The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1909-05-28
The Travelling Auditor.

| Up to his appearance on the official
arena officials who handled State
| funds devoted to the maintenance of
public institutions had their own way,
and we're seldom called to account
But the Travelling Auditor has been
able to discover the officials who were
only neglectful, and to distinguish
them from the embezlers, defaulters
and thieves, and to furnish the facts
that have brought some of the latter
to Justice and deserved punishment.
Those who have been only careless
will be more careful in future, while
those who might be di isposed to rob
the State will now understand that
they run risk of early detection and
exposure.
Great service is being done for the
State by the new system of financial
inspection, and the result in saving
money promises to be very impor-
tant."
The above from the New Orleans
Times Democrat is predicated on
the report of the Travelling Auditor
of Louisiana. concerning the man
agement of the State institutions.
The office of Travelling Auditor
was created by the last Legislature of
that State. and the field of duty
was fixed to investigate the manage
ment Of State institutions and detail
of financial inspection as to items
and legality.
The report which gave rise to the
Democrats comment, was rendered
on the management and expendi- |
lures of the Shreveport and New
Orleans hospitals, maintained as
charita ble institutions by that State.
The Travelling Auditor, in checking |
up discovered MANY discrepancies |
and unlawful expenditure of funds.
Much of the paper on file as vouch- |
ers was disapproved and the law
was found to have been grossly vio-
lated by the officials, having pur-
chased the bulk Of supplies from |
themselves, or concerns in which |
they had a business interest. In
some cases. goods purchased of a |
director had been paid for in full |
when only a portion had been de- !
livered. Other features of irregular |
tiles com plexiened divers of the of
ficials as being thieves down to graf
ters and the criminally negligent.
The conditions uncovered by the
Louisiana detective auditor, doubt
less, exist in other states, and in
counties and municipalities else
where.
If every commonwealth had a
travelling auditor, commissioned to
examine the books transactions etc.
Of its officials, doubtless, much graft
and robbery Of the public till would
be unearthed, and a more economi-
cal and better administration of
state, county and municipal govern
ment would be obtained Mississippi |
has a Revenue Agent who looks
mostly after the collection of reve- |
nues due the state. His field of |
work differs from that of the Lousi-
ana auditor in that he does not ex-
anime into the legality of the trans
actions of officials.
This work, in our state, has been |
left to the grand iuries, who are usu-
ally wanting in time, expertness,
or inclination. The result has been
that no thorough examinations have |
been made into the books and trans
actions of Mississippi officials. In
this state it is unlawful for State,
County or Municipal officers TO pur-
chase public supplies from them
selves or any concern in which they
are interested, yet in many instan-
ces, this thing is being done unques-
toned and unchecked. The reason
for it is obvious. There is always
cloak under which such purchases
can be consumated without detection
and unless there is a competent au-
ditor authorized to examine into
the legality of such transactions,
the graft will continue to go on as
it has been going on in Louisiana.
The Weekly agrees with the Times
Democrat that the creation of the
office of Travelling Auditor for lou
siana was a stroke of wisdom. tt
believes it would be equally wise for
the Mississippi legislature to create
like office for this state. What has
been found true as regards the man
agement of public interests in our
sister state, may in great probabili-
ty. be found equally so here. In
case it should. the service of an ex-f
pert auditor would prove profitable,
and would operate as a great con-
servator OF economy and promoter
of honest government.