New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-05

THE CASE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
By an &C, passed March TO- 1879 the secretary .,
| State was paid an annual salary OF >'"' ~ n.. 80,
all other compensation. with an ALLOWANCE =, S
for clerical assistants. and 1t was pro'ided 'ha'
thereafter all fees collected by him III ""
capacity should be for the use of the Sta'r'
lie collects several classes OF fees: | h'er az. o'
March TO- 1879 he collects for the use OF inc Sa ne
fees for filing papers. issuing comms so, cnarcrv
epor, in detail under 70 be audiIe b MY t ,n9
Controller and filed with the Treasurer b rrcasur
err. under penalty Of 500 for each days neglect,
These fees from $4,000 to s2o"T per year '>'
report Of these fees has ever been nlen c..,o b,s
Annually october the Secretary OF stare na,i mas
handed check 70 the Treaur"T WHICH, o,tpr that
lars but with letter Of TRANSMISSION s,d "''
the check covered the amount 81 ices d1sis for the
use Of the State the fees Of the judges in The courts
OF which he IS clerk; of these he IS 10 h mar n
No such return has ever been maos ne e,n ma man
nually paid over sum in gross In me t, sam xsar
g. Under the supplement TO the COOPERATION ASt,
passed 1883 he collects for the use OF inc STAT
to as much sl25ocv year This act Is si'si,.
as to the time OF paying these in0"s IN ,hIic ON
| GERS who as agents Of the state, receive moneys
the duty forthwith upon recent OF tne NAH 9 hfSre anv
| time been reported for audit. hut annual pay
| ment has been made to the Treasurer, without any
| details.
NEARLY 100000 WITHOUT RECORD
Under these three acts about 10000 has been paid
into the states revenues by the Secretary of State
40 cxamina ton OF the account has ever been maze
| and there is public record thereof The only
| account seems 10 be in the private books OF the
| Secretary Of State. which contain also fees received
| by him and retained his own use. There is no
public record to show whether any particular cor
poration has paid its dues. nor anythins 70 inchc
| from whom the State has received these vast sums
| Of money. The evidence shows mat the Seore,"tS
Of State mingled the moneys win ms own n a., a.,
| use his own expression. they were aDsor"d III hls
| personal Affairs never at any time being KEPT
separate In fact they were all invested in his per
| s1nal business enterprises. the money not pe"S
At the Of the fiscal year he raised the ne'es.
! sary amounts and gave his checks 10 the state II
| has been mpractcahlc for the committee as yet 10
! maxi any thorough examination OF the accounts;
Govrs as tsg 1 9 n r3 dm vi f ht they are Of
opinion that steps should be taken 10 verify the
| " Ta h pa @2uH prP 1 i n pGynr that
tho Secretary 81 State as clerk - the Provocative
Surrogatcs w,rc required to do. receiving The same
fees therefor He has construed this act 20 allow
him 10 retain these fees Tor Ms own use !, s'"ils
tnis construction was questioned oy the .on'.9 ,
but aucrwasd be took them, ana su.l continues 10
io So The, amount to from 5000 20 son per year.
~ i, ,h'.b ,,ra,il.l maj ,hc o,rr,orv Of STATE
should receive salary of ftco FOR all his services.
Ne rccoinmcnd the passage Il an at explicitly
requiring the Secretary Of state 70 turn these fees
Whether thcy belonged 20 the state the Secrc-
,ary sworn statement shout nly s,s been made
rncnt Hhatevcr has been made since lssi-
was allowed so Ter annum for clerical assist
ants. by acts passed IN ls.3 he allowed 90 pay
duties Insurance Commissioner and IN con-
ncction with competitions. out %. the 'ccs received
| by nm. Tho testimony shows thai ~ ~" "ni -
each year Ia turning IN ~ rcs - deducted tn'rc-
10 his ofic" Adding th"s" sums e. The So" pahi
20 him annually. u appears that he has received
The cxcess beng several thousand dollars Tacsc
sums should bc returned 70 the Treasury
II is 20 be noted that although he Secretary has
relai ,, r,, '' o~. az ' a No. .,
ofucr r. thus aroears ,ha, The secre,a-y u STATE
Instead %, receiving compensation OF isoc' year.
as provided by the act - iTs. ha: Increased iha'
| hcsiics tho gains made hy the use of the states
moneys. These gains should be ascertaned nc-
The moneys collected by IN. Secretary o: state
FOR the use OF The state. althoug large IN amount.
therefore inconvcnicni 70 have each Item reported
ana AUDITED elAial'y W. t"cyn'n"n' ma th ~,
iem'zef report. o, an such ,ecs ana paymen,
| should be reported and paid over at tho close -
| each term Of court.
THOSE BANK DEPOSITS
The State Treasurer at all times has larg. bal
ances In bank. This fact afforded the opportunity
for clerk in his oflco TO privately arrange with
tho banks % Burlington County to pay interest -
the clerk for series Of years 'or political pur-
poses This irrcgularify fully disclosed before
The committee. The treasures were not personally
The LAW requires the Trcafurer TO keep tho
states funds IN bank and makes 1t his duty 70
| lend any surplus on United States siocks as col
! lateral timing his loans - ns 10 have funds 10
meet the reqIremcnts q the Treasury. No loans
have been made for many years.
! II The policy Of lending state funds Is TO remain
able sor Collateral Should be- increased as tni.d
states stock are no Longer readily obta!nabe as
the deliberate consideration Of the LEGISLATURE.
JUDICIAL FEES AND OTHER REVENUES.
Tho CLERKS Of the several courts are required to
make statement in detail and pay over quarterly
| all fees received for tho OF the State. The
Clerk in Chancery and some OF the County Clerks
have compiled with this requirement. The Clerk
Of the supreme Court has made returns each term.
! but only o: the gross amounts. giving no details.
and shoud be pr"secutci by the CONTROLLER Fines
, and forfciturcs are collected Ly sundry officers.
no proper supervision Of this subject Some agent
Of the state should be placed In charge OF The
From ne oyster fund in Cumberland County on
| NOR" than occasion the state School fund
should have received payment OF ,s.oJ) but
nothing has been collected
SPECIAL. STATE BOARDS.
Tho multiplication OF special bureaus has led to
| largely Increased expenditures Some OF these
| bureaus were experimental and are 81 doubtful
| utility. The Board Of Arbitration was shown TO
have been cxirayaeani In It's charges against the
| State The allowances for services and travelling
| expenses were apparently made up with the In
t'uiiOu Of getting as much as possible out or IN"
| Treasury. Ten cents per mile was charged To the
State by members who were travelling on free
| passes. Numerous meetings 81 the board were
| held at Trenton for the avowed purpose OF In
nuencing legislation. the state paying tle travelling
EXPENSES. hotel bills and per diem allowances OF
| the members and clerk while engaged. Con-
venicnccs for the private use Of the members wero
| charged 10 the state.
Tho legislature has already reorsanlzed this
| board and changed the rate Of compensation. We
| understand. however. that questions have lately
arisen under the new act as TO allowances FOR 'x-
| pcnscs. ana recommend that all doubts be
| sci rest by supplemental act. Several
thousand dollars year have been saved ana
| better service secured.
The Bureau OF Statistics OF Labor and Industries
is becoming expensive. The mere printing OF
It's report costs about 5000 Work OF this sort TO
be valuable requires the exercise OF peculiar talents
| OF a high order. and a discriminating judg
mcnt. Moreover the facts should be collated
from a wider field than that afforded by this state
| alone and lrsat organization IL necessary. This
work Is being done by the Federal Govern
! m.nt, and sufficient reason for con
! tinuing the bureau In this state. We recommend
| be abolished. This VIII $ll.vD year.