The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-21
BOUQUET or ROASTS
REPORT OF THE COMMITsPCE ON
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS AND EN-
PENDITURES.
UNIVERSITY TOUCHED UP.
BECAUSE, LIKE THE ROCHESTER,
ASYLUM, 1T DOESN'T RETURN
ITS VOUCHERS.
OTHER KICKS ON THE HOSPITAL
Books of Former Secretary of Dairy
Department Found in Exceed
inEIy Bad Shape.

Chairman McGill of the committee
On public accounts and expenditures
submitted its final report in which at
tention is called to the fact that the
preliminary report made during Feb
ruary has already been printed. The
report sets forth that the committee
has investigated the books of the state
auditor, state treasurer, dairy and food
commissioner, boiler inspector and eX-
pert printer, and has checked up the
vouchers of the three insane hospitals
state university, state prison, state re-
formatory, state training school,
schools for the deaf, dumb, blind and
feeble-minded, superintendent of pub
lie instruction and game and fish COM
mission. The books of the auditor are
found in excellent condition, and the
system of vouchers and sub-vOUchers
heartily commended. The report, how
ever, adds:
Some of the state institutions are very lax
about returning these vouchers to the auditor,
as required by law, notably the university
which has not returned a voucher since July
81 of 1885, nearly two years. The RocheS-
ter insane asylum is also lax in this matter,
as well as several other institutions. Upwards
the state treasury by our educational char
table and correctional institutions, and the
state auditor has absolutely no check on these
disbursements only as the recelpted vouchers
are returned to him, and in many cases these
vouchers are not returned for months and
sometimes for years. Your committee is of
the opinion that the state auditor has author
ity under section 321, Statutes OF 1894, to
practically put into effect the rule requiring
receipted vouchers for all expenditures be-
fore drawing warrants for same, and it is cur
opinion that this rule would largely decrease
the probability CT mistake and largely in
crease the effectiveness of the auditors Office
The treasurers books and accounts the
committee found in excellent and accurate
condition. But the dairy commissioner comes
IN for this roast:
In going through the books of the dairy
and food commissioner we found the same
in exceedingly bad shape, showing gross
carelessness and incompetency. The former
secretary of the commission was paid large
salary to keep these books. but evidently was
net a bookkeeper. He did not attempt to
prove his work, not having made a trial bal
ance during his entire term of office. Your
committee checked up his work for the past
four years with the auditors books and
vouchers and found a large number Of i'm
proper entries and gross errors. One of the
deputies in the Office had been paid 500 more
than he was entitled TO by law. This money
has since been recovered. The secretary and
deputy, above referred to, are not now en-
ployed by the commission. We have made
the proper corrections, so that the books are
has been opened.
The steward Of the Rochester insane asylum
comes in for the following:
In checking up the vouchers of the insane
hospitals we find that large amounts OF sup
plies such as groceries, clothing boots, shoes,
ETC., are purchased outside the state, when
in many cases they could have been bought
within the state at no greater cost. This
applies principally to the Rochester insane
hospital, the outside purchases Of which as
sumo such large proportions as to make a
special investigation of them advis-
able. On Sept. 10, 1895, this hos
pital bought in Chicago 100 bar
rels of granulated sugar, amounting to some
thing over $500. There was absolutely no
occasion to go to Chicago to make this pur-
of sugar delivered the same in all retail
centers of the United States and allow the
dealer a stated commission. In some cases
in making purchases special brands Of goods
were specified and nothing else is acceptable
and competition Is shut out. There is a
great deal OF complaint about the treatment
accorded to the merchants Of the state by
the steward of this hospital. 1t is claimed
that our home merchants in many cases do
not get a fair show.
Your committee took some fifty vouchers
for goods bought outside the state in differ
ent lines to the wholesale merchants in St.
Paul, and found that in no case were the
prices paid any less than the same quality
of goods could have been bought for in the
state, and in many cases they were higher.
We also found what seemed to be a great
extravaganza in the purchase Of large guam
hospital, as shown by a bill paid June 20