The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-07-28
TIMES BUREAU
AT STATE CAPITAL

Indianapolis, Ind, July %. - School
supply statesmen throughout the state
are said to be working a smooth scheme
on the township trustees in the various
counties. The public accounting board
has received word that these agents are
going about telling the trustees that
they had better lay in large supplies of
everything that will be needed in their
schools for the next two or three years,
because by next year the public ac-
counting board Will have everything
in shape to look into everything the
township trustee does
What the Trustees Hear
Whether they have caught any of
the trustees by this plan is not yet
known, but ii is not believed that they
have been able TO do much The agents
tell the trustees that the public ac-
counting board is preparing a mass Of
affdavits which the trustee will be
compelled to sign when he makes a
purchase and which the accountants
win examine when they examine his
office. This, they point out, Will com
Tlicate matters and make it much more
difficult and cumbersome to transact
the business of the townships. and
that if the trustees wishes to avoio
this difficulty and annoyance he had
better buy a larger amount of supplies
this year SO he will not have to buy
any next year
Means Increased Orders.
OF course. If the plan works. it will
mean largely increased orders for the
supply houses and more business for
the agents.
1t is true that the accounting board
- I Tr.-
trustees in making purchases of all
kinds which viii be put in use as soon
as the accounting board Is ready to
begin It's work of inspection of public
Offices They are not, however, of such
nature as to scare any honest trus-
tee.
Plan to Prevent Graft
Some time ago Governor Marshall
said he believed it would be well to
have trustees make an affidavit every
time they buy anything to the effect
that they did not pay more for the ar
ucle than they could have bought the
same article for elsewhere. This. he
believes, would prevent any graft in
the purchase of supplies. an evil that
has been all to common in Indiana It
is likely that this Will be one Of the
forms Of aff1davits that the trustees
will have to sign. for it is understood
that the accounting board will incor-
porate it in its set Of papers for the
use Of trustees.
The public accounting board does not
intend to send any word to the trus-
tees throughout the state In regard TO
the scheme the supply agents are try
ing to work. but Chief Accountant De
hority says he hopes the trustees will
ali turn down the proposition.
board Has No Money.
The accounting board has found it
self faced by a financial stringency, be-
cause the legislature failed to appro-
pirate money for the support of the
board. The appropriation act carried
money for the salaries of the members
and employees of the board, but it did
not carry any money to pay for office
furniture books. stamps, stationery or
other things of that kind. Whatever
the board gets OF this kind the COVER
nor win have to pay for out of his con-
tingency fund. 1t has been found. also,
that the governors contingency fund
win have to furnish $1,000 toward pay
ing for the new barn that is being
erected at the Michigan City prison in
place of the one that was destroyed by
the stor msome months ago There
was some insurance on the barn but
not enough TO finish the new one. and
even at that the attorney general has
ruled that the isurance money cannot
be used in the erection of the new barn
without special appropriation. 1t
must go into the state treasury as a
general fund and be appropriated