Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-18
Treasury Department,
,, trol11- - 49,

-,
To the Commissioners of the District OF CO.
lumbia.
Gentlemen-I am in receipt of your COM
munication dated the 1tth instant, in which
you say:
The Commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia have the honor to invite your atten-
ton to the inclosed amendment to the Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill, insert
ed by the Senate in their consideration of
the bill.
1.-The Commissioners would like to be adj
vised of your opinion as to the effect of the
clause on future accounting by the auditor
of the District of Columbia, and whether
the proposed system is different from tina
provided for the auditors of the several
United States departments under the Dock
cry law; whether in Your opinion it places
unusual powers in the hands of the auditor
of the District of Columbia, and gives him
power to obtain opinions over the heads
and against the wishes of the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia
You refer-to the following language in the
proposed District of Columbia bill:
"Proyided. That when differences arise in
the rendition, examination settlement of
the accounts of the disbursng officer of the
Dist rict of Columbia which would seem to
render necessary the suspension or diSal-
lowance of any item in said accounts the
Treasury auditor shall notify the auditor
of the District of Columbia who shall be
authorized to present in explanation such
facts or arguments as may, in his opinion,
tend to the prevention or removal Of such
suspension or d1SallOwance. When the
auditor of the District of Columbia IL in
doubt as to the legality of an account or
voucher for payment upon which he is re-
CURED to act, he may apply to the con-
troller of the treasury for a decision upon
the question involved. and that officer shall
render the same, and the decision SO rem
dered shall govern the accounting officers
Of the treasury in subsequently passing
upon the account aforesaid
The proposed law is different from that
provided for the other auditors. No auditor
under the Dockery act Is authorized to take
an advanced decision of the controller,
Explanations or differences arising on the
audit of an Item, 10 the account Of dis
bursting off1cer BY an auditor are made by
the disbursi1g OFFICER to the auditor.
The correspondence about such is between
the auditor VINO settles the account and the
disbursing officer whose account is settled
This law would, as above Indicated, place In
| the hands of the District auditor instead of
the dsbursing officer of the District thu
power to make explanations to suspensions
have no official notification Of the questions
The auditofroo of the District, under the
terms Of the proposed law, Is authorized to
take the advance, decision Of the controller
or wishes Of the District Commissioners or
Of the Disturbing officer. No other auditor
has such power Conferred upon him by
law. , nh
It an is Gny FIJI b SAY that the duties Of
not the same as those Of any other auditor.
He does not make final audit as do the
other auditors. The auditor for the s ate
and other departments makes the final
audit OF the accounts previously pass d
upon by the District auditor
Respectfully.
(Signed) r. j. TRACEWELL,
Controller.