Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-28
The Voters Will Answer.
Bangor Commercially

| At the annual election in September
next, a proposition will be submitted t.
the voters of Maine asking them if they
will endorse an amendment to our State
constitution whereby an auditor of State
accounts may be chosen biennially at a
joint convention of both branches of the
State Legislature, as counsellors and
other State officers are now chosen. The
resolve authorizing such an amendment
was approved by Governor Powers,
March II, 1893.
As readers Of the Commercial well I'M
derstand. the present system of our State
government provides that the governor
and executive council shsii audit ana APP
prove all bills against the State, and IN"
governor shall draw his warrant for the
payment of the same. The members Of
the council are organized by committees
to which commit tees certain classes OF
accounts and bills are referred for exam
nation and approval. Thus TO one com
mittee is given accounts relating to the
State prison. to another those relating to
the library; to another those relating to
state insane paupcrS: u another sta e
pensions and so on. The work of exam
lining ana auditing these bills Is largely
that Of an expert nature. and members
OF the council in the present condition OF
our state administration have a fun
measure of duties to attend to without
the mere clerical duties OF an examina-
ton of accounts. Moreover the members
of the council are elected for a term az
two years. and with all changes IN the
personnel of the council comes change
in the nature Of doing executive work
dcvolving upon ii. so that from the ma
turc Of the ease it Is quite impossible Tor
the council to adopt one exact system Of
auditing accounts which can be followed
unintcrruptedly through "A series OF years.
as should be done with accounts In any
large establishments state or a big cor.
purttIpn.
What seemed judicious ana appropriate
in state government when our COnStitU~
ton was originally adopted. may DE- in
gI.t1l1fg nuIgT and changed Ppntii-
tiDn-- cur state machinery has grown in
mi directions, the work Of the council has
multiplied many fold; now institutions
and departments have vastly increased
the routine work of the council commit
tees. ana what seems wise ANA proper
at the present time Is for a state auditor
to hc chosen who shall have supervision
Of all STATE accounts, examining all de-
tails in every department and submitting
his work To the governor ana council for
approyai-thus taking the expert work 90
Il purely clerical nature out Of the hands
of already ovCrworkcd councillors AMI
placing il in the hands Of a competent
official where the method ana system %
the best accountants can be continued
without change year in and year out I'M
der an the changes Of the State adminis-
tration.
The office, however. should not be.
political one nor should ii bc awarded fpr
party service. 1t should he conferred up
On man OF strict integrity and ability.
one meriting the confidence and support
of all citizens OF the state and should be
OF the nature OF Il civil service position.
a main objection to the proposition when
it comes up 1T the September election,
may be that ii creates new state ON
GER But this should have no weight
with intelligent voters. Every state IN
the Union with the exception OF three
now have state auditors and the office APP
pears to he one of the most necessary
in the entire administration Of a com
monwealth. our State accounts Involve
an expenditure of something like S9.oo0.ooo
yearly. all examined and approved by dit
fercnt council committees serving for
term of two years. If any state depart
ment should be upon an exact, methodic'l
accurate system ii is that of the exam
ination of bills and accounts against the
State and this should be the work of an
expert. competent, able man. rs state
auditor.