The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-05
COMMISSION PLAN IS A
MONEY SAVER.
From The ST. Paul Dispatohl

Des Moines, Feb. 27.-According to
an official forecast made by Charles
wv. Schramm, superintendent of the
department of accounts and finances
the city of Des Moines will expend
$4,000 less thi year, under the com.
mission plan of government, than it
expended during the preceding fiscal
year ending April l. The annual re-
port is now in the course of prepare
| ton. While there is no standard
whereby the ratio of expenditures may
be measured, because of varying con-
ditlons, still saving of $4,000 indi'
Gates that the city treasury has been
carefully guarded, and no expenditures
made which were not warranted.
Idle Funds Draw Interest.
The total inco..lc from all taxes
gives Des MOines abOut 100000 a
year, for operating the city. When
he commission plan was adopted, the
| city funds in banks, with the excep-
ton of sinking fund created for the
purpose of buying waterworks, bore
no interest. Banks were paying from
II to 4 per cent for accounts of indi-
viduals and business firms, but the
city got nothing. The first move of
Mr.. Schramm was to place the city
money where it would bring revenue
when idle. On daily balances, ne re.
ceived an offer of 2 per cent, and on
time deposits, 4 per cent When this
arrangement was completed he had
made provision for increasing the in.
come of the city $4,000 year.
Mr.. Schramm then started in to
handle the municipal funds in the
same way a business institution might
handle them. He revised the book.
keeping methods. He completely re-
organized the treasurer's office and in
stalled a new system of accounting.
He ordered all moneys paid direct
to the treasurer and held him re-
sponsible. After each pay day, he is
sued to the superintendent of each de-
partment a statement showing just
how the various funds accredited tC
his department stood. In this way
each superintendent could look ahead
and keep his expenditures down low
enough to insure that he would have
plenty to run him for the entire year
Finds Forgotten Balances.
Mr.. Schram audited the account
with the county, and found that there
was a balance of $l,488.25 due the
city. 1t was an item which had been
overlooked for nearly two years. With
tine city auditor, he got into records at
police court and found that profess
sional bOndsmen were security on for.
feited bonds which aggregated more
than $4,000. The police Judge was
hailed before the council Immediately
and an explanation demanded why he
had not certified the bonds to the city
solicitor for collection.
A. X. Stewart, the police Judge
"beat about the bush" for some time
and gave little satisfaction in his an.
swers. The council issued an order to
him to certify the bonds for collection
forthwith, and to make immediate re-
turns on all forfeited bonds thereafter
Since that time the city auditor has
watched the records of the court tC
see that the order is complied with
Fee Brokers Knocked Out.
Professional fee brokers worked like
4 bevy of rats around police court
transcripts of fees were made out
only about once in every three months
For 65 cents, the fee for one day as a
witness, the broker paid 30 cents
Witnesses assigned their fees to the
brokers and in two or three month.
the brokers got more than twice what
they paid for them.
Mr.. Schramm had form of war
rant on the city treasurer printed for
the court. He got the council to make
an appropriation of $l,lO0 to pay wit.
ness fees from police court. The blank
warrants were then given to the clerk
Of the police court with instructions
to make out a warrant to every wit
ness who appeared in behalf of the
city. The witness might take this
warrant, 90 into another part of the
building, present the warrant to the
city treasurer and get the full amount
of mis- fee.
Further, Mr.. Schramm held a con-