Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-23
Wants His Office Independent.

year necessarily call for larger and larger
appropriations by Congress. The annual
appropriations for carrying on the activi-
ties Of the government have more than
doubled since have had the honor to
hold this Office AS the amount of money
expended thus increases 1t Is a matter or
supreme importance that the branch OF
the government to which is intrusted the
accounting for this vast sum should be
Of efficiency and in the most economical
way.
ITO bring about this the office should
be Independent in fact as well as in
name. Congress makes Its appropriations
with many limitations and restrictions
surrounding their expenditures Neces-
sarily these expenditures are left largely
to the initiative and discretion Of the
heads Of the executive departments and
Independent offices and commissions. 1t
Is asking too much of human nature to
expect the same independence of thought
and action as regards the enforcement
of these limitations and restrictions from
officers whose tenureS largely depend
upon the good will OF their superior Of
ficers, who initiate these expenditures as
II they were not laboring under such
handicap. 1t is only an expression of the
popular fallacy, now affecting a consider
able part of our people, known as the re-
call Of the judges.
Quasi Judicial Positions.
1.-THE principal work of the accounting
Offices is quasi judicial and important
only in lesser degree tina nthat Of the
judiciary. Every public officer should be
subject to recall or dismissal if he fails
to properly perform his duties, but this
trusted by law to those who have direct
personal interest in matter decided or
who are smarting under wounded pride
of opinion to which decision made by
an accounting officer runs counter.
I'm my judgment the accounting officers
Of the government should be directly re-
sponsible to Congress, and to Congress
alone" The controller goes on to say
that he thinks accounting officers should
be put near together and removed from
the immediate influence of the admins
trative departments Of the government.
Proposed Cut in Auditors.
Mr.. Tracewells whack at the economy
commission is in the following:
IT understand it has been suggested by
authority which is entitled to great re-
spect that both economy and efficiency
would be greatly promoted by the aboli-
ton of five of the auditors, leaving one
auditor to perform the duties now devolv-
ing by law upon six.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Tie SOuICc lIOLi WuiCu
this advice emanates. I cannot agree with
the suggestion. 1t is no doubt largely
bottomed upon the idea that the duties of
the auditors are confined to mere addi-
ton of figures and other clerical work.
There could be no greater fallacy than
such an idea An auditor, to properly
perform his duties. must be not only a
good business man, but should be an ex
cellent lawyer and perfectly familiar
with the history of congressional appro-
iAfiOnS. The augmentation acts l.
ally couched in most general language,
and to enable one to grasp the congress
sional intent great familiarity Is required
with the canons of construction. The vol
ume Of business daily transacted in each
Of the auditors offices is now so great
that 1t requires all the time of that OFF,
Ger, and If one person should attempt to
perform these duties. now being performed
by six, it could only result in perfunctory
signatures to certificates Of settlement
which are supposed to have the critical
attention Of the different auditors