Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-04-19

De passed upon py the auditor, dlQ .S-
corded by him before they can be paid
He must stand as the nu2l authority
to determine whether or not the ac-I
counts which have been certified to-
him by the appropriate Offices or
boards, are to be pad. and see that
payment is made from the appropri-
ate fund. BY the proposed system he
will be in position 10 refuse TO paSs
expenditures that Will overdraw the
appropriation made therefor,
4 plan is proposed to make It GER
state departments, Offices, boards, in
situations and commissions, reaches
the treasury promptly. Tle auditor
shall issue and charge to each state
officer or agent, whose duty makes It
necessary for him TO receive money, a
book Of statutory receipt or permit
blanks. These blanks must inyari-
ably be used in rece!pting for money
and each blank must be strictly ac-
counted for, upon record provided,
Disbursements from the treasury
shall be made only upon vouchers duly
authenticated by the boards, or heads
of departments or Institutions from
which they originate. The certified
vouchers go 10 the auditor, who after
passing thereon If allowed, shall draw
warrant on the proper fund therefor.
Thus the transactions Of each office
department. commission and board
~; all = t,n -I i,, = 40 NAE. 40
of the auditor.
The expenses and receiptS, and the
financial condition of each fund OF
every institution, board, office Or COM
mission, may be given out at the ausas
office as readily as the cashier of a
bank can give the condition Of a de-
poSitor's account.
rhe system is constructed upon the
theory that if complete knowledge Of
all transactions may be obtained daily
at the audit office. and frequently
disseminated by the public press, a
more general interest on the part Of
the public will be created, and the in
formation will be much more easily
absorbed and understood, than !. ii
is withheld and given out for the first
time at the end of the biennial term,
in the form of printed reports. often
so arranged as not to be understood by
the average taxpayer.
No posting up Of books is re
quired from the records in order e.
give any information required, as ev
cry transaction, whether a receipt or
disbursement, is entered instantly at
ter audit. in the place where informa-
ton regarding the transaction will BE
sought for.
The unified method proposed will
comprehend within its scope fiscal af-
fairs of the university, normal schools,
board of control teachers institutes,
and all state departments. In their
report the expert accountants say
with reference TO the university, that
collections for tuition and other mat
tiers pertaining thereto are made at
the university by the secretary Of the
board of regents, and disbursements
are made on warrants drawn by said
secretary and approved by the eXecu
tive committee. The accounting in
the office of the secretary of state does
not show details of the income fund.
Transfers for appropriations and other
receipts are made in round sums, and
SO far as these records show disburse-
ments are made when the warrant is
drawn, though there may be large
sum still uneXpended. The secretary
of the board of regents does not know
when money for the income is ac-
quired; he has to rely on statements
tries on his books based thereon long
after the actual transactions. If in
formation as to the balance in the
treasury from sources other than the
treasurer's book is wanted it cannot be
had except by long calculations. The
secretary of the board deposits the
moneys he collects in the bank, and
when he makes report and pays it into
the treasury does so by check. The
details thereof are known TO the au-
ditor and treasurer only from the re-
port. The law which contemplates de-
positories for public money may not
only be defeated by this practice, but
the safeguards desirable in public ac-
counting are wanting"
The reports Of the board OF regents.
published biennially. give information
to the public long after the detailed
transactions have occurred and public
interest concerning them have subsid-
ed. BY the central audit system in
formation as to daily receipts and ex-
penditures would receive considera-
ton when transactions take place and
give information at time when the
circumstances Herewith are better
understood !"
In like manner Messrs. Bartz and
Gilman discuss similar matters per-
tanning to all other public institutions
and boards TO demonstrate the absence
of system and unity which Gov. SEQ.
field now hopes to have remedied The