The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1909-06-04
The Travelling Auditor.

The creation of the office of Travel
ing Auditor was a great stroke of wis
dom on the part of the State Legislature
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
were seldom called to account. But
the Travelling Auditor has been able to
discover the officials who were only neg
| lectful, and to distinguish them from
| the EN- 5eZelers, defaulters and thieves,
! and to furnish the facts that have
brought some of the latter to justice
and deserved punishment. Those who
haye been only careless will be more
careful in future, while those who
might be disposed to rob the State will
now understand that they run a 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 important"
The above from the New Orleans
Times Democrat is predicted on the
report of the Travelling Auditor of
Louisiana, concerning the management
of the State institutions.
The office of Travelling Auditor was
created by the last legislature of the
State, and the field of duty was fixed to
investigate the management of State
institutions and detail of financial in
spection as to items and legality.
The report which gave rise to the
Democrats comment, was rendered on
the management and expenditures of
the Shreveport and New Orleans hos
pitfalls, maintained as charitable institu-
tons by the State. The Travelling Au-
ditor, liz checking up discovered many
discrepancies and unlawful expenditure
of funds. Much of the paper on file as
vouchers was disapproved and the law
was found to have been grossly violated
by the officials, having purchased the
bulk of supplies from themselves, or
concerns in which they had business
interest In some cases goods purchased
of director had been paid for in full
when only a portion had been delivered.
Other features of irregularities complex
iened divers of the officials as being
thieves down to grafterS and the Grim
inally negligent. The conditions un-
covered by the Louisiana auditor, doubt
less, exist in other states, and in coun-
ties and municipalities elsewhere.
If every commonwealth had travel
ing auditor, commissioned to examine
the books transactions etc. of its offic
ials, doubtless, much graft and robbery
of the public till would be unearthed,
and more economical and better ad-
minStratiOn Of state, county and muni-
cipal government would be obtained
Mississippi has Revenue Agent who
looks mostly after the collection of reve-
nues due the State. His field of work
differs from that of the Louisiana audi
tors in that he does not examine into
the legality of the transactions of offic
| ais.
This work, in our state, has been left
to the grand jurieS, who are usually
wanting in time, expertness, or fncli-
nation. The result has been that no
thorough examinations have been made
into the books and transactions of Mis-
sissippi officials. In this state it is un-
lawful for State, County or Municipal
officers to purchase pnbic supplies from
themselves or any concern in WHICH
they are interested, yet in many, In
stances, this thing is being done un-
questioned and unchecked. The reason
for it is obvious. There is always a
cloak under which purchases can be
| consumated without detection and un-
less there is competent auditor author
lied to examine into the legality of such
transactions, the graft will continue to
60 on as it has been going on in Louisi-
ana. The Weekly agrees wi tn the
Times Democrat that the creation of
the office of Travelling Auditor for Louis
lana was stroke of wisdom. 1t be-
lieves that it would be equally wise for
the Mississippi legislature to create
like Office for this state. What has
been found true as regards the manage
ment of public interests in our sister
state, may in great probability, be found
equally so here. In case it should, the
service of an expert auditor would prove
profitable, and would operate as great
conservator of economy and promoter
of honest government.-Aberde Week.
The above is being copiousIy
copied by the State papers, in-
dicating that the state laws are
beng violated with impunity.
Our laws are full and ample,
sufficient to check and prohibit
violations. We have too many
laws now and too few executed.
With the enforcement of our
statutes we would hear less talk
and be more prosperous and
therefore happy.