Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-30
TREASURER MUST
80. PAY FOR STAMPS

Governor Smith has declined the request
of State, Treasurer Park for warrants to
cover the expenses of the state bank
bureau for postage stamps amounting to
between $500 and $500. The chief executivs
says i'm his letter that he cannot pay
the account out of the contingent fund.
Governor Smith says that the law es-
tablishng the bank bureau names the
state treasurer as state bank examiner,
and provides that bis salary as state bank
examiner shall be 50 500 a year, and that
the salary and expenses are to be prorat-
ed and collected from the banks accord
ing to the capital Of each.
The governors letter follows:
ATLANTA. Ga, April 10, 1909.
Hon. r. E. Park, Treasurer, State Cap
itol, Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Sir: have received your several
letters in which you ask for warrants to
cover the expenses of the state bank blu
reau for postage stamps amounting to
between $500 and $500.
1.-The law establishing the bank bureau
names the state treasurer as state bank
examiner and provides that his salary
as state bank examiner shall be $500 a
year. This salary and expenses to be pro-
rated and collected from banks according
to the capital of each as hereinafter stat
ed in section "a of this act The law
also gives you the right to employ as
slstants and names the salaries of these
assistants for which 1t provide again,
The salaries and expenses to be prorated
and collected from the banks according to
the capital OF each as hereinafter stated
in section "a of this act. Section "a fixes
the fees to be charged the respective
banks for each examination made by the
state bank examiner or his assistants Of
such banks
1.-The language is too clear to admit
of doubt. Your salary. the salaries of
your assistants and the expenses OF
the department are expressly made pay
able from the money raised through the
fees charged the banks for examina-
| tions. While the act provides for the
payment of a salary of $4,000 to the
state treasurer as bank examiner in
addition to his salary of 5000 as state
| treasurer, my construction of the act is
! that this $4,000 could only be retained
by the state treasurer as bank exam
liner if he has saved 1t from the fees
after paying all the expenses of the bu-
reau.
Your last statement shows that you
retained $4,000 as bank examiner as
your salary, and the shortage in your
expense account is due to this fact
Your statement also shows that Mr.
Hollinshead, your first assistant, only
received S1,64S for his services when the
law authorized him to receive 81, 1000.
Under my view of the law 1 could not
pay the stamp account out of the con-
tingent fund, thereby enabling you to
retain $4,000 as a salary when the fees
from the banks did not pay the ex-
penses of the bureau and leave $2,5OC
for your salary. / do not regard this
as the kind of expenditure the contin-
gent fund was intended to provide for
Besides, the legislature has been in
session since this condition or affairs
| arose, and If it was the purpose Of the
| legislature to make your $4,000 salary
good even II you were unable to meet
the expenses Of the bureau and also
retain $4,000 for yourself, it is my
| opinion that the subject should have
| been brought to the attention of the
! Legislature and a direct appropriation
| asked from them.
Very truly yours
| (Signed) "HOKE SMITH,
( Governor"