, 1900-12-11
AUDITORS RECOMMENDATIONS

AUDITORS RECOMMENDATIONS.
State Auditor Leroy Grant makes
some recommendations which are
worthy of the careful and favorable
consideration at the next legislature.
He says that 'durint he past two
years the state has shown a remark
able advance in a financial way. The
last report of this ohice showed an oy-
erdraft on the general fund. Septem-
Der 30th, 1898, of s. ,6SS.O1. On the
srst Of January, 1899. this amount had
increased to $22.977.75. The legisla-
ture Of 1899, meeting in January of that
year, was called upon to face the de
fciency. During that session m
Gus measures for increasing the reve-
nue. of the state were presented and
all of them failed to receive the ncces-
sary majority to become laws. Had
1t not been for the money on hand in
the land funds, and which became
available in January, the warrants of
the state would have been at a dis
count.
Il have the pleasure, however. to
state that at the time of making this
report, there remains a balance to the
credit of the general fund of ~S22,3O4.43,
necessary excuses up to Jan. /, 1901.
This Is a very Creditable condition of
affairs when We take into Considera-
ton the appropriation of SIS. 900. 90 for
the payment Of bounties on predatory
wild animals, and the appropriation of
SIS, 100000 for the payment of the John
o county claim-both of these hav-
ing been paid from the revenues of the
past two years, and the warrants of
the state having been kept at par.
In order that the revenues of the
state may be further augmented. |
urgently recommend that the legisla-
ture at the coming season enact n law
that will place a tax Upon car trans
portation companies. Such n law Is
now in force in the state of Colorado,
and is proving very beneficial. 1t is n
well known fact that n large portion
OF the railroad trains passing through
the state are made up of cars not own
ed by the railroad company. but con-
sist of cars owned by fruit t~ransporta-
ton companies foreign to the state.
1t is right and just that these compa-
MES bear their proportion Of taxes.
THE state constitution expressly
provides that all common carriers
shall be taxed upon their franchises.
Along this line | will suggest that such
legislation be enacted as will compel
all Of the express companies now op-
Grating in the state to pay a tax upon
the amount of business done.
Under the present state law gov
erning the admission of guaranty and
surety companies | desire to call your
attention to the fact that this office
has no direct authority to collect from
such corporations the taxes and fees
imposed upon fire and life insurance
companies. l respectfully recommend
the enactment of a law giving the in
urance commissioner power to collect
from guaranty and surety companies
a tax OF two and one-half per cent up
on the gross premiums received with
in the state. and that the fee for ad-
mission to do business in Wyoming be
fixed at $4,000, with an annual fee of
$500, and that each agent be reauir- |
&c to pay an annual fee of one dollar.
Our state has nc law governing the |
admission of fraternal insurance asso-
Citations doing business under the |
lodge system. 1t is strongly urg.
ed that a suitable law be pass
ed placing all such associations
under the jurisdiction of the insurance
commissioner, and that these associa-
lions be required to file annually a
statement showing their financial con-
dition, charging a small fee. and pro-
viding certain requirements for admis.
sion. Unless some action is taken in
regard to this matter. 1t will be only a
short time until our state will be ov-
errun with fake associations, which
In the state long enough to Sc
cure a small membership and then re-
to pay their obligations.
"The past year several OF the county
ofdcers have experienced difficulty in
service upon insurance COM
or their agents. While our
present law provides that every In
gurance company shall appoint attor-
leys for service, wherever an agency
, established, many Of the companies {
% not establish agencies, and in con- Z
squsncs they are not compelled to ap. Z