Evening star., 1899-06-13
USED A PRIVATE CAR
Expenses Of Managers Of the National
Soldiers Home Disputed.
DEALL0WED BY THE AUDITOR
Review of the Case by Assistant
Controller Mitchell.
MAKES SOME CRITICISMS
M AXES SOME CRITICISMS

L. P. Mitchell, the assistant controller of
the treasury, today rendered an opinion on
a subject which will likely prove somewhat
prolific of talk and possible criticism, and
which will interest at least every ex-Union
soldier in the country.
The decision of the controller gives the
history of the case as it proceeds. The case
is that of the board of managers for the
National Home for Disa bled Volunteer Sol
diers. The assistant controller says:
The National Home for Disabled Volun-
teer Soldiers, by its president, Gen. w. B.
Franklin, appeals from the action of the
auditor for the War Department in disal-
lowing vouchers for the hiring of private
car for use of the board of managers from
Chicago, ILL.,, to the Pacific branch located
at Los Angeles Cal, and return from
June Is to July 4, 1897
The objections of the auditor are as fol-
lows: This amount, suspended in settle
ment J450, is now disallowed in connection
with voucher 1856 present settlement The
expenses of the board of managers in
CURED while in the performance of it's du-
lles as manager, are repaid under the
appropriation act of August 1S, 1894 which
provides that the travelling and other actual
expenses of a member incurred while upon
business of the home may be reimbursable
TO such member. There does not appear
to be any authority vested in the board of
managers to expend money appropriated
Tor travel expenses of the board of man
ayers, their officers and employees in Sc
curing private car and paying for it and
for their transportation therein, at a rate
far in excess of their travelling and other
actual expenses, had they individually
made use of the ordinary comfortable facil-
ities for travelling, and been indiVidua..y re-
imbursed therefor in the manner evidently
contemplated by the act above men
toned"
General FrankIin's Contentious.
In his appeal from Auditor Browns de-
cision General Franklin contends:
l. That the board of managers is the
sole judge of the propriety and reasonable
ness of travelling expenses incurred by the
managers in connection with their official
duties, subject only to the supervision and
approval of the Secretary of War
'2 That as the Secretary of War has ap-
proved this expenditure both before and
after the special car was hired, this is no
longer a question open for review by the
accounting officers of the treasury but
must be allowed by them.
3. That the practice of hiring special cars
for such trips as this was well known, and
accounts including such expenditures have
been repeatedly passed by the accounting
officers, so that precedent has been Gre
ated which is binding upon the accounting
officers and warranted the members of the
board in assuming that these expenditures
would be passed by the Treasury Depart
ment as similar former ones had been.
-. That as a matter of fact this travel
was reasonable expense and saved both
time and money to the government under
the circumstances of this case.
I'VE further contend that the auditor errs
in stating that such travelling expenses are
repaid under the appropriation act of Au-
gust 1S, 1894, and maintain that such ex-
penses are paid by virtue of the authority
given in section 3 of the act of March u,
1856 incorporating the home
Mr.. Mitchell Reviews the Case.
Assistant Controller Mitchell then goes on
to review the case. He says in part:
1.-The question upon which the appeal has
been taken is for the hire of a special car
for the transportation of the board of
managers in their annual visit to the var
ious branches of the home, and especially
to the Laavanworth and Pacific branches.
For the purpose of making this round trip,
the managers hired Pullman car at Chi
cago, and Travelled via Leavenworth, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, and. returned via
San Francisco to Chicago. The cost of the
car was as follows: For fifteen round-trip
tickets, s1,65o; extra for Pullman car and
service, S925; total for transportation, ST.
5I5. Commissary supplies purchased for
meals enroute, s23O.T. a grand total of
$2,SO5.77.
The trip consumed eighteen and a half
days. The following persons occupied the
car and were subsisted therein:
Managers Franklin. Mcmahon, Anderson
and Henderson. and General Treasurer Bir-
mingham and Mr. Patrick, clerk Manager
Brown Travelled from Chicago to Leaven-
worth, and Manager Barrett Travelled in the
car from Los Angeles to San Friucisco
colonel Brown, inspector general, United
States army, Travelled In the car from Leav-
enworth, Kansas, to Los Angeles, Califor-
mia.
The following private persons were
TRANSPORTED and SuhSiSte6 bo
trip:
Mrs Anderson, Mrs. Henderson, Miss
Henderson, MeSsrs. Cantor Weiser
Bridges and Engard.
General Treasurer Birmingham has
claimed and paid himself mileage at seven
cents per mile, deducting therefrom s255 -
Wnlch mas been assumed to be his propor-
ton OF the expenses of the car and sup
plies.
'Col. Brown has been paid mileage and
has refunded S9O.36 as his proportion of the
the party.
THE private persons above mentioned re-
funded s122, IS for their subsistence on the
round trip.
s05.11 refunded by Birmingham, $3.50. 10;
refunded by Brown, $90.96; refunded by pri-
vate persons $122.1s Total, S46s.s9 Net
expense of car, etc. from Chicago to Los
Angeles and return, S2,336.SS
Contentious of the Board.
ou tIlS QucSllOi Tie DOdFu cOuteuUS.
''In the performance of their duties 1t has
been the custom of the board, since 1887,
to hire a special car, when going through
to make an inspection of the branch home
in southern California; as the gentlemen
composing the board past the prime of
life and accustomed to all the comforts Of
life, it would seem that they are entitled to
make this travel in the way most agreeable
to them, in view Of the fact that they
serve gratuitously, and that the President
and the chief justice of the United States
are memebers of the board and may possi-
bly, accompany it on these trips of inspec-
ton. 1t could hardly be expected that they
should travel in the ordinary parlor and
sleeping cars, provided for public accom-
mediation. Furthermore, this custom is
proper not merely for the comfort and con-
venience of the members, but also because
this car, in addition to being their hotel is
for the time being a moving office where
meetings are daily held by the members for
the purpose of the discussion and consider
alton of matters connected with the man.
agement of this great institution.
Frequently the homes In the middle west
and Kansas are visited en- route to the
California branch and 1t is the custom OF
the members to arrange meetings with con-
tractors nd OIL riI,