The age-herald., 1899-05-27
GOVERNMENT OF
 OUR ISLANDS
Offices of Auditor, Assistant and Treasurer for Each
 Possession.

Washington, May 26-On May 8, Presi-
 dent Mckinley issued the following execu-
 tive order not heretofore published for the
 government of the islands, which came
 under control of the United States govern-
 ment as a result of the war with Spain: Executive Mansion, "Washington, D. C., May 8, 1S9S
 "By virtue of the authority vested in mo as the ommander-in-chief of the army
 and navy of the United States. I hereby
 order and direct that during the mainten-
 ance of the military government by the
 United States in the Island of Cuba and all
 islands in the West Indies west of the 74th
 0egree, west longitude, evacuated by Spain,
 there are hereby created and shall be main-
 tained the offices of auditor for auditing
 the accounts of the department of customs,
 and one assistant auditor for auditing the
 accounts of the department of postofices
 who shall be appointed by the secretary of
 war and whose duties shall be to audit all
 accounts of the islands.
 There is hereby created and shall be
 maintained the office of treasurer of the
 islands which shall be filed by the appoint
 ment thereto of officer of the regular
 army of the United States. The treasurer
 of the islands shall receive and keep all
 monies arising from revenues of the islands and shall dsburse or transfer the same only upon warrants issued by the
 auditor of the islands and countersigned
 by the governor-general. All rules and in- strucuons necessary to carry into effect the provisions of executive orders relating
 to said islands shall be issued by the sec-
 retary of war.
 (Signed) CIVILIAN M'KINLEY"
 A similar order was issued substituting Porto Rico and another substituting the
 Philippines for Cuba, so that all the groups
 are to be identical as to government.
 Assistant Secretary Meikejohn, who has n hn of ir1C11 11n. partment, conferred with the secretary of the treasury as to the best method of carry ing out the order, and after careful con- sideration decided that the islands shall be kept autonomous, and that all affairs shall be under the direct control of the governor general.
 The government of the islands their finances and officers will be wholly under the control of the military governor until congress shall otherwise provide. The off, clals in responsible positions will all be army officers.
 Mr Meikeljohn has prepared specific rules and regulations governing the islands and for the guidance of the officers. These pro- vide that the auditor and assistant auditor shall examine and settle all accounts per- taining to the revenue receipts and ex- penditures; one assistant auditor to have charge of the postal and other customs and other moneys.
 The auditor shall issue another signal warrant for money for the approval of the governor general. All agents or officers | who receive money are to pay the full l amounts monthly to the auditor. Within l ten days from the end of each month the | auditor shall forward a complete report to the secretary of war.
 The treasurer shall keep separate ac- count of receipts, classifying them as cus- | toms, postal, internal and miscellaneous. | The accounts shall be kept in the money | of the United States and receipts in for | eign coin shall be reduced to United States money.
 The treasurer is also required to submit | report to the secretary of war ten days | after the end of each month. The treas l urer, who will be army officer shall | give bond for the faithful performance of | his duties.
 The governor general is requested to | make an examination quarterly or oftener l If deemed expedient, of the books and ac- l counts of the auditor and treasurer and submit his report to the secretary of war. The governor general, in passing upon requiSttions for money, may return the same to the auditor and state what changes
 are necessary to secure his approval. He
 will be absolute master of the expendl- | lures in his government.
 Any person dissatisfied with the action l Of the auditor in the settlement of any &C., count may appeal within one year to the | governor general If the governor general 1 shall sustain the action of the auditor, the | whole case shall be referred to the secre- | tary of war, whose instructions shall be | final.
 The object of the order and the instruc- | tlons is to keep the accounts of the island | wholly separate from each other and from | the other accounts of the treasury Of the United States.
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