The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-10

THE SA
The only part of this report that is
germane is that giving the financial
condition OF moneys entrusted TO the
commission Any comment on the man
ner in which the commission handled
these funds is superfluous and ought TO
be expunged."
Chairman Marks Answers.
Lack of courtesy, Chairman Marks
asserted after getting the floor, had
been shown the members of the house
joint committee by members who had
spoken against the report before the
committee had been given an opportu-
nifty to explain. He believed that the
demeanor of certain house members
would indicate that they desired 10
work an injustice on the committee.
Some time ago. he explained, rumOrS of
large deficits had been circulated and
the house joint committee had con-
scientiously examined into the causes
Of these deficits.
In the first place, he explained, the
appropriation did not include an edu-
: cationaI exhibit, which was gathered
at a large cost after plans had been
nearly completed. High wages in st.
Louis, also, he said, had involved
much greater outlay than had been
calculated on. He referred to the de-
felt last summer, which had been over
! come through loans Of predetermined
citizens.
I'VE made a thorough examination.
At the beginning we demanded that all
books, papers and vouchers he placed
before US. The committee has audited
the accounts of every member and
found that every dollar is accounted
for
Pointed Questions Asked.
Joseph-"Did YOU ind vouchers num-
bered consecutively? Did You find any
vouchers missing?
Yes, some vouchers were missing"
Did you find where the missing
vouchers were2''
We made but very little inquiry in
/ to that matter"
Joseph and Marks then had a YER
bal bout. the former putting questions
as to the why and wherefore of the
! missing vouchers. Marks explained
Z that the system of issuing vouchers
: was undoubtedly responsible for those
| missing. Some vouchers were accom-
panied by receipts, others were not.
( The committee had found but two
4 vouchers missing until it hat got up
| in the two hundreds"
! In answer to a question by Joseph,
I Marks said that a record of missing
vouchers had been kept but had not
/ been included in the report. The vOuch-
1 eTs were numbered in pen and ink,
and in this way he believed clerical
| error might have been made. He vas
/ under the impression when receiving
/ the vouchers and papers from the fair
| commission that everything had been
| turned over.
Demand Made on Secretary.
| whether the committee had made de-
mand on each member of the commits
! sion individually or upon the secre-
tary.
"On the secretary replied Marks.
while some vouchers were missing,
we found on checking up that de-
mands for money corresponded with
1 expenditures. Everything was correct
The debate had resolved by this time
/ into a dialogue between Marks and
Joseph. The latter brought up the
fact, asked if it was not a fact,
/ that the. furniture in the Utah build
ing had been sacrificed. a set-to over
this question bored the house. as fur
niture was not uppermost in the minds
| Of the majority of members at that
| time They We're more interested IL
| missing vouchers and in trying to
| reconcile the two reports-one showing
| that there was a large deficit and
overdraft, the other balance in the
| treasury.
Did you find any order drawn by
| the secretary of the commission On
! the treasurer missing was the ques-
! ton which Joseph directed at Marks,
| and by which he sought TO bring the
matter to a head.
| NO, sir, was Marks reply. there
] was none of any kind. We found
! vouchers for every dollar expended,
! consider it the duty Of the committee
10 regard rumors, but to Investigate
| what We had before us.
| The reason the report eXOuerated
the commission was that in view OF
! the rumors abroad we believed it
proper to state that everything had
| been found all right. Men on this floor
who question the report are not in
possession of all the facts"
| At this assertion there were several
glances of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
knew" variety.
we want the report adopted in full, -
Marks continued If there are any
! outside matters which you question,
you can go ahead and investigate if
you wish. We're willing to stand for
| this report and bear the brunt of It.
We say no money was stolen or squan-
/ dered, because every dollar is account
| ed for The books show no other con-
| ditiOn than cited in the report
Don't Want to White Wash.
The remark has been made that we
| wish to whitewash some one. We have
no such purpose Outside charges have
| been only rumOrs, newspaper talk. The
| report should be adopted and the ap-
| preparation made"
Joseph here interrupted with I'm not
| against an appropriation being made,
but am against any recommendation
of the commission when a deficit ex-
lists"
Did you not have in your possess
| sion the @tement that I passed uD
| TO the house" asked Joseph. relating
| 10 the true condition of affairs as Civ
en- to Mr.. Harley by the secretary of
! the commission. You had that state
| ment and when you found that there
was a difference between it and the
affairs of the commission as shown by
the papers and vouchers, why did you
| not investigated"
| Because the books were examined
and showed what we gave was Marks
reply
Admits Books Were Changed.
/ Joseph--Were the books changed?
| MaTks-Yes. the books had been
| changed. We investigated the matter.
! What was the result?'
! Satisfactory"
Were there any erasures?"
Yes, there had been differences in
! transfers, etc"
| Won