The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-08
NEARBY NEED NOT SIGN
CLAUSE THAT HE SHOULD COUN-
TERsIGN DEFEATED
Charter Commission Probing System
of City BOOkkeeping-Nir. Lin
.del<e Thinks Capt. McCardy Ex-
poets toe Retire From the Comp
trOllership Some Day.

1t was quiz class on bookkeeping.
| the session of the charter commission
| last night.
Col. w. p. Clough was the chief in
| quisitor. Capt. J. j. McCardy, the comp
troller of the citys finances, assisted,
| and bothered Col. Clough. w. H. Light
| ner made some amendments to the
chapter ON the city's finances that will
save litigation if adopted.
Chapter 5. which covers the sub
ject of the citys finances, was under
| consideration. 1t contains ten titles
The first title comprises twenty -one
sections. The commission disposed of
fourteen of these sections last evening.
and then adjourned until tonight.
There was an unusually substantial
attendance. Messrs. Butler, O'Brien,
Fetter and Clark being the only alb
| SenteeS
Col w. P Clough, the chairman Of
the committee on the financial chapter
| presented it to the commission.
Col Clough explained at the outset
! that the dominant idea was to consolj-
! date the treasury and the accounting
| departments. The accounting depart
| ment was, after all, the great depart
ment. The taking in and paying out
of money constituted a mere cashier
| ship. 1t had been the effort Of the COM
mittee to simplify the method, by pro-
| viding for but one set of accounts and
accountants, and yet provide for all the
checks that a double system of books
insured
Then Col. Clough moved the adoption
of section /, which maRes the city
| comptroller the head of the accounting
! department.
Mr. Lindeke objected to including the
water department in the section. The
| present system worked we'll enough.
! The water department received larger
! amount of money than any other de-
| partment.
| The section was ADOPTED after another
| argument as to whether the city ought
| also to be designated as "the indie
| pendent school district of the city of
| st. Paul"
| Sections two, three and four, pre-
| scribing certain duties Of the city
| comptroller, were adopted without dis
| cussion.
| But Col Clough met with opposition
when he read the next section (No s.
! 1t proposed that the comptroller should
countersign for all moneys received by
| the city treasurer. In other words.
every receipt of money by the city
must be signed by the city comptrol-
| Ter as we'll as the city treasurer.
| This seemed to be more than even
Comptroller McCardy bargained for.
| "Such a provision would mean a du-
| plication of work." remarked Capt
McCardy,' without any provision for
| additional clerk hire in the comptrol-
! lers Office
| The proposition that the comptroller
| should countersign the receipts for all
| moneys paid to the city did not meet
with general favor
Would you sign receipt unless
you saw the money!" inquired Judge
| Lusk Of the comptroller.
| mo sir!' was Macs reply.
| mot even if you could charge the
treasurer with it?"
| IT wouldn't sign it unless I saw the
money" rejoined McCardy.
| At this stage it became apparent that
| Col Clough and his committee had
| framed up more functions for Comp
! troller McCardy than he cared to be
burdened with.
Col. Clough insisted that the city
| treasurer was a mere cash keeper, that
all receipts for money should originate
| in the comptroller's Office. and that
| that department should have charge of
all account books After all the offices
of the city comptroller and city treas
urer were one Nothing but single
door, which might be taken off it's
| hinges, separated them. The assess
ment roll could be picked up and car
ried from the treasurer's to the comp
CrOlerS once nanOlly enough.
| After a further lyceum debate on
bookkeeping, Mr.. Lightner moved to
| strike out that portion of Section 5
! which required the city comptroller to
| counterSign receipts for all moneys re-
| ceived by the city.
/ Col. Clough hoped the motion would
not prevail.
| In speaking for the motion, Commits
sioner Lindeke said:
g no ri b,oc
| gathered his experience from the rail-
road business. Judging from what he
| has said tonight, he is certainly not
| familiar with the mercantile business.
1 don't know of a mercantile house
| that requires two Of it's employees to
| sign a receipt and deliver it to it's
customers.
eff we must simplify this thing" con-
| tinued Mr.. Lindeke, why not have the
| city comptroller take in the money
| instead Of the treasurer?
| ''Of course, gentlemen" concluded
| Mr.. Lindeke. when I speak of city Off
| Gals, nothing personal is intended.
Capt. McCardy is comptroller now.
| but he certainly can't expect to hold
| the office for a life time"
| Capt. McCardy maintained a prudent
| silence, except to say that the proposed
| amendment would put a great deal
| more work on the comptroller's office.
| Mr.. Lightner's motion, that that por-
ton Of the section requiring the city
comptroller to countersign all receipts,
| be stricken out, was then carried by a
| vote Of six to five. The vote was as
| follows:
Yeas-Innis. Krieger, Lightner Lin
| deke, Lusk, McNair. Nays-Alness.
| Clough, Dean, Horn. Murray.
! Section 5 was then adopted as were
sections 6, 7, 8, 9. 10, IL, II, 13 and IA.
Section was amended so as to pro-
vide for the settlement Of claims
against the city founded on contract.
| The commission then adjourned until
| tonight.
| The chapter governing the police de-
| partment was completed by the adop
| ton of the section providing for the
number of officers.
| 1t limits the force of officers to one
| captain, four lieutenants, ten sergeants
| and four detectives.