The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-07-23
Need For Uniform Accounting.

The following address of NJ. II.
Thatcher, state inspector and examin-
er, before the Kentucky Press Asso-
citation, at Estill Springs, KY, July 1,
1903:
Mr.. President, members fthe Ken
lucky Press Association, Ladies and
Gentlemen
- desire, first, to acknowledge the
high honor paid me by the association
in extending to me an invitation to
address you on this occasion. The
newspapers Of your organization are
the couriers of light in the common
wealth, and the people must depend
on you to plead the cause of progress
am glad to appear before you and
urge, as best l may, the Necessity
for a Uniform Accounting and In
lspection Law in Kentucky"
There is really not so much need
for argument in behalf of the enact
ment of such a law. No intelligent
citizen can fail to understand that ev-
cry reason that exists in favor of a
well-kept system of accounts in any
private business enterprise. exists in
even greater degree in favor of a com
plete accounting system In every gov
ornamental department, whether state,
county, city, town or district. Good
business means good morals. and or
der is declared to eb the first law of
heaven. II II is necessary for any
private. business enterprise to have a
thorough system Of accounts, and reg
ular audits and inspections. how much
greater is the. necessity for each pub
lie business enterprise, whether the
central government or any depart
ment thereof, or the local govern
ment or any department thereof. TO
be governed by similar strict business
methods.
Old Adage Exemplified.
Nowhere is there better exemplifi-
cation, OF the adage that Every
body's business IL nobody's business,
than inthe conduct of our public af-
fairs. Every intelligent stakeholder
in private corporation desires the
accounts OF that corporation to be
kept in the strictest. most accurate
way. He desires regular inspections
of those accounts to be made by dis
interested parties to determine wheth
er its funds are properly applied He
also desires to receive such informa-
ton as will enable him to determine
whether the officers and directors OF
of that corporation are dischargine
their duties faithfully and efficiently
And last. but not least, he wants the
best return for his investment.
Now, every taxpayer is a stock
holder in each government to whose
support he contributes. whether state
county, city or town. His interest in
these public corporations should be a:
great as his interest as a stakeholder
in any private corporation. His rights
in the former should be safeguardeC
equally with bis rights in the latter
There should obtain In the former
the same thoroughness of accounting
the same rigid and disinterested in.
spectlon. the same fulness OF inform
alton to the taxpayers. as obtains fol
the benefit OF the stakeholder in tbs
latter. Yet, such is not the case.
All Agreed on These Points.
On these points all must agree
though here and there the designing
the corrupt, or the misinformed. may
object. If our people were interested
in but one county. one city. one town
or one district in the state, there
would be no need for what Is termed
uniform Accounting" though there
would yet remain the need for intel
lllgently-kept accounts for the partic
ular community. But the interests oil
our people are not limited to theil
respective communities.
For many reasons on interests ex.
tend to counties. cities. towns and dis
tricts not our own. These interests
may result from a scattered owner.
ship of property; or from a desire
and need TO learn and reciprocate the
Experience OF communities other thar
our own in the efforts to solve the
problems of wise and economical
government This last Is consider
alton of the highest importance. Wis
dom is but the gleanings in the field
OF experience; and the experience oil
each. whether good or bad. should be
| for the benefit of all
Uniform Accounting Defined.
uniform Accounting" in its full
Sense. and as We hope. by law. to ap.
Iply II in Kentucky. means that all &C
counts showing the receipts or dis.
bursement of any character of public
revenues by state officers. as well as
by officers of counties. cities, towns
school districts, and other taxing sub
divisions or units within the state
shall be classified. systemtized and
ekpt uniform in all offices of the same
class.
1t means that every penny of pub
lie money. by whomsoever received
and by whomsoever and for whatso-
ever purpose disbursed, shall be the