, 1906-12-29

lions OF Value. he ulTGCIS alleulloh W
the constitutional provision requiring
state, county, city, town and school of.
icers to keep a correct account of all
fees collected by them and pay the
same into the proper treasury when
collected, and recommends that the
Legislature enact laws that will cause
this~ section to become operative In
all offices that are not now conform
ing to 1t. The fees now being retain
ed by boards and officers are enumer-
ated, being the state veterinarians
fees, the pharmacy commissioners
fees, the game fund and the board Of
sheep commissioners fees. The audi
tor is of the opinion, and rightly, that
all fees should be paid into the state
treasury and that funds for the main
tenance OF the several Offices and
boards should be provided by direct
appropriation by the state legislature.
In this way the constitution will not on
Iy be complied with, but the state will
have a complete check upon all It's
affairs. The fees system never works
TO the best advantage OF the people
at large. 1t encourages extravaganza
and should be entirely abolished / n all
departments.
Under the caption, Insurance Fees
the auditor refers to a question that
has caused some controversy and has
been the subject of adverse criticism
He says:
Ever since Wyoming was admitted
as a state there has been some ques
ton as to who was entitled to the fees
or compensation as insurance commits
sioner, as stated in section 3, chapter
"a, Session Laws of 1888. This section
of the law is S follows:
Sec. 3. Section six hundred and
thirty-four of the Revised Statutes OF
Wyoming is hereby amended and re
enacted, so as TO read as follows:
There shall be paid by every com
pany, association, person or persons
agent or agents, to whom this chapter
| shall apply, the following fees; Fol
filing and examination of the first ap
plication of any company and ISSUING
the certificate of license thereon, fftl
dollars; for filing each annual state
ment herein required, twenty-five dol
lars: for zach certificate of authority
one dollar; for every copy of paper I'll
ed as herein provided, the sum OF fiji
teen cents per folio, and fifty cents TO
| certifying the same and afiixing thu
seal of office thereto; all of which fee:
shall be paid to, and become a part o.
the compensation of the officer requir
ed to perform the duties, except the
fees for filing and examination of the
first application of any company and is
| suing the certificate of license thereon
| and the fees for filing each annua
| statement herein required, which ices
| shall be covered into the general rune
of the territory" (State.)
During my administration, l have
paid into the state treasury all of tn
fees coming into my hands, under tn
above law, and in order that the Law
| shall be clear l most urgently recon-
mend that the above section of oul
/ state law be amended and re-enactet
| SO that all fees coming into the hand!
of the state auditor as ex-otiicio insur
ance commissioner, shall be paid to thu
state treasurer, and placed to the cred
it of the general fund.
During the past two years | have
paid to the state treasurer the sum .
SAG, 1854, which amount has been col
lected under the provisions of tn,
above law, and includes not only thu
fees designated to be paid into the gen
eral fund, but also includes those fee
| which the law provides shall becom,
a part of the compensation of the Off
Ger required TO perform the duty"
hold the state t%reasurer's receipts fol
the above amount, which includes al
fees received up to November 14th
1906.
If the legislature will follow up thu
recommendation of the auditor ant
make it plain in the law that no par
| of the fees shall be retained as emolu
ments of the office, the mooted ques
ton will be disposed of and there will
be nothing left for misrepresentation
and inuendo.
No office in the state is run with any
greater ability, accuracy or neatness