Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-11-04
Auditor Castle Tells of Abuses Which
- have Grown Up Under Present
Accounting Methods.
Makes RECOMMENDATIONS As
TO HOW they may Be CURED
Aggregate Transactions Durinr Part
Fiscal Year Were $1,o26.731 .4Os-
Les" Than $3.50, 900 200 of This Sum
mas Shadow of a ''Double Audtt',-
Laws Which Should Be Enacted.

AoSOAAS ANONs q. VdTlOuS
recommendations to cure defects in
accounting methods under which
ABUSES in the postal service have oc-
CURED, are made by Henry A. Castle,
auditor for the post Office department..
III MS annual report to the secretary
VI the treasury and the postmaster
general. He says that the defects
pointed out make infinitely greater
postal abuses than those already dis
closed not only possible, but safe.
transactions During Past Year.
Inc report says the aggregate trans
acIlons or the postal service during
the hscal year were $1,O26, 731 ,4OS, as
follows:
Revenues, 134,224,443; expenditures.
$15o,184,488; total amount of money
orders issued, $38S,S65,584; money or
ders paid, $334,S56,893.
Mr.. Castle says: personal---very.
there is double audit of all govern
mental receipts aad disbursements.
OUT literally under existing laws and
conditions 80 per cent. of the postal
transactions can have no examina ton
whatever in the post office department.
Less than $l50,000,000 of the $1,000,-
100000 annual transactions can have
the shadow of a double audit
AS to claims for railway mail trans
portation, aggregating about $4,000
OoO year, the report says the auditor
must rely wholly on the bald state
ment OF the departmental authorities
that the amounts certified are due aad
payable.
Recommendation Made.
The report recommends an amend
ment to the law prohibiting the pay
ment of any salaries or expenditures
pertaining to the business of the post
Office department, by order on a post
master. 1t also recommends other
safeguarding amendments, together
with an increase of 100 clerks to han
Ole current business and vitality impor-
tant work necessary to the safe audit
of $1,000, 100000 year. The au-
dltor summarizes the recent inves-
tigation of the methods of his
Office and deprecates the fact that the
auditor keeps no account for postage
stamps, stamped paper and envelopes,
etc., bought by the post office depart
ment from the manufacturers or con-
tractors, and urges a law to remedy
this defect.
The auditor recommends that con-
gress amend the laws so as to provide,
when ANY branch of the government
desires to use patented article in
the public service some lust merhOd
of deciding on the value of that ar
ticle, based on cost of manufacture.
reasonable profit and fair royalty, and
that the same be fixed as the
price to be paid therefor. The man
ufacturer would, doubtless, in all cases,
be willing to accept the price thus es-
tablished. He would have no motive
for offering brides to any official for
approving the sale. and the government
would secure the desired improvement
at minimum cost. If the manufac-
turer should refuse the price thus es-
tablished, provision might be made fol-
invalidating the patent as to articles
required for the public service
This recommendation is based on the
alleged criminal practices, for which
trials are now pending, which, in al
most every instance, the auditor says,
have occurred in the purchase of arti-
cles covered by patents, and as to
which the general principles prevail
ing in purchasing government supplies
on competitive bids cannot be en-
forced.