The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-07
OUR STATE OFFICIALS:
THE TREASURER'S OFFICE

business in this State are under the
supervision of the State Treasurer,
and there are over one hundred and
fifty of these companies at the pres
ent time There are various require
ments of the law governing these
! companies and each of them Is re-
quired to pay an OccupatiOnal license
tax for themselves and their agents
and also a premium tax of two per
cent. of all they collect from policy
holders in Florida. From this source
, alone the State derives over one huns
dred and fifty thousand dollars an
nually. The supervision of the in
surance companies in some States is
deemed sufficient in itself to be made
separate department with State
official for that work alone; but in
this State the plan 0. placing this
under the State Treasurer seems to
work well for the present Treasurer.
who appears to have an unlimited
capacity for WORK, takes care of this
important business with seemingly
very little trouble. i,ut all this en-
tails upon the man who fills the very
important position Of State Treas
urer heavy possibilities.
The moneys paid into the Treasury
oi the State are derived from several
sources, and then by direction of law.
are divided into various funds, and
each fund must be separate and apart
from all others.
The present quarters occupied by
The State Treasurer's Office are very
small, due to the great lack of room
in the Capitol building, but many
have been heard 10 remark after a
visit through ii that it was the bust
est place to the square foot of any in
| the Capitol.
Many things Of interest could be
said about this office il space per-
mitted. The vault which is nov
crowded to its full capacity with
bonds. securities, etc, is fire and
burglar proof, being protected by a
patented electrical burglar alarm de-
vice and the latcs, improved time
locks.
And now in conclusion one word
about the man who serves the peo-
pie in the responsible position as
head Of this Office He has been in
the States service a long time. Gov
crnor Mitchell discovered him fifteen
years ago. and finding him to be an
expert accountant, employed him for
checking some accounts of State and
county officials. From his own ideas
and from his own plans he worked
ont the system of checking up the
accounts of the county and State Off
GERS. This was in the days before
there was any State Auditor. 1t was
big undertaking at the time and
has been of untold value to the State.
The present Treasurer, then merely
an employee on moderate salary
was absorbed in this work when the
Governor offered him the appoint
ment of state Comptroller He de-
clined the appointment and contin-
ued on the smaller salary to perfect
the States auditing system. After
getting that in more satisfactory
shape he was again offered an APP
polntment to State Office and was
appointed State Treasurer. That was
over eight years ago. and SO well has
he cared for that office in his quiet.
efficient and unassuming way that
tue people nave twice ratlfcd his ap-
polntmcnt by continuing him in of
lee 10y their ballots; and those who
have been in position To know. say
that Florida has among her excel
lent officials no better or more eff
cieni man than he. His name is VIM
Y. Knott
This article is not a paid adyer-
| lisemcnt, and the man about whom II