Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1902-07-09
Tie Taticc-Dasd State Bonds.

Tie THicccaid State Bonds.
When l.3lS,0 ,000 If Cancelled
state bonds are paid the second
time there are several expert n1ctl!~
GHs If tracing the loss. Ii his
first exhibit Mr.. pari>c< especially
pointed out the discrepancy ae
cordin9 to the numbers Of bonds
in the constitutional ordinance Of
the state auditors reports. Hi:
statement takes up the period d;r
ing which the stolen bonds were
worked oil upon taxpayers The
second time. lie now makes the
whole evident by analysis, and
carefully meaSureS it, size. 1t
has been asserted by State Auditor
Allen that Air. parkc> mixed up
two issues of state bonds Of cor
responding numbers, although he
followed strictly the language Of
The constitutional ordinance Of
1873 and the auditors reports.
Furthermore, only one Of the Is
sues Of which; Mr.. Allen speaks, Is
represented IN the auditors report
by numbers. What sort Of book
keeping Is it when the auditor pays
bends without recording the mum
bcrs. and moi only without giving
The exact number of tie bond. bu!
giving it the tile of Il different is
sue Of bonds. This line of defense
is feeble indeed. Mr.. parkes fur
nishcd Il more explicit exhibit Of
The double payment by shown G
ihe vacuum it left III the figures
fonrd in the auditors : reports.
| Yesterdays Republic contained
q two column article frcm Mr.. !.
{. Tatnm, Il frequent, profuSe and
somewhat ovcr-ZcalouS contributor
to It's editorial page. Mr.. Tatnn,,
taking his cue from Auditor Allen,
undertakes 10 prove that Nj.
! parllcS is Oh the wrong scent. But
it viii! be admitted by every person
cai1Hh'a Of examining simple figures
ha, Mr.. parkce has the animal
freed and hat i can not oct away.
The complicated special plcasIing
two columns long. tf Mr.. Iatum
rives away the case when he SAYS
of The fact Of Inc numbers Of the
! SputhWc~; branch bonds are not
given in the auditors reports: is
that an in.in,iation that Tie mum
hcrs arc not to hc readily found
clScWhcre." Elsewhere is good.
Where should the numbers Of state
bonds paid and Cancelled be found,
with precise details. unless in the
printed reports of The state audit
or! Governor Dackcry was com,
pcIiel 10 say in the pamphlet pre-
pared under his direction (na@e 3n)
that the auditors reports, do not
include all the states financial
transactions. They include i
great deal Of mysterious uiScre,,an-
cy that nobody can clear up. Even
Mr.. Tatum is compelled to confess
that the numbers of all canceicd
, bonds are not in the auditors : re
ports, bat hints that they can b,
found ''eIsewhcrc." The book
, keeping Of this state under Demo
cratic administrations is largely /:
story of "clsewhcre. with Il pros
pect that the title Of this sad ta.t
| will eventually he changed to ''no
where.
, One point in Mr.. Parkcs' exhibi
t is especially worth of attention.
: He finds that the total debt reduc
> ton in one period of eleven year:
t was less than $1,000. 900. Demo
. cratic administrations began tIlirt,
! years ago, with Il state bondel
debt of s21. 100000. They hav.
paid ont upon it S+4, 900, 900. anG
5 the amount still unpaid is over s.,
. 900, 900. What business man witt
t common sense can not see t,.a
; there is bic hole somewhere, an,