The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-11
TO GUARD The
CITY'S REVENUE
RADICAL CHANGE IN BOOKKEEP-
ING RECOMMENDED.
Experts Submit Plan for New System
to Simplify Accounting and Prevent
Loss Through Crookedness by Con-
centration of Responsibility in the
City Treasurer.

Changes of a revolutionary char
acter, intended not only to simplify
and perfect the keeping of municipal
records but also to prevent loss to the
city thru crookedness of employees,
are recommended by Jones, Caesar &
Co., in their final report on an ac-
counting system submitted to the city
concil last evening.
The experts don't want any one to
handle any Of the city's cash except
the city treasurer. They point out
the dangers and cumbersomeness Of
the present method, and say that the
money received from all sources
should go to the treasurer direct. That
is to say, the boat rentals at Lake Har-
riet, the proceeds Of the sale of rock
at the Workhouse, and of garbage by
the health department, the fees col
lected at the dog pound, and charges
collected at the city hospitals, should
| be paid, not to the secretary Of the
park board, the superintendent of the
| workhouse, the health commissioner,
the city physician and the chief of po-
lice, but to the treasurer's office.
Further, they recommend that a
system of internal checking be pro-
vided. BY this the treasurer will have
everything under his thumb and defal-
made almost impossible.
! The controller, according to the
| plan, is to be the bookkeeper not only
| for the various city departments, but
for the park board, school board,
/ library board and the board of chart
/ ties and corrections. The controller
/ is to have charge of all tags, receipts
and blanks connected with the sale
/ Of licenses or the collection Of any
fees, and he is to keep a record OF
| all such tags and receipts as he is
sues them, and keep check all around
Moreover, he is to have access at all
times to the books of all the boards
and the water department
One of the most important changes
recommended will completely reor-
ganize the clerical force of the regis
| trar of the waterworks. 1t is pro-
I posed that all the water collections
be paid direct to the city treasurer
| This will mean transfer of por-
ton of the registrars force to the
city treasurer's office, and the custo-
4 dian of the cash will, consequently
need more room.
All the boards are working under
special legislative acts and have stat
y utory powers. Therefore they are In
position to resist any interference, il
they choose, and there may be some
resistance, for several important func-
; tionaries will be shorn Of considera-
BILE prestige and authority if the
changes are adopted.
It is stated that the system, as
already installed, will prevent fur
Their depletion of the permanent i'm
provement revolving fund from which
over 100000 has been borrowed
for other funds. The exact condition
of the revolving fun may now be
. known monthly.
! The report which is voluminous
affair, recommends also what is called
an internal checking and auditing
) system which will reduce opportuni
; tiles for defalcations by classifying rec
ordss to a minimum. Every single
department down to dog catcher ant
lefty weigher is treated fully and al
are changed more or less.