New-York tribune., 1903-08-09
GREAT REFORM PLANNED.
NEW AUDITING MET'HODS
A Probable Good Result of the Post
office Investigation.
TFRoM TIE TRIBUNE BuReAU. ]

TRIBUNE BURGAU.I
Washington Aug S-A radical reorganization OF
the methods of auditing the accounts of govern
ment expenditures in all administrative depart
ments under a proposed new act OF congress ioF
that express purpose is TO be advocated as the one
f,nnerative reform indicated by the postofnce IN
vestigaton Well defined plans for this reorgani-
cation are now being discussed by leaders IN ootn
houses of Congress and by officials OF the govern
ment All seem agreed as 10 the necessity Tor
action and the plan proposed has met universal
approval in view of the more businesslike methods
which II promises and the consequent better safe
guarding of public money
1t is proposed to bring the auditors for every de-
partment together in one building. preferably ad
jacent to the Treasury Department, place them
under the direct supervision OF the Controller of
the Treasury and consequently in close touch with
the Secretary of the Treasury. The plan has been
developed to the extent of contemplating the erec
ton of building directly the north of the Treas
ury Department, across Pennsylvania ave, plot
Of ground owned by the government and which
it originally intended to erect a building for
the Department of Justice. that plan having since
been abandoned. The proposed auditors building
would be connected with the Treasury by tunnel
and really be to that building, so far as
convenience of access is concerned.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PLAN
The advantages of having the auditors for every
government department brought together de-
clared to be many. Under the present practice
while the auditors are, according TO law. officers
offices in the several executive departments. AS
ernment business has increased. the power of each
one of these auditors has become vastly enlarged
They not under the control of the head of the
department to which they detailed, and
moved from the direct control Of the Secretary of
the Treasury. Being the only officers thoroughly
familiar with the details of their respective depart
ments which relate to the expenditure of money.
they have naturally grown more and more power
full until they have come to be decidedly more than
lev he deciding
authority contracts and virtually dictate the ex-
penditures that can be made in each department
This assertion would without doubt be vigOr-
ously denied by the auditors themselves but higher
authorities take this radical view of the situation
without in the least crticsing the personnel of the
auditing staff of the government. II is pointed out
that this growth and assumption of power by the
various auditors is than natural one,
brought about by the administrative duties which
they called to perform, together with the
increased business, which has grown to enormous
proportions.
Under the proposed plan, the work of auditing
the accounts of government expenditures would be
brought back the original design and be carried
entirely separate from the initial expenditure
of the money The auditor for each department
would be taken away from the environment of that
department. would have incentive to become IN
terested in the necessity for expenditures in that
department. and would look the accounts pre-
sented for auditing from strictly professional and
expert point of view.
GROWTH OF AUDITORS DUTIES.
An illustration of how the duties of the auditors
for the various departments have developed until
they are practically administrative. may be seen
by glance the Congressional Directory, which
states the duties of the auditor for the Posto1ce
Department follows:
The auditor of the Postoffice Department re-
ceives. examines and adjusts all accounts relating
the postal service or arising within the Jurisdlc-
auditor, controller and register His decisions on
al settlements are mai unless an apReaI & 40 e
balances due direct to the Postmaster General in
Of other auditors. He countersigns and registers
the warrants upon the Treasury issued In liqulda-
ton Of indebtedness Superintends the collecting of
debts due the United States for services of the
Postolce ne Ian ana an pshaIsiGS p I iL &C.
tiOns, and takes ali legal measures to enforce the
Services of the Postoftice Department and for this
purpose has direct official relations with the So
hctor of the Treasury Department, department OF
Justice. He receives and accepts with the written
promise under sections 295 and 4O5, Revised Stat
utes. lie is the legal custodian of all contracts
for the Postofice Department
With so many important duties vested in a subor-
dinate official who is not even required to give
bond and with that official removed from the direct
jurisdiction of his superior officer, the opportunities
for the gradual development of evils declared
be without number, and without the radical
change which is being urged to remedy this de-
feet, it is declared that a repetition of the cordi-
tons and opportunities for graft" which have
been unearthed in the Postoffice Department might
be again looked for with the same startling re-
suits in the present instance.
With the suggested remedy in operation, the
postotice investigation will have accomplished what
is considered one of the most important admins
trative reforms of recent years 1t is known that
before Congress meets this plan will have been
perfected and put forward with enthusiastic sup
port by many high government officials. and with
out doubt it will nave the hearty Endorsement of
President Roosevelt himself.
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