The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-25
GOVERNOR TYLEn'S HINTS.

Gov. Tyler recommends that the Legs
lature give consideration to providing 4
more business-like system for the hand
ling of the finances Of the State and of
the counties, and that a committee be
appointed to make suggestions to that
end" There is something wrong" says
he, with Il system under which officers
can get far in arrears with the public
funds, as have occurred in many counties
of the State. ana if the remedy can be
supplied by legislative enactment it should
be done without unnecessary delay
The remedies for this evil are simple.
Publicity, inspection and the bonding of
officers in guaranty companies. Officers
who handle public funds should be re-
quired to make 4 public exhibit at least
once a year, and this is particularly true
of the Board of Supervisors in each coun-
ty. The present act should be so amended
as to require these boards to print their
statements in the county newspaper, SO
that each taxpayer may take the paper
home with him, and, at his leisure, scruti
ME the account Ills SORT DuDilc!tN
is a great moral agency. The officer who
knows that he must, from time to time.
make a public showing is going to be very
careful, # he has any regard for his po-
BILE showing.
In the second place, there ought to be a
regular system of inspection in the con-
duct of the States fiscal affairs, such as
prevails in the conduct OF the affairs of
the United States Government and such
as prevails in the conduct of the affairs
of railroad corporations. There ought to
be travelling auditors whose business it is
to go around as often rs possible and in
spect the accounts of the financial agents
of the State, to see that there is no dis
honesty, no carelessness and no laXity in
the agents management We know that
the State of Virginia has lost a great deal
Of money through sheer carelessness and
neglect. It is the duty Of the Government
TO the taxpayer TO see that all persons
whose duty it is to collect or disburse pub
lie funds are discharging their trust faith
fully and efficiently. Carelessness in such
cases is almost as criminal as dishonesty.
No railroad corporation would think Of
conducting its business affairs by the out
of-date and sipshod method. or we should
say lack OF method, which obtains in this
State.
Last of all, we say that the financial
agents of the State should be required to
give bond in some We'll established guaran-
ty company. Personal security in cases
OF this sort is relic of the past. In olden
times such security was necessary be-
cause there was no other but in this day
of improved methods there are numerous
companies of the character indicated,
which make it a business to underwrite
those. who are entrusted with the funds
OF others. They charge moderate fees for
the service rendered, and, in our opinion,
the State could well afford to pay the fee
rather than to trust to insufficient per
sonal security. We all know that, under
the old system the State has lost great
deal of money from defaulting officers who
had given personal security, either because.
the State could not or would not make
the sureties pay up. Moreover, it is not
right for an officer OF government to ask
his friend to go on his bond for in so
doing he puts his friend in the attitude
of assuming an obligation for which he
receives no compensation whatever, and
the best that he can hope for is to get out
without losing. He takes all the risk and
gets no pay for it.
If these remedies, pointed out. IRE APP
piled in Virginia we shall hear very little
in the future OF defaultng officers, and
even where there is default the guaranty
companies will have to make the loss
good.
=------@--
Mr. w. j. BRYAN now has a chance to
para graph few of his photographers.
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"A feast of reason and a flow Of SOUL
must have originated from just such a
gathering as the banquet OF. the Windy
Pointers