Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-14
NEW SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTING
CHANGES FOR DISTRICT PRO-
POSED BY AUDITOR.
Plan to Acquaint Commissioners
With Facts Upon Which to Base
Estimates for Budget.

That the Commissioners may have full
knowledge of all the facts relating to all
of the business of the District upon which
to base budget for the next year to be
presented to Congress. District Auditor
Alonzo Tweedale, in his annual report,
submitted to the Commissioners yester-
day, recommends the adoption of a we'll
organized and centralized system of &C
counting control of the finances of the
municipality.
The reform of the accounting system
is urged to prevent financial loss and to
enable the financial operations of the Dis
trict TO be stated intelligently and fully.
In urging a revision along these lines
! have not had in mind the establishment
of an intricate and voluminous system
of bookkeeping. with endless extensions
and ramifications,' says the auditor.
What is desired is in line with that
which has already been partially accom-
plished-namely, revision along practical
business lines, the accomplishment of
practical results; that there may be cen
tralization instead of decentralization in
financial control: that all receipts and
disbursements may be handled through
proper officers of the District. and that
all accounts relating TO the District may
be kept in the District auditors Office
so that annually the Commissioners. with
full knowledge OF all the facts relating
TO all of the business OF the District may
submit to Congress an accurate and COM
prehensive statement of the business
transactions of the District of Columbia.
Depositing of Moneys.
1T is desired TO especially emphasize
the necessity for obtaining legislation
whereby all moneys in any way affecting
the District OF Columbia and from what
ever source derived may be deposited in
the Treasury through the proper officers
OF the District of Columbia Under eX-
listing practice many deposits affecting
the District revenues are made in the
treasury direct and the accounting off,
GERS of the District receive no notice of
the same until the close OF the fiscal year
and then only in the shape of informal
memoranda. The best results only can
be accomplished by securing LEGISLATION
which would require all moneys of the
character mentioned TO be paid through
the collector OF taxes and the accounting
therefor accordingly concentrated in one
account.
Attention is invited to the fact that
large sum of money is expended annually
from District of Columbia appropriation
Dy dlsbursing agents other than the dis
bursing OFFICER Of the District Along the
llne OF bringing all District accounts un-
der one general head or control IL is rec
commended that the following draft Of leg
islation. prepared by the Secretary of the
Treasury and transmitted with the esti-
mates OF District appropriations for the
nscal years 1901 and 1907. be brought to
the attention of Congress. namely:
That hereafter all estimates and
reduis,tions affecting the revenues OF the
District of Columbia shall be submitted
10 the commissioners of the District. and
all payments from appropria tions any
part Of which is chargeable to the "a id
revenues or the District of Columbia. or
Tepayments TO appropriations and COL
lectlons increasing the revenues shall he
MADE through the officials of the District,
except IN the case of the sinking fund.
winch Is otherwise specifically provided
Tor by law, and all accounts pertaining
thereto shall be settled by the auditor for
the state and other departments
The expenditure Of these appronria-
tons through the disbursng officer OF the
District will not affect the direct control
OF the work and the approval and certifi-
cation of vouchers by the officers in
charge by law with such approval and
the expenditures made through the Dis
tr1ct dfsbursing officer on vouchers au-
dlted and approved by the auditor of the
District
Handling acquisitions.
Realizing that the method in vogue of
handling acquisitions for supplies and
services required for the District and the
payment of public creditors was cumber-
some and productive of needless delays
the Commissioners, upon recommendation
of the District auditor, December 81, 1905,
transferred to the auditors office the OBJ
legation accounts under appropriations
which had heretofore in part been kept
in the engineer department and in the
property clerks office, together with the
clerks formerly in those offices who per-
formed the work AS result of this
change and the cutting out of a part Of
the routine handling of acquisitions and
vouchers and accounts of public credit
ors. which under the old system required
weeks In settlement, are now adjusted
promptly and payments made within the
period of a few days OF the filing of the
claims. The change in this respect has
been so noticeable as to call for COM
mendation from District contractors and
others