The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-04-10

I.ft ..sEt WI1tl 4t
George II. Mccormick and French
Grow, the committee appointed last
October, together with Prosecuting
Attorney c. l.. Justice, to examine the
report of the county commissioners,
today completed the work by fling
their report with county Auditor Al
len. u..
Mr. Justice does not fully agree
with the two appontees on all points
in their report, and for that reason
his signature does not appear on theii
report but he has fled a separate
report which explains why he did not
sign. There are no differences OF
consequence between the prosecutor
and the examiners. The report eX-
amined covers period Of one year.
ending August 81, 1910. Messrs. Nc
| Cormick and Crow say:
"a painstaking investigation Of the
| detailed statement, which was pre-
| pared under the direction of the com
missioners' clerk, necessarily requires
much time. Thoroughly to inspect all
amounts, comparing them with tho
corresponding vouchers in the county
auditors office and with the entries
on the commissioners journal, is q
duty to be performed with scrupulous
faithfulness, and not to be lightly
passed over with the single view oi
getting done as speedily as possible.
"Thc commissioners spend thou
sands and thousands of dollars belong
ng to Marion county taxpayers; thcir
so-called detailed statement" ought
therefore always to be religiously In
spected. and we have sought to dis.
charge our duty in n manner TO justify
the confidence reposed In us by the
court.
County Officials Honest.
I'VE would commend rather than
crticise. We believe the county Of
icials to be honest. and that each
Individual official is striving to serve
the county 10 the very best of his abil
ity. We find all transactions legally
correct, so far as disclosed by the
vouchers and commissioners journal
Ian contracts properly filed, and tho
law compiled with i'm every respect
But, at the same time, your commit
tee regrets the present dcplorablt
condition of laws governing allow
ances of fees. salaries. charges, etc.
to county officials.
I'VE find the commissioners have
allowed sheriff's bills for livery hire
These allowances were made. as W,
understand, under ruling of n for
mer attorney general of Ohio and tn
present attorney general now hold
The same to be illegal,
"The county commissioners advise
your committee that all doubtful bill
are referred to the prosecuting at
torney, who, If in doubt, refers then
to the attorney general; construction
is placed on laws by this latter Off
clal and, an opinion, upon which fu
! ture allowances are made by the com
, missioners. is rendered
"a change i'm the office of the coun
~ prosecutor or the attorney genera
or an accountant sent out by the stat
board Of public accounting and in
spection under the supervision of tn
& auditor Of state, often puts a RADICAL
different construction on the san
3 avs, and upon his report the pres
@ throughout the state, with flarin
}. headlines, announces that an officis
Is overdrawn in his accounts, or ha
I been paid Illegal fees. The publ
n mind is thr' often poisoned again.
= honest offiCilis.
, Citizen state Accountants.
"Snce the establishment of III
state board of public accounting an
inspection, an accountant has bee
E in Marion county almost continuousl,
Z either checking up county, city, towr
: ship or school board officials. A
times as many as two, three and fou