The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-10
DOING SOME DIGGING
GEN. POPE INVESTIGATING THE
ACCOUNTS OF SOME STATE
INSTITUTIONS
THE STAR CHAMBER BOARDS
That Heretofore Bills Have Been
Covered Up State Auditor Dunn's
Watchfulness Saves Many Ex-
pendftures - Representative of
One Institution Is Explaining.

An evil growing out of the practice
| OF nearly all the state boards Of hold
ing star chamber sessions is just COM
ing to light in connection with an ir-
vestigatfon that is being made. These
sessions have been yelled from the pub
! lie under one pretense or another, that
most usually given being that 1t is
| an Old-time custom that should b.,
kept up.
| This star chamber way of doing bust
| ness proves in the light of late de-
veiopements. to be a matter of vital
| Importance to the tax payers of the
state. All bills are passed upon during
these executive sessions of the boards,
| and in the aggregate they represent the
| expenditure OF over a million dollars
Bills come to the state auditors Office
for approval, but the state auditor has
| no direct knowledge Of the merit OF
the bills, except as he takes the O. K.
| OF these bodies, who are so afraid of
| publicity that they find it necessary
to transact all of the business with
! the utmost secrecy.
| MT. Dunn has been at war with at
least two of the state institutions con-
| tfnuaily since he made cast-iron rule
| requiring receipted vouchers for every
item of expense. This rule went into
| effect over a year ago. He has had
| other boards at other times On the
anxious seat because he wouldn't audit
| some Of their bills that he didn't think
proper expenditures
| The method of auditing bills is not
alone one that has been a bone of con-
| tent1or between the state auditor. and
| some OF these star chamber boards
| but the method of accounting tc the
state for public moneys collected by
| the eleven state institutions has been
a matter which has not been satisfac-
! tory in all cases TO the state auditor
although he has seen that the Law has
been compiled with as nearly as he
could
The statutes regulating the manner
| In which payments shall be made to
the state by the officials Of the state
boards. with two exceptions, say that
| al accounting must be made quarterly.
The exceptions are the state prison and
| the state reformatory. A change in
| this respect is said to be necessary, as
an accounting should be made to the
state monthly.
The methods Of a number of the
| state boards led to an investiga ton,
which is now being made by Bank
Examiner Pope, and it is said to be
| probable that Gov, Lind will send a
| special message to the Legislature en-
| bodyfng the facts in connection with
the investigation, and suggestions as
| " ocSifeu ClidHSSS III the netnOO OF
accounting by the state boards
+ While no specific charge has been
made that the state has lost amy
money, it is, perhaps, significant that
the representative of the governing
body of one of the state educational in
| situations has been called upon and
spent day with State Auditor Dunn
and Bank Examiner Pope explaining
| the reported expenditures and condi-
! ton of the funds.
Mr.. Pope intends to make a thorough
| investigation of the inner workings of
| all the boards, having to do with the
auditing Of public accounts. That the
! governor is not satisfied with the pres
! ent system is very certain, as it has
| been stated that the bank examiner is
pursuing his inquiry under the direc-
ton of Gov. Lind.