The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-08

The annual report Of Robert J. Trace
we'll Comptroller OF the Treasury. for the
fsral year ended June 90. 1901. was made
publiC this morning at the Treasury De
partment for publication. The report is
presented in a comprehensive manner and
shows that the workings Of the office
during the past year Increased in every
field a grand total Of &.5ss warrants
Amounting 10 S. a.. Sl7. 1851 were received.
examined. entered on registers, and post
ed into Iedgers under their several heads
Of appropriations and Couutersigned.
Sixteen hundred and seventy-five ap-
peals were filed during the fiscal year and
ices appeals were disposed Of. leaving on
hand june 80 1901. "a appeals. During the
past year 26 revisions were filed and -
were disposed Of. opinions were rendered
By the Comptroller and assistant comp
troller to the heads of departments. go.
on construction Of statutes. etc 10y the
several auditors s., on appeal from the
several auditors. L3l3. to heads Of com
missions not under executive departments.
q; to disbursing officers 2o4. on rehear-
ipgs. 26o. Total of opinions rendered dur
ing past year. 2.1IS There was net in
crease of 50 appeals fled and Of 6i5 ap-
peals disposed Of over the year preceding.
Continuing. his report, which is ad-
dressed TO Secretary Gage. Mr.. TraceweU
says:
The foregoing classification does not
include all the work performed in the
office Hundreds OF letters were received
which required briefng and entering upon
the register of letters. hundreds of official
letters were written relative to matters
pending before the office and a great
amount of work was done in and about
the preparation OF the decisions for the
Printer and also the indeNing of the rec
ords Of the Office.
Nor does the foregoing classification
include the numerous applications by the
BenefiCiaTies of the estates af deceased
persons to have sums under 500 that
may be due the estate from the United
States paid without requiring letters Of
administration. This class Of work entails
large amount OF labor and responsibility
upon the office. necessitating. as IL does
careful examination Of the laws Of the
various States relative to desceuts dis
tfibutiOns. and exemptions These pay
nifnts. being without direct authority of
law, are necessarily made at the risk of
the Government In my previous reports
nave recommended legislation by Con-
gress upon this subject, which ] renew. II is
entirely within the province Of Congress. as
evidenced by the act OF February l. 1900
wherein the Director of the Census is aU-
thorizcd to pay To the widow. if any. or
L. none. then to the legal representative
ef deceased supervisor or enumeratOr
such sum as may be Just and fair for the
services rendered by such supervisor or
enumerator prior to his death.
Under the provisions Of section 5 Cf
The act approved March -, 1895. the books
papers. and other matters pertaining TO
The accounts OF the fOllOwing-uam Off
GERS were examined by a representative
OF this Office and the Auditor for the In
teriOr Department. to wit. George W Ev-
ans. Discussing Clerk Of the Interior De
partment- H A BarrOws. Disbursing
Clerk Of the Census once; John H. Nc
Chesney. Chief Discussing Clerk of the
United States Geological Survey: g. u.
Davis. Special Discussing Agent OF the
United States Geological Survey. DR.. 4.
II Richardson STeFl4l lliShrITgluR Agent
Government Hospital for the Insane;
Wallace G. Fowler. Disbursing Agent for
the Columbia Institution for the Deaf
and Dumb; George H Stafford, Treasurer
Of Howard University, Miss Estelle Reel
Superintendent Of Indian Schools. James
F. Allen. Disbursing Clerk of the Indian
Office; Merrill +. Gates. Special Disburs-
tTg Agent. Board of Indian Commission
eTs.
"a copy Of the report Of the examiners
in the case of each officer was transmit
ted 10 the Secretary Of cne Treasury for
his information and consideration
There Were thirty-tve more appeals
fled during this fiscal year than were
filed during the last. and 60 more cases
disposed Of. as viii be seen from the ng-
ures- There was also a considerable ~
crease in the number OF ceruhctteS OF
authority approved and filed. applications
for duplicate checks, and warrants passed
upon. over last year
The work of the office on June - was
up to date. there being only seNenty-fOur
cases on hand. and of that number only
thirty had been in the office more than
thirty days.
s.In no instance were the cases on hand
AT the close Of the year which had been
filed over thirty days current. IN the sense
that they were in condition 10 be finally
disposed Of Some were waiting the aC-
tion Of the Court Of Claims others were
waiting further explanations from the
claimants
-'.T am enabled 10 make this satisfactory
showing of the condition Of the business
Of the office, owing 10 the efficiency. IN
dust-y. and ability OF the office force
THE force was supplemented dunug a
portion OF the year by temporary fore.
Of SIX clerks provided by act Of Congress
which was available from March last TO
the close Of the fiscal year By the use
of this temporary force was enabled 70
bring up the work which was carried
over from the fiscal year 1900 and which
increased work was due TO the Spanish
American war.
u submit for your consideration and
the consideration OF Congress the follow
ing recommendation for change or mod
inCatiOn OF existing law
1t is provided by section 55iS. Revised
Statutes. that
90 No advance Of pubic money shall ne
made in any ease Whatever. And In all
cases Of contracts for the performance
OF any service. or the delivery Of articles
Of any description. for the use Of United
States payment shall not exceed the val
ne Of the service rendered. or Of the ar
tlcles delivered previously 10 such pay
The accounting officers Of the Govern
ment, for more than half a century. have
experienced difficulty in administering
this provision OF law The business inter
ests of the Government have grown with
the business Of the country, and We are
confronted now with the fact that the
buIucss interests Of the country. IN Ger
tain instances. absolutely refuse 10 rem
der service for OF furnish certain articles
Ia the Government on credit basis. The
NsOveruue mt ia the tranSa ctlou of bust
ness. among other things. is in constant
need OF express service. and Of light and
water for its various and scattered public
buildings. also of telephone service. and
daily weekly. and Orthly publications
] have only mentioned the most important
items which those furnishing them re-
fuse 10 furnish the Government on DIFF
ferent basis from that on which they
furnish them 10 their Individual patrons
namely payment IN advance Of the things
furnished or services rendered. Such
payment I'm advance is prohibited by this
law. The Government must either DO
without these absolute necessities or the
accounting officers are compelled % wink
at violation of law / have been CON
Stantly engaged In Winking during my
lucumhenCy Of this Office In my IUGg-
ment discretion should be- vested in the
several heads Of departments. iud'pcud-
ent officers and such others as have OC-
casiOu 10 make purchases or secure ser.
vices for the Government 10 waive the
provisions Of this statute relative 10
payment ln advance for such articles OF
services. The Government should accom-
modate Itself and It's laws 10 the business
laws ana usages Of trade. when So enters
the field Of trade. Just as an individual
OF corporation should
81 also invite attention 10 the following
provision OF the act Of July 81, l>ef. reor-
gaming the accounting offices Of tho
Treasury Department
Any person accepting payment under