The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-09
BLAL0CK'S COMMITTEE BUSY.
THE GOVERNOR EXPLAINS THE
METHODS OF HIS OFFICE.

From There the Committeeman Go
to the Office of Controller General
Wright-Every Item Passed Upon
by Four or Five Men and They
Must he in Collision Before the
state Can He RObbed-The Com
mittee Attacks the Tax Depart
ment and Then Begins to wade
Through the Entire Civil List.
Atlanta. Ga, s.-The Blalock legislative
committee got down to business this morn
ing. They first visited the governor, who
explained the financial system in his Office
and that Of the other state departments
He assured the committee that he stood
ready to give them any assistance in his
power He said: The warrant clerk ex-
amines each item as he makes out the
warrant, and then it is brought to me
After my approval. the warrant goes to
the controller general and from him to the
treasurer. Thus every item is passed upon
by four men, after il leaves the depart
ment in which the expenditure originated
The controller general and the treasurer
keep separate detailed records of the ex-
pendltures, and these are published in
pdupHiet or DOCK form.
The superintendent of the lunatic asy-
lum makes a detailed report of expendl-
lures to this office once a month. This has
been the custom for some time and those
reports are on file here. By the act of the
last legislature the Georgia school for the
deaf and the academy for the blind make
similar reports. This provision was made
at my suggestion, because l did not like
to be paying out money once a month
without KDnuTinqr vi Ia
reports and the other records of the de-
partment are accessible to YOU"
The committee next went to the office
Of Controller General Wright, where the
investigation began in earnest The COVER
nor's office was at the time the main OBJ
Ject Of investigation, but some of its af-
tairs are so interviewer with other depart
ments that, without examining them, 1t
would be impossible to pass Judgment on
II. The controller told the committee that
before there could be an illegal payment
OF money under the system adopted by
the state, five officials must necessarily
be in collusion-the governor, his warrant
clerk. the controller his bookkeeper, and
the treasurer.
The committee then undertook the big
job Of wading through the details of the
tax department of the same office, and
then attacked the entire civil list The
salaries of the state officials, already low
under the constitution of 1877, cid not
so far as is known, draw any great deal
OF condemnation, but the committee is
said to have very severely discussed the
expenditure for ice
On former occasion, a committee of
investigation visited the office of the late
Secretary of State Barnett. The secre-
tary, whose honesty was proverbial, was
informed that they were after him with
sharp stick. ION what account?'' he
very seriously inquired. Because" re.
piled Secretary of the Senate Bill Harris.
who was a noted wag, in manipulating
the great seal, you use entirely too much
wax"
An official, who is being investigated,
said to-day that he thought the investi-
cation of the highest service to the state
II no mismanagement was found it was
well to know 1t, and If msmanagement
was found, II was well to know that. too.
The committee is now at work on the
contingent fund