The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-03-03
THE NEED OF A STATE AUDITOR,


Correspondence Westminster Sentinel
There is bill before the Legislature for the
appointment of State auditor who shall have
supervision over the expenditure of moneys
appropriated to charitable institutions, and for
such oversight and examination of the Clerks
and Registers of Wills offices as will enable
the proper State officials to see If the money so
appropriated is judiciously and properly ex-
pended, and whether the income derived from
fees in the Clerks and Registers offices are
fully returned and applied according law.
This is one of the most important bills now
before the Legislature and should receive the
hearty and cordial support of every member,
regardless of party, for such supervision can
not but result in covering into the State treas
ury thousands of dollars more than has been
hitherto received.
AS the law now stands the Comptroller of
the treasury fixes the number and limits the
compensation of the deputies in the Clerks
and Registers of Wills offices and there his
power ends. The duties of his own position
are exacting, requiring all his time, making it
physically impossible for him, personally, to
look into these various Offices throughout the
State, and hence the duty isperformed by him
in so perfunctory way that it practically
amounts to allowing the incumbents to do as
they please, with the result that, with the ex-
ception of two or three Offices the expenses
absorb the whole of the income and the State
receives nothing
In not few of the larger counties, where
the fees collected pay the full salary of $1,000
to the Clerk and Registers and leaves large
balance to meet clerk-hire and other expenses,
a custom prevails of electing men to these po-
sitions who, from Discrimination or incompe-
tence, do no more than loiter about their Off
ces, draw their $1,000, run the political ma
obi vfr Of fhoTr tfr1no
to the attention of private bushes, wholly re-
moved from and in no way connected with
the discharge of their official duties. 1t mat
tiers not what the income of these offices may
be, it is abcorbcd By their exPcnscs, 90 ss.stO
nothing is returned to the State, whilst it is
believed that with proper economy there should
be surplus to be accounted for and paid over
to the treasury. If the auditors bill becomes
a law it will be within the power of an honest
and faithful official to save his salary and ex-
penses many times over.
The salaries of these officers are limited by
the Constitution to $4,000 year and are paid
out of the fees collected therein, and after meet
ing the legitimate expenses of their offices, any
surplus that remains is to be returned, under
oath, to the Comptroller to be by him paid to
the Treasurer. 1t will be seen, if there are
Clerks or Registers whopractically do no work
in their offices, it would be the duty of such
auditor either to insist that they shall, or COM
pei them to employ clerk in their place and
stead and pay such clerk out of their own sal
airy and not out of the surplus fees of the Office
which belongs to the State. This would lessen
expenses by reducing the number of deputies,
increase the surplus and be a simple act of
justice since anything which increases the in
come of the State, without additional taxation,
to that extent lightens the burdens Of the
people.
There are twenty-three counties in Mary
land but only the Clerks Of courts in twenty
one of them made return of income and ex-
penses last year, (Kent and Caroline having
failed to do SOY and from the last Comptroler's
report it is shown that the aggregate income
derived from fees, in the twenty-one Clerks
offices making returns, was Sl26, 1854, whilst
the surplus return from these same counties
to the State aggregated the sum of $4506. In
other words the average cost of each Clerks
office, was over $4,000 year and the receipts
were fully absorbed except as to the pittance
G6. The appointment of a capable man as
State auditor, would result in this: Instead of
the offices being run on the plan of bow near
ly or entirely the receipts can be absorbed
they would be conducted by officials not only
thoroughly qualified, but willing to do as much
work themselves as possible in order to lessen
expenses and thereby make larger returns of
the surplus to the State.
But aside from these considerations it is
right and proper that the State should have
some one to supervise the expenditure of the
many thousands of dollars annually apprO-
priated to charitable institutions-some one
whose business it will be to see that the money,
thus freely given, is properly expended for the
purposes intended and not, as heretofore, left
to be disposed Of solely at the discretion of the
benefciaries thereof. 1t would be infinitely
better that several useless offices should be
abolished than that the auditors bill should
fail to become law.
On "WEDNESDAY of last week Jessie Bradford
aged 10 years, daughter Of Mr.. Edward b
A rfO nd. arf
was criminally assaulted by negro, who AZ
forwards made his escape. The people OF the
surrounding country formed parties and star
gfvei ' 6y ETs eIFf bs
to be William Black, aged "a years, who has
a wife living near Aberdeen. Although the
search in the neignborhood anu ,Os miles
around was kept up night and day nothing
was seen of the man. On Wednesday of this
week Black Tgas found by the city police on an
oyster boat down the bay and he is now in
Jail in Baltimore He positively denies the
charge and asserts that he has not been near
Aberdeen for several weeks.
IT HAS been noticed that the Canadian troops
that are with the British army in South Africa
are making fine records for themselves as
lighters. NO uOuDJ tDaL Is because t0ey i've
next door to the United States and know some
thing about Uncle Sam. We should not be
sur prised to hear that there are many Amer
leans among them.
A CORRESPONDENT escaped from Ladysmith
brings the news that the garrison has been
living on horse meat for some time, and that
the health of the beleaguered soldiers is i'm
proving General Whites supply of several
thousand horses and mules will probably last
several months longer.
Most OF the campaigning that is being done
by the British generals is said 70 be of pre-
paratory character. Unless they develop
little more skill it is doubtful if the Britons
will ever be able to pass into the next grade.
Last Florida Trip via Pennsylvania R. R.
The last Pennsylvania Railroad tour of the
season TO Jacksonville, allowing almost three
months in Florida, will leave New York and
Philadelphia March 6. Excursion tickets, in
Guiding railway transportation, Pullman accom-
modatIons zone BERTH, and meals en- route while
going on the special train. will be sold at the
following rates: New York, $50; Philadelphia,
Harrisburg. Baltimore and Washington, S48:
Pittsburg, $53, and at proportionate rates from
other points. Returning, passengers will use
regular trains until May 81, 1900. For tickets,
itineraries and other information apply to ticket
agents, Tourist Agent at 1896 Broadway. New
York; 4 Court street, Brooklyn 7S9 Broad street.
Newark. N. j.; ID. Courlaender, Jr., Passenger
Agent Baltimore District, Baltimore, Md; Colin
Studs, Passenger Agent Southeastern District.
Washington. ID. c.; Thomas e. Watt, Passenger
Agent Western District, Pittsbnrg, Pa. or to
Agent, Broad Street Station, Philadelphia.