The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-02-28
State Treasury Grows
Faster Than Its
Force.
TREASURER PARKS REPoRT
SHOWS LAW AS TO BANK Elk
AMlNATIoNs is WHOLLY
INADEQUATE.
Insurance Of Deposits Recommended.
Neal Bank Failure and Other
Matters Discussed.


rer R. Z. Park, placed In tho hands
of Governor Smith, Wednesday, is a
document of peculiar interest, particu-
larly at this time when the state treas
ury department is much in the public
eye.
Treasurer Parks report deals with
many important and interesting sub
jects, but is Of particular interest in
showing the development of the de-
partment during more than century,
and bringing out the fact that in spite
of the vast increase in its labors with
in that period, it has the same Office
force as when it was organized back
in 1889.
After dealing with the treasury stat
us on December 81, 1907, and showing
that the states bonded debt has been
decreased by the continued application
of the sinking fund of 100000 annual
ly to the present figure, $71S1,50
Captain Park plunges into a discus
sion Of the work done in the treasury.
I'm 1889, during General Washing
toms presidency" says Captain Park,
''the finances of Georgia were under
the management of a treasurer and
one assistant" and the came practical
ly continues true today. Also they are
paid the same salaries that pertained
to the office in 1889. "The constitution
Of Georgia forbids an increase of the
help and salaries in this Office, but the
legislature has not seen fit to diminish
the constant increase of work and ad-
ded care and responsibility.
Before the war the tax collectors
made settlements with the state once
year; now 146 tax collectors make
remittances every month. The treas
ury department now has, put upon it
by the constitution Of 1877, accounts
with 146 county school superinten-
dents and sixty local school systems;
also with forty-six oil inspectors. Be-
fore 1877 there were twenty-three
judges to be settled with; now there
are seventy judges, stenographers and
solicitor-general calling for money once
a month and some times oftener. The
civil establishment has grown several
hundred per cent since 1877 both in
numbers and salaries. Before 1877
there were few specific taxes; now
specific taxes are put on everything
able to stand it, all of which requires
extra bookkeeping. Until a compare
lively recent date the state had no pen
sion accounts, not it takes the entire
time of the treasurer and his assis-
tant for several weeks each year to
pay pensions
Not Dollar Lost.
Captain Park has continued the
same system of bookkeeping which he
found in the treasury upon entering it;
he commends its simplicity and accu-
raey. In this connection he says:
During the eight years that have
occupied my position, am gratifed to
say that not one dollar has been lost
by the state. The books have been
repeatedly inspected by expert examin-
ers appointed by the president of the
senate and the speaker of the house,
and two years ago special commit
tee made visit and special investiga-
ton by order Of the general assembly
and they made no suggestion or rec
concentrations as to changes and found
no fault with the department"
Among other duties now put upon
the treasury he enumerates the vast
amount Of correspondence averaging
1000 letters a year, the exchanging of
coupon for registered bonds, keeping
accounts with ninety-one state deposit
tories, as compared with thirty-nine IN
1900, the keeping Of deposits of guaran-
tee bonds made by more than one hun
dred insurance companies doing bus
mess in the state, and the keeping Of
accounts with the lessees of felony
convicts. There is further the rapidly
increasing correspondence and keeping
Of accounts with the state departments
in the capitol and with growing and in
creasing state institutions each Of
which has its special appropriation.
Salaries Remain Small.
In this connection Captain Park
says:
my small salary Is $4,000 per an
mum, the same as was paid over a half