-
counts with a rubber stamp.
1t is generally supposed that it is an
auditors business to go into every claim
and account presented and see if it is just
and proper in every detail before he ap-
proves it. And then approve it with an
actual signature, not by stamp which
any one can use.
If this had been done Governor Lew
cling and his subordinates would not
have overdrawn their accounts, unless by
a plot to rob the state. charge which
no one makes.
Their vouchers were simply made out
little too large month by month until
the entire shortage was made.
If there had been correct system OF
auditing accounts, DR.. Dykes and the
members of the state board of health
would never have gotten hold of that
$4,000 of the cholera fund" which they
squandered
If it had not been for the watchful-
ness Of the newspaper reporters and state
Treasurer Biddle, the other $4,000 of
that fund would have gone before there
was any opportunity to make protest
in the courts, but the system of auditing
accounts in the state auditors office de-
serves no credit in saving money to the
people of the state.
The loose, slip shod way of auditing
must not be charged up as a Populis
evil, as the Populist auditor found things
running, in just that way, when he wen
into Office and they had been running the
same way for years and years.
The state has not lost any great amour
of money, but it is now high time Their,
was some genuine reform inaugurated.
There is a large enough force in thu
auditors Office to do all the work of tina
department. and Auditor Cole should
make a record for himself by changing
the system at once. The rubber STAMP
auditing should stop.