The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-15
ON A SYSTEMATIC BASIS
PUBLIC EXAMINER POPE HAS ne
TABLISHED MANY RE-
FORMS
HIS BIENNIAL REPORT rs OUT
1t Is in the Hands of the Governor
and RecOunts Work Done
in Last Two
Years,

Puohc Examiner Pope has completed
ms biennial report. He has forwarded
1t to Gov. Lind, before sending it to the
printers. The report covers many type
written sheets and tells a number of in
teresting things
MI. Pope states in the beginning of
the report that it was early found. after
he came into office, that there had been
a general neglect of the provisions of
the Accounting Act chapter 1853, Cen
eral Laws 1889, entitled AN act to es-
tabllsh uniform system of accounting
for public funds in the state educational,
charitable and correctional institutions
and to appropriate miscellaneous re-
ceipts for the use of said institutions"
Not single institution was in accord
with the provisions of the act and
while some had an Ineligible and ac-
curate system of accounting, others had
imperfect and faulty methods, and there
was no pretense of uniformity Not q
single official of those who are required
by law to give bonds had on file bond
which met the approval of the attorney
general for form and execution.
A uniform system Of regis
ledger accounts with the sew
eral funds appropriated by the state,
was prescribed and, with but one excep-
ton, has been put into effect The re-
suit is that every superintendent, treas
urer and accounting officer has been
properly elected and legally bonded.
Their financial records are Kept on a
system which, while not conflicting with
the requirements of the board of correc-
tons and charities is uniform and
Ineligible, inSuring accuracy and sim
plicity, while effecting material saving
in clerical labor.
If, hereafter, liabilities shall be i'll
Cured in excess of the amounts appTO-
priated, it will not be for the lack of
knowledge on the part of officials or
mana ging boards. Large sums Of
money heretofore held out, without war
rant Of law, have been transferred to the
state treasury. The du;les of the in
stitution treasurers have been confined
to the limits prescribed by section 8 of
the accounting act, and they have been
relieved from keeping the accounts and
records of the Institutions which work
is now performed by the accounting Of
ficers, as by law required.
Following precedeHts and, in some
cases, suggestions from the public eX-
aminer's department, the managing
boards of state institutions have, as
rule elected banks as institution treas
urers. Mr.. Pope has suggested time
and time again that, wherever practical
BILE, state banks should be chosen as in
stitution treasurers, but only one in
stitution has so far adopted the sugges-
ton. State banks should be chosen be-
cause they are created and are incor-
porated under the state laws, because
they are specially under the supervision
of a department of the state, maintained
for the purpose of securing for the state
and for all depositors accurate knowl-
edge of their financial condition, because
all deposits of state funds in state banks
are, by virtue of provisions of law. made
preferred claims.
The regents of the University of Min
nesota selected a state bank as insti-
tuition treasurer. The other institutions
selected national banks.