The age-herald., 1898-12-07
REPORT ON THE
 AUDITORS OFFICE Assistant Examiner COWan DiSClOCtS Some
 Interesting Facts. MOST SALIENT FEATURES Relate to the DOinSS Of the Last Leg
 iSlatuPe.
SOME MEMBERS DREW MILEAGE
Under Law-In Other Respects Report is Splendid Compli-
 ment to Auditor White

Montgomery, December 6.-(Special.)- James G. Cowan, assistant examiner of public accounts, has filed with the gover- nor his report on the office of State Audi tor White.
 The salient feature of the report refers to the doings of the last legislature. The ex- aminer finds that in some instances mem bers drew mileage twice and were frequent ly when serving on committees allowed to draw more pay than was authorized
 He presents the facts and figures in the following language:
 T also find that there were considerable amounts disbursed account of expenses of the last general assembly and some of the special committees who sat during the recess. According to strict construction. some of these expenses are apparently without sanction of the law. The vouchers are perfectly regular and are proper sub jects of and come within the scope of the general appropriation. made to cover the expenses of the general assembly; but the manner in which the certificates were given and the amounts of some of them seem a little irregular and are not sustained by the SN~-AAeiS VI thS lWO uOuSeS. The members or the general assembly, it's onicers, em- ployes, the special committees and the clerks thereof are given certificates signed py the president Of the senate, the secre- tary or the speaker of the house and c.erk thereof for the amounts due and the statute provides that the auditor shall draw his warrant upon the treasurer for the amounts specified therein. The auditor has no discretion in the matter Subdi- Vision 33 of article of the constitution pro- Vldes that no money shall be paid out of the treasury except upon appropriation by law.
 T find that there was paid the sum of
 $647.50 for clerical assistance to the en-
 crossing clerk of the house. The house
 journal fails to disclose any resolution
 authorizing this payment. Resolutions
 were passed authorizing the clerk and
 enrolling clerk to employ such clerical
 assistance as would enable them to ef-
 fciently discharge the duties of their
 office; but no authority seems to have
 been delegated the expressing clerk to
 employ assistance. find that one mem
 Der of the house of representatives drew
 one days pay too much-$40O'
 Drew Pay Not Entitled To
 "The following joint resolution was pass ed, That committee consisting of three senators and five representatives be ap- pointed to examine the report of the com missioner, to revise and codify the statutes, to sit during the recess of the general as- sembly, that each member of the commit tee shall receive his per diem and mileage only for the days he shall actually serve on such committee and shall select two clerks at such salaries as they may deter mine, provided said salary does not exceed s4.00 per day. Under this resolution the committee assembled in Montgomery De- cember 16. 1896. selected the secretary of the zI% -lr q, said committee and proceeded to business. On December 23 the committee recessed until the 18th; reassembled on that day and remained in session until January 20, when the general assembly reconvened. Upon examining the vouchers covering the expenses of this committee, I find that those of the committee present, with the exception of five days recess, drew pay from the 16th of December to the 18th of inclusive, Sundays included. The resolution provided per diem only for the days each one actually served on the com mittee I find also that all of the commit tee, with the exception of one. drew mileage again as members of the legisla- ture. find also that clerks of said com mittee were given certificates and drew pay for the entire time from December 16 to 19, including Sundays and the five days recess the committee took for the If am correct in the premises, by calculations IL VIII De seen that there were errors in disbursements on account of this committee amounting to $3s2.O0.
 No Provision for Expenses
 "The house passed a resolution authoriz- Ing the speaker to appoint committee of five, who were authorized to visit the min- ing district during the recess and report to the house after the recess, such iegisla- tion as would conduce to the greater de- velopment of the mining industries of Ala bama, etc. The resolution contained no provision for their expenses, yet the com- mittee drew A each for thirteen days ser vice, and also drew the same mileage visit ing the mines as provided by statute for their mileage to Montgomery as members of the legislature No doubt 1t was the penses should be paid, but no provision was made for the same. A resolution was passed authorizing the payment of a clerk for thirteen days. The expenses of this committee less the clerks salary were $4S5.
 Drew Unauthorized Mileage
 "A joint resolution was passed authoriz- ing the appointment of a committee con- sisting of three from the house and two from the senate to consider and report ment of property for taxation and prepare a system of revenue laws. for the state and was made in the resolution for mileage, the general assembly. No provision was made for their expenses; resolution was passed after recess authorizing payment of a clerk to said committee; the committee drew per diem $4 each for fourteen days and all of them, with the exception of one, drew mileage as such committeeman and