New-York tribune., 1908-01-25
COUNTY AFFAIRS Lax"
Glynn Says They Are in Deplorable
Condition.
fBy Telegraph to The Tribune !

By Telegraph TO The Tribune.
Albany, Jan. A.-Conditions somewhat similar to
those discovered in Broome County, according TO
Controller Glynn. have been disclosed in Oswego
and Clinton counties by investigators OF the Con-
troer's bureau of municipal accounts who have
been examining the state of the accounts of the
county treasurers. No actual defacations were
shown Mr.. Glynn says, but the Controller will re-
port the Legislature that "a deplorable cond-
ton of affairs has been revealed in each county"
Ample Justification his report declares, was
found for demanding the removal of the county
treasurer in Oswego County, and the only reason
such a course not followed was that his term
of office would expire before the necessary legal
proceedings could have been brought TO finish
The accounts n Clinton County, where the present
County Treasurer has been in office only three
months according to the reports found TO be
in great confusion, rendering almost impossible
any intelligent idea of the state of the county s
funds.
Generally speaking the Controller asserts that
the same thing exists in almost every county 20 a
lesser degree. The law requiring the Board or
Supervisors to audit accounts against the county
he says, is ignored almost universally. ana lie"
county treasurers seem to realize that TO pay
bill without proper auditing constitutes mal1eas-
ance and gives adequate ground for removal from
office Where the Supervisors do audit the county
bills the system is cumbersome he continues aS
the board usually audits the bills only once eacH
year. The Controller recommends that the nnahclal
machinery OF each county be made TO conform as
nearly as possible that of the state or we'll or
eanized cities. The Controllers report says;
In the County of Oswego evidence was obtained
nv the examiners which would have amply Justified
the % abTea o th ecemb4 81 s0 1t was found
the county treasurer had USED tle PAM @ az a.
count of the county practically as II II were ms
own individual property that he paid his own per-
an executor administrator and occasionally the
bills OF friends acquaintances directly from the
taking the cash from the drawer. During period
of and half years over one hundred enc G1eefS r.
hoo 6Ta
phS co enne9rs that this official loaned the county
alSo ands to Various individuals usually in small
amounts and improperly paid many accounts win
system Of bookkeeping in Oswego County is crude
and antiquated there being little to commend and
The examination has not thus far shown that
the county oss ae interest through his
acts the illegal Withdrawals apparently having
scarcely have been completed before the expiration
of his term of office such proceedings were deemed
In Clinton County the present treasurer has been
IN ir GIncd did abomf October i907 The Examination
shows the accounts to be IN almost ncredlDe con. con-
are any accounts in the treasurer's office. There
is record OF receipts and very imperfect state
ment OF the disbursements The books have been
kept and the youeheTs are In such W ao
Of the purposes for which the county moneys have
The COUNTY funds are not protected by the statu
tory bond required OF the depository no interest is
paid county deposits thGusands 10 OF % d@ars ah
winch we're not legal county charges; taxes have
not been properly levied in many years and great
laxity in the collection OF taxes Is apparent
Commenting on the alarming widespread laxity
in the administration county finances the Con-
troller says that the bureau Of municipal accounts
is destined 10 become one of he most important
in the state The Controller is charged with the
examination of the accounts of fftys"ven counties.
forty-three cities and 43s villages. In Wyoming he
says. the taxes have been reduced 60 per cent IN
the last ten years through bureau OF this sort,
although the population has Increased 50 per cent.
while a bureau doing this sort of work in Ohio
ports that the last decade it has saved s1cooeo
years. fnr the public