Evening star., 1899-06-13
opinion as to the necessity or expediency OF

opinion as to the necessity or expediency of
particular expenditure, =
This method of travel should not, how.
ever, be made the vehicle for the trans
portation OF persons not entitled to, be
2se2risa ses "a. Il es tes sA4fAss E. 81 ths a,tsa
eliminating therefrom all items of expense
for which the United States is not liable
Vouchers for the travelling expenses OF
the board Of managers, as well as Of other
persons, on business of the home, should
be itemized as far as practicable, and be
stated 80 as to show all essential facts nec-
essary to an Intelligent audit.
THE right or propriety Of Treasurer sBir-
mingham and Inspector General Brown
charging mileage, after having been fur
nished at the expense of the government
everything for which mileage Is commu-
tation, is open to serious question. If al
lowed to do SO no good reason Is seen why
their numerical proportion of the entire ex-
pense of the car should not be deducted.
l am Of opinion, however, that they have
no right to mileage under these circum-
stances, but inasmuch as 1t is understood
that such charges have heretofore been al
lowed by the auditor, and as my present
view Is a change Of construction, these
vouchers will be allowed, and a different
course will be followed in future
1T remains now to discuss some other
expenditures in this account Of the treas
urer.
In view Of the act of August Is. 1894
supra, the travelling expenses of the board
meet
ings of the board should, as far as practi-
cable, be stated In such form as to show
that the travel was on the business of the
home. The regula tions of all the depart-
ments of the government provide that per-
sons travelling at the expense and on the
business of the United States shall be AL
lowed their actual expenses by the usually
travelled routes upon proper orders. and
! see no reason why this rule should he
deviated from. Where it is shown hv
vouchers In the account now under revision
that the shortest usually Travelled route has
not been taken by persons travelling under
authority of the home, and expenses are
incurred in excess of the regular fares on
railroads and on sleeping cars by a direct
route, such expenses, unless the necessity
for the same fully appear, will be disaIlow-
ed. q Comp. Dec, 544; l Comp. Dec, 1917
Tie item Of $163.15 for which credit is
claimed in the accounts for the travelling
expenses of an attendant from Chicago to
New York and return to Los Angeles Cal
appears to have been expended in behalf of
the general treasurer of the home, who. It
seems, met with an accident during his alb
sence with the board of managers, and II
was deemed necessary to bring an atten-
dant from the Pacific branch at Los An
geles to nurse him from there to New
York This expense is one that Is entirely
personal to the treasurer of the home, and
is not proper charge against the United
states. know of no law authorizing the
payment of such bill as the one under
discussion. Persons in the employ of the
government In a civil capacity who become
Ill or incapacitated while in the perform
ance OF duty through an accident can have
no claim on the United States for any ex-
penses Incurred for the purchase of med
1clnes or for the services of nurse or at
tendant. The voucher must be disallowed"