The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-20
NEEDS OF EXAMINER
MIR. JOHNSON REPORTS ON DE-
PARTMENTs FINANCIAL
NECESSITIES
WORK CLOSE TO sTANDsrI1L
Available Funds VIII BE Gone In
Two Weeks-Not willing to Do
Work In a SlipshOd
Manner.


Public Examiner Johnson yesterday
submitted to Gov. Van SAINT a full, frank
statement of the financial condition and
necessities of his department. Since the
State Treasurer's association passed re-
solutions calling attention to the prob
ability of the department being closed for
lack of funds, and urging legislative ac-
ton, the subject has been widely dis
cussed. Several erroneous reports have
been circulated, which placed Mr.. john
son in a false position, and while dis
inclined to take any action which might
appear as personal solicitation of leg
islative support, at the request of several
state officials, he proposed the statement
to the governor that the real condition
and needs Of the department might be
known as they actually exist Mr.. john
son says:
Upon taking charge Of the Office Of
public examiner as turned over to me
by the Hon. E. M. Pope, on the 1th day
of January, l9OZ, FOUND pne IoIloWlhg
conditions:
Gen. Pope had carefully, economically
and with great energy administered this
Office to the best of his ability, handi-
capped as he was for the lack of funds.
l found that his income for the fiscal
year, commencing with Aug. /, 1898, ana
ending Aug. 1, 1889, including q deficiency
I appropriation of $500, showed total of
fiscal year beginning with Aug. !, 1899,
to Aug /, 1900, was $6,02S.51, including a
balance carried forward out of deficiency
appropriation of $983.51. That the total
receipts for the year Aug. l. 1900, to Aug.
1, 1901, was 1886, including deficiency
appropriation of 5000. That the total re-
ceipts for the year 1901, to Aug. l, 1902,
was S., 223. 6S.
Bear in mind that the total income of
this Office and all fees which are collect
| ed by it, are available in August which
| is the beg ming of our fiscal year There
| fore there will be no more funds avail
1 able for this fiscal year.
! The receipts for the year 1901 to 1902
/ amounting to $5,223 .68, had at the close
| of business JAM g. 1902, been expended
/ except "a balance Of $1,151 46, which was
perses of this department, for the bal
ance of the fiscal year, ending Aug. J.
1902.
The work of the department is and al
ways has been far behind.
State Banks Have Grown.
The commercial banks, which the law
requires should be examined once each
/ about s29,0OO,0OO Of assets, to 23O in 1901
with $50, 100000. The increase since 1895
was "a. The present outlook along this
line is for an Increase equal to, If moi
! greater, and more rapid. The average
! time since the examination of these banks
/ is about twelve months, and many of
them have not been examined for eight
cen months, and some even longer than,
/ that A large percentage of this work
requires special attention and public in
teTest and safety demand that such wsrk
should be performed without delay.
Savings banks, eleven in number. some
! of which have not been examined since
1887, have millions of dollars on deposit
! the savings of the widow and orphan. II
| Is impossible with our present resources
| to give them the attention that 1t is
everywhere recognized they should have,
and their patrons deserve
Only two of the five trust companies
received any attention last year. These
! institutions are large and have great
deal of real estate, and as trust COM
panies are handling moneys and property
/ belonging to estates and others who can
not look out for themselves, it is very