Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-08
His References to the Advances to
Disbursing Officers.
REMEDIAL LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED
Indications That the Consular Es-
tabIishment is SeIf-Supporting.
THE LIBRARIANS ACCOUNTS

Mr.. Holcomb, auditor for the State and
other departments, submitted his annual
report today, giving a full and detailed
statement of the accounts of the diplomatic
| and consular service, the Department of JUS
tice and the Agricultural Department. He
says that the new system has generally
worked satisfactorily, and the objects which
it was designed to accomplish have been, in
the main, attained
Advances to Disbursfng Officers.
The auditor alludes to the unsatisfactory
condition of the law applying to the bonds
of dsbursing officers, and cites the case of
the District Commissioners. "The large ad-
vances," he says, necessarily made to the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
for the payment of expenses involved in the
administration Of large city cause an
average balance against the Commissioners
of more than a half million dollars. The
bond of each of two of the Commissioners is
| in the comparatively small sum of $4,000.
while the third Commissioner, being an
army officer, is not required to give any
bond. 1t can be said, however, of the Com
missioners that the system of disbursing
their funds reduces to a minimum the
danger of any loss In the cases of the three
disbursing officers of Congress it is claimed
that very large advances are necessary, and
the Indebtedness of these officers varies
from $4,000 to 100000, while the bonds in
| other for $4,000
Legislation Recommended.
In view of the facts presented, he sug-
gests that Congress be recommended to
provide by law % that every disbursng
officer shall give bond in an amount which
shall exceed, say by p per cent as in the
case of the public printer, all advances that
may be deemed necessary. and to prohibit
the advance, in any case, of any sum which
will create an Indebtedness in excess Of the
limit fixed; and C2) that there shall be add
ed to the salary of the officer appointed a
certain amount for every thousand dollars
Of security required, SO that the inequality
and injustice above referred to shall not
continue.
Consular Establishment Sclf-Sustuin-
ing.
The settlements of consular accounts for
the fiscal year show a large increase over
the preceding year of official fees received
to wit slS0353 S5, and the excess of ex-
penditures in the consular service over
receipts was during the year only $780,
567.92, as against $237 ,0G6G2 for the fiscal
year 1894. The indications are now that
the receipts during the current year will
exceed the expenditures and thus make
the consular establishment self-supportinS
"A recommendation is made that Congress
make provision for the relief of American
seamen shipwrecked on the coast of Alaska
similar to the provision for such cases in
foreign countries. The report says the ac-
counts of F. J. Kieckhoefer, disbursing
clerk of the State Department. have been
adjusted, but makes no reference to the
recent investigation.
Librarian Spofford's Accounts,
Auditor Hclcomb makes the following
statement in regard to the accounts oe the
librarian of Congress:
Section 1918 of the Revised Statutes pre-
scribes that the librarian of Congress shall
urder the supervision of the joint commit
tee of Congress On the library, perform all
acts and duties required by law touching
copyrights. and shall have the immediate
care and supervision of all records and
other things relating thereto. Copyrights
are granted for books, maps, charts
dramatic or musical compositions, engray-
ings, cuts. photographs or negatives there
Of paintings, drawings, chromos, statles
stationery, etc. The act of March 3, ISL
greatly Increases the duties of the Office
while the steady growth of the great IL
brary has added daily to the duties of the
librarian. apart from the copyright bust
ness. This involves a large amount Of
work, If the prescribed duties are properly
performed.
Present System Bad.
Among the duties of the librarian of Con-
gress is that of rendering to this office his
accounts :or receipts Of copyright fees,
which average considerably over 500 daily
The rendering of these accounts has been
greatly delayed, and an examination into
the matter made during the year has made
it plain that the present system does not
secure the best results either for the govern
ment or the general public.
THE librarian claims that the multitude of
his duties and an Inadequate clerical force
are responsible for the trouble. Whatever
be the cause, a remedy should be found, and
I would respectfully suggest, solution
of the difficulty, that Congress be recon-
mended to separate the duties of register of
copyrights from those of librarian of Con-
gress, enacting such laws would promote
the interests of the public in securing prompt
action in copyright matters and would at
the same time protect the interests of the
government in securing prompt returns of
moneys received from copyright fees
Two COurts-Martial.