The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-03-03
NO EXPLANATION GIVEN; BILL
PUT IN THE HOUSE.
All Accounts Had Been Approved;
the Examiner Not Supposed to
Probe Condition of Appropria-
ton; the New Commissioner and
His Secretary Make Discovery
of Lack of Money.

OF LACK OF Money.
st. Paul, February PA deficit of
$4,000 exists in the dairy and food
department and special appropria-
ton is to be asked of the legislature
to meet the emergency.
This was revealed Saturday when
bill calling for the appropriation
was handed to L. c. Spooner. In a
letter from the department, Mr.
Spooner is assured that the deficit
is due, to considerable extent to
a shortage existing prior to July
81, 1910. The exact amount of that
deficit is given as $6,225.
In the letter is claimed that in
stead of paying that deficit out of
the 1910 appropriation it was de-
Quoted from the 1911 appropriation
| thus starting the fiscal year with
/ shortage. There is no explanation
OF how the shortage occurred, either
IN the report OF the commissioner
or the public examiner.
Mcintosh Discovered SHORTAGE.
| On January 81, C. q. Johnson of
the public examiners department re-
ported TO Andrew Fritz, public exam.
iner:
"All collections were verified and
found correct, and the state audi
tors drafts show all moneys prop
/ erly turned over to the state treas.
urer."
VI course it is said that it was
not the duty of the examiner to in.
quire into the state of the appropria-
| ton.
IL was only when the new commits
sioner took hold and began to ar
| range for his years work that the
deficit was discovered The secre-
tary, Fred Mcintosh, checked ND the
financial side of the department and
ascertained the exact shortage. He
has no explanation for the condition
Small Sum is Available.
| There is left in the hands of the
state treasurer only $4,000 that is
available to run the department un.
til July 81 next. 1t is estimated
that the cost per month is $4,000
Hence nearly $4,000 is needed. In
the report made January 81. Mr..
Johnson called attention to certain
minor irregularities and suggested
certain changes. He said:
Il do not approve of the forms
used for records or for milk licenses.
| would recommend that the form of
milk licenses be changed from the
STUD form now in use to the dupli-
cate system, using carbon paper for
| the copies.
Number of Irregularities.
"A number of irregularities appear
IN the making up of vouchers for
expenses and supplies. In the fiji
ture these vouchers should be fully
signed and certified to by the payee
or his duly authorized agent. In
general the books, records and &C.
counts are in very good order and
well kept, but as before stated the
system In use is not ADEQUATE for
the work"
The irregularities referred to nv
Mr.. Johnson are shown in a sum.
mary OF receipts and expenses. In
one instance porter's fee is paid
IN an expense account in violation
OF an order issued against this by
State Auditor Iverson. In several
instances vouchers were discovered
signed only by the former secretary
r. Z. Whitney. Mr.. Johnson says
all vouchers should have been re-
celpted by the duly authorized
agents or the representative of the
payee.
Telephone bills were not discount
ed but were allowed to run the limit
and tba full nborrc ,o;5