The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-14

subdivision tho power to vote an addi-
tlonal road tax, to be expended only on
their particular road, and requiring them
to- vote q minimum extra tax of ono
MILL giving them also tho power to elect
ANNUALLY three subdlstrlct road officers
n chairman, secretary and treasurer and
one or more road surveyors, for each par
tlculnr road to be paid by contract or
hire, as such Taxpayers may decide. each
road surveyor being required, Mt the ex-
pcnse OF the county road funds to
drag so much Of his section of road as is
OF clay soil, after every thaw or heavy
rain, with drag or rut-scraper, as they
doyin tNewfYDrk and several other States
The road surveyor TO discharge other tlu-
ties imposed by board of supervisors or
road subdlstrIct Taxpayers, all under
the supervisory direction of tho State
engineer, 30 as to make Il coherent work.
able whole of the road system from top
to bottom, and infuse an especial and con-
tinuing interest therein ut tho bottom.
The plan also includes provision COM
polling the use Of wide tires on all country
roads on and after January !, 1910. so ns
to give ample time for change from mar
row to wide tires.
Reform State Finances.
Sweeping reforms In tho state financial
system, along the general lines laid down
IN tho message Of Governor Montague,
read "Wednesday before the Legislature
arn contemplated in n resolution offered
FRIDAY In tho Senate by tho Hon. Camm
fatteson, OF Buckingham. Beyond the
reference to tho Governors message. tho
resolution contains no Indication OF tho
mature OF the changes projected. Tho
matter Is referred to the Committee for
Courts OF Justice, with Instructions TO
consider tho recommendations OF tho
Executive and to report in uccordance
herewith such bill or bills az may be
deemed necessary. 1t is the design OF tho
patron OF the measure, who acted upon
the suggestion Of u number OF prominent
business men OF Richmond and other
places, to have the new system planned
with great care and circumspection, and
for this reason. instead OF embodying IN
dividual views In bill, he called upon
the entire committee to pass upon the
question. Considerable interest was man
Tested in the matter yesterday. and tho
resolution was decidedly the feature Of tho
day In the General Assembly.
II was nstonished to learn" said SEN
ator Patteson last night, that In the
past forty years the State has lost moro
than s15S.000
Tho system OF finances now IN vogue
Is estirely out of date, and the object
OF my resolution Is to secure nm entirely
new system that will bring order out OF
chaos. The need for such n change has
long been felt. In my own county there
has been serious trouble growing out
OF the laxity OF the methods and the sit
uauon there Is still worrying us. Since
the reading OF the Governors message n
number of Richmond business men. all of
whom have long felt the need of n sweep
ing reform. have discussed the matter
with the result that / offered this reso-
luton. have not worked out any system
which l will offcr as substitute for the
old. The committee will do that. using
the Governors excellent recomme ndatlons
as basis. understand that the system
now In operation in Massachusetts is
most successful, but have not mado a
personal examination OF this system"
In his message, the Governor declared
that while the first auditor should settle.
collect and deposit all moneys coming to
the State. he should be wholly unauthor-
lied TO issue his warrant upon the treas
urer for any sum whatever. This latter
duty, no said, should be performed by
tho second auditor. who should mako no
collections or deposits. and his warrants
alone should be recognized By tho treas
urer- The Encouragement. safeauarded
by a system OF bookkeeping wherein tho
entries of moneys received or paid out IL
these three offices-frst auditor. second
auditor and treasurer-could be identified
with accuracy and each would result in
the best possible protection of tho funds
OF the treasury. In addition to this, the
Governor recommended new system OF
bookkeeping In the treasurers office and
the appointment of special accountant /
to inspect and scrutin!ze the accounts, I
vouchers and methods OF bookkeeping /
Of all officials at the seat OF government
and elsewhere in the State, who collect, |
account for. or pay out public moneya