Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-12
HOLD PUBLIC MEETING
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GOV
EMINENT ACCOUNTANTS.
Secretary of the Navy Among Those
In Attendance-To Develop and
Improve System.

Accountants, recently formed for the pur-
pose of developing and improving the ac-
counting system of the government, held
it's first meeting last evening at the Nation
al Rifles Armory Hall. More than 500 men
and women were present and were moved to
much enthusiasm the various addresses
were made. The principal address was by
A. II. Plant, controller of the Southern rail-
way and president of the Association of
American Railway Accounting Officers.
Among those on the platform were Secre-
tary of the Navy Bonaparte. Commissioners
West Assistant Postmaster General Shall
lenberger. Clifford Pinchot chief of the bu-
reau of forestry; Alonzo Tweedale. assist
ant auditor of the District, and Librarian
Bowerman of the Washington Public Lii
brary.
1t was pointed out by Mr.. l.. H. Mating
ly who presided. that more than 5000 per-
sons in this city are employed either as ac-
countants, disbursing officers, financial
agents, bookkeepers or in some form per-
tanning to accounting under the federal and
District governments, and such an org In Ia
ton as the association is essential for their
general good and promotion. after outlin-
ing the policies of the association. the pre-
siding officer introduced Mr.. Plant, the rirst
speaker.
plished tor railroad accounting by organi-
zation.
The government should have adopted
such an organization long before this he
said You will soon find the benefits of
such an association.
To further impress his hearers with the
value of organization the speaker reviewed
the work of the railway association since
It's existence. The railroads. he declared,
have greatly benefited by the better meth
DDS of accounting adopted by the associa-
ton, their revenues have increased many
thousands of dollars a year. The improve
ment of tile voucher system was one of the
chief objects attained by the railroad ac
countants.
Accounting officers he said should
devote as much attention to economical
governmental administration as to econom-
ical accounting.
.sYou SHOULD report all necessary RENE
dies. You should always report to your su
perors when a waste or extravaganza is
noted. The government runs at an awful
expense, and you, as servants should call
your superiors attention to this and show
them by your skilled figures where money
can be saved"
Should Work Wonders.
R. C. Adams of the interstate COM
merce commission, the next speaker, said
the association should work wonders for
those handling the governments money.
Practical finance is necessity. and as
public financiers the members should al
ways take steps to improve their condi-
tons and acquire every possible knowledge
pertaining to their work.
Il agree with MIR. Plant" he stated
that you should never let an opportunity
pass to economic for the government. Sta
tistical methods should be applied. and
you should be able to measure the real
value of every item that you are called
upon to audit or disburse."
Prof. E. d. Durand of the bureau of
corporations made short address pointing
10 80 4,
of accountants can be to the welfare of
the government
= Being unable to attend the meeting c.
II. Keep, assistant secretary of the treas
ury, sent letter of regret, which was
read by Chairman Mattingly. and in which
he said he had conversed with President
Roosevelt on the subject and that the
formation of the association was approved
by the executive.
J. w. Powers, chief statistician of the
census office, voiced the necessity of uni
form accounting and recommended that
all accounting methods of the government
should be adopted after the patterns of
the railroads.
Clifford Pinchot, chief of the bureau of
forestry, who served a member of the
Keep commission, which is said to have
inspired the creation of the association
was the final speaker. He stated that If
the Keep commission accomplished moth
ing else but the making of the association
Its work had not been for naught Mr.
Ptnchot took the view that the commission
had done great good, as he looks upon
the association as essential in government
work.
Postmaster General Cortelyou was I'M
able to be present. but he sent a letter ex-
pressing his approval of the association
and stating that it should accomplish de-
sirable results.
Secretary E. A. Gongwer announced that
the present officers are only serving tenn
porarily and that the first annual election
of officers will be held next May. There
were 40 members of the association prior
to the meeting last evening. At the con-
clusion of the exercises more than thirty
new names were enrolled. The secretary
stated that regular meetings will be held
Ing practical subjects pertaining to ac-
counting, and during the winter months
there will be lectures by experts in every
branch of the work.
Plans for the Future.
Some of the lectures arranged for are:
Relations which should exist between adj
ministrative and accounting officers by
r. S. Persons. auditor for the Treasury De-
partment; The accounting officers-their
proper administration" by w. E. Andrews.
auditor of the Treasury Department: 1.-The
don'ts of our accounting laws" by s. r.
Jacobs, chief of division, office of the audi
tor for the State and other departments:
Contracts. J. NJ. Brown, law clerk.
ONCE OF the controiier OF the treasury.
Competition and statutory contracts" biz
L. H. Mattingly, expert accountant office
of the controller of the treasury: Coast
keeping by n. E. Webster accountant
United States reclamation service; Admin
istrative statistics kept by cards." by A.
Zappone, disbursing clerk, Department of
Agriculture: Discussing clerks bookkeep-
ing and records" by w. L. Soeu dis
bursting clerk, Department of Commerce
and Labor: Treasury bookkeeping" by HI
c. Lewis. deputy auditor isthmian canal
commission; Recovery of balances due
the government and the preparation of
suits therefor" by j. ID. Terril chief law
clerk office of the controller of the treas
ury: THE customs service" by Paul Cook.
office of the auditor for the Treasury De-
partment. and the Postal service" by r
j. f. Allen. expert accountant office of the
controller of the treasury.
Secretary Gongwer concluded the meet
Ing by reading the constitution. THE OBJ
Jects of this association" he said, ARE to
unite In one organization employees of the
federal government and the District gov
eminent having control of or participation
in accounting, including the subjects of APP
pointment purchase and issue of sale. col
lectfng and disbursing. auditing, bookkeep-
ing and actuarial subjects; to encourage
and facilitate the adoption OF economical
expeditions, progressive and uniform meth
DDS In handling the accounting features of
the fiscal operations of the government and