The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-02
ROGERS WAS WROTH.
Didn't Like Trend Of Talk Before
Board Of Tax Levy
To-day.
But Admitted That Accounting Re-
forms Are Needed and Promises
Cooperation.

Mine tenths OF the blame for the re-
bate evil rests on the aldermen
Thus declared City Controller Joshua
levy this morning. When you fellows
get down to business principles he said,
land make no assessments until you have
the exact, cost and refuse to annul assess
ments after they have been made you
will hear mighty little about rebates
+ Mr. Rogers had the floor several times
this morning and Invariably attracted at
tention, for a righteous wrath was on,
him.. .. ~. ..... -'g H.
The matter before the board was the
proposal to appropriate $500 for install
ing new system of accounting for the
city departments. The proposition was
urged by Aldermen D. p. Jones, G. A.
Westphal and Lars M. Rand. They used
the most diplomatic language and spoke
only in general terms, but they could not
help touching some sore spots, and TIE
controller "roared." t..[s
Not Officials, but Methods.
The aldermen, assisted by Mayor
Haynes and Alderman Merrill, fastened
to explain to the irate official that the
criticism was not directed against him.
1t was apparent that the system in vogue
was loose, unbusinesslike, ineffective and
unsatisfactory. Not officials but methods
but praise for Mr.. Rogers and finally the
city controller was Modified. He asssented
to the general proposition that reforms
were needed and promised his earnest CO.
operation.
The Chicago System.
President D. p. Jones of the city coun-
Gil appeared not only as an aldermen but
as member of the citizens committee
which had taken the initiative in demand
2 of
vocated the Chicago system, the principal
features OF which are as follows: s. -
1) Uniformity in accounting methods (2)
Concentration of the accounting in the COMP
troller's office. 80 Collection Of all revenue by
the city collector. az Daily remittances. !, (5)
.a reports and balances between the comp
troller and all departments. co. Monthly hnan-
c1al report of the comptroller. ca Organization
of an audit bureau and of methodical plan of
AUDITING by officers and employees retained es-
Peclaly Tor that purpose, and independent of all
departments. (S) Accruement of revenues on
the general books of the city, where they will
always be evident MS obligations due the city
untai PAD. ~ Approval of all contracts and
requlsltlons for supplies by the comptroller to
prevent departments from mourning liabilities in
excess OF appropriations (1O) The issuance of
an hscal stationery, forms and receipts, CON
secutively, numbered by the Comptroller. and
holding the departments responsible for their
use or cancellation. (11) The use of graduated
STUBS or coupon receipts to check the collection
M
plete chain Of accounting, from the mention of
revenue or expense thruout the various branches
or the city to the comptrollers office. where ali
tne accounting is finally centralized. =, .-s0I-.
Mr.. Jones quoted from Chicago reports
TO show that about a million dollars had
oeen saved the first year after the in
stallatlop OF the new system. While not
prepared to state how much Womb he
saved IN Minneapolis, Mr.. Jones knew
tnat the local methods were very loose.
The accounts of the city should all bc
centralized In the city controllers office
and every'' department should be brought
down to uniform basis and should work
Al! IN exact harmo ny, instead of permitting
the city officials to do pretty much as
they pleased and in any old way.
The sum Of $4,000 would be a, mere
bagatelle to pay for system that would
probably save that much and more in
one year alone.
Controller Rogers, who had been get
ting little restless under the talk. took
occasion to interrupt the speaker once or
twice. -
- don't want any one who can't even
add up a, row. of figures to come into NV
othce and tell me that my books are all
wrong and to tell me how to run my Of
1nce' announced Mr.. Rogers in his char
acter1st1cally emphatic manner
1Ai. 'Oles ADMITTED tnat the new SyS-
tenn should be. installed by an expert, and
II the expert came from another CITY it
would be preferable. :, -
Alderman Westphal spoke at soma
length on the beauties of the Chicaen
system. He referred to the almost entire
absence OF rebates in Chicago Mr.. Roe-
ers explained tersely how rebates orig
mated and how the aldermen, sometimes
thru carelessness and often for political
a few weeks Cancelled them and the as
sessments. -
Information was received from the state
auditor that the state board Of euualiza-
ton had fixed the assessed valuation of
Minneapolis at $12S, I'll, 0OO which is one
and third millions less than many ex-
pected and will cause a higher tax rate
than was figured on.
Alderman John Ryan made an effective
plea for police station on the East Side.
While nearly a. third of the population of
the city dwelt across the river the police
accommodations and service was very
poor there. The police station is in a
store. 1t has no calls nor patrol wagon.
In case of accident or arrest it is neces-
sary to summon a wagon from the West
side, which had three, thereby wasting
much valuable time and depriving the
other stations Of needed part of their
equipment. AS the city already owns a
fine lot with a frontage of fifty feet adj
joining the Cataract engine house, near
the International building, it would not
cost much to erect police station. The
building inspector had estimated that a
station could be built for about ST., 900.
Some attention was given to the esti-
mates of Custodian Frank Gaylord of the
city hail. on the heat, light and janitor
service which was figured at $27,48O. The
board thought that it was a big item, but
did not find where a cut was to be made
If the building was to be kept in 4spick
and span condition. It was intimated
that there were too many janitors and
that they had too easy a time. rs.