The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-20

mo compensating benefit may accrue. That this equilibrium between revenue and expense may be maintained, without mort gaging the future to greater degree than it will reasonably bear is a prob lem which cities having a fixed tax rate heye specially to solve, and it becomes doubly necessary that the financial trans actions of such a city shall be so re- corded as to exhibit clearly and accurate by it's financial condition at all times and leave no doubt in the public mind as to it's ability to provide for the public necessities with the revenue 1t has power to exact from it's citizens.
 The action of the United States govern ment, through the bureau of the census in attempting to tabulate the receipts and expenditures of the cities of the coun- try having over 5000 population. in com parative form, has produced statistics of great value to every municipality; to the extent that the bureau receives the cooperation of the cities reported, will the value of these statistics be increased; a duty is therefore imposed on each city that 1t shall so far as possible, keep it's accounts and publish its reports in such form as will enable the census bu- reau to compile and present to the coun- try accurate information regarding the comparative cost of municipal govern ment.
 Another responsibility, greater however than either of the foregoing, rests upon the public official. Occupying his position as an agent of and trustee for the pub lie, 1t becomes specially incumbent upon him to see that the business of the city passing through his hands Is conducted in an honest and economical manner; and the method provided for handling and recording these transactions must be such as will not admit, without discovery, of an unlawful diversion of the public funds or invite an opportunity for carelessness or dishonesty in their administration.
 The system of accounting which we have designed and installed for the city of Birmingham aims to meet the require ments and responsibilities as outlined above. by an orderly and uniform method, subject to constant check, of handling the city funds; by a proper classification of the citys revenue and a correct charge against the respective departments and classes of expense of the actual cost of conducting the same, distinguishing be- tween expenditures for maintenance and fixed charges and those for which an asset is acquired; these classihcations and charges to be made in such manner as will furnish the public with intelligent and accurate information concerning such revenue and cost, and show the increase or decrease from year to year in the various items comprising It's assets or property and it's liabilities; and to en- able the bureau of the census to easily compile correct and comprehensive data of the city's financial transactions and condition We submit the following out line of what we consider the essentials of such a system, and which we have incorporated in the one designed for this city:
 Suggestions for Work. First-For the protection of the city's funds
 We have done away, so far as possible, with the stub" system of receipts, and provided that receipts should be made in duplicate with carbon, and that the original receipts issued by the two chief revenue collecting officers--the city treas urer and license inspector-be recorded and counterslgned by the auditor before being given out or valid.
 That the moneys received from licenses and fines and fees imposed in the inferior