The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-07

Startling az were the statements
made by the Join, Auditing Commit
tee OF the General Assembly in It's
annual report Of 1910. attracting at
tcntion in every portion of the State.
the report made public yesterday Tor
1sli. Will IL liz believed, lie received
with even more interest The above
resume Is but an outline If sugEes-
lions which Indicate what :he com
mittee believes TO be abuses 10 which
II desires to direct the attention OF tho
Governor, the Legislature and the
public.
After session lasting two days the
committee adjourned AT $40 yesterday
afternoon. copy OF It's report was
at once placed in the hands Of Gov
crnor Mann. and 1t was then given 10
the newspapers. as required by the
Constitution.
stntc SIN in Debt
Perhaps the most remarkable fea-
ture Is the quotation from the forth
coming annual report OF State Auditor
5 r. Donohoe. Heretofore Auditors
have confined their statements to tap
ulations, which gave no hint OF what
the balance really was at any one
time. nor OF the liabilities OF tho Com
Inonwealth at the conclusion of the
fiscal year. Departing from the Gus
tom. Auditor Donchoc will this year
state that although there was a bal
ance In the treasury at the close OF
the fiscal year on September 30. 1911.
OF s266,314.79. the Immediate neces-
stiles were largely In excess of that
amount. In other words, only two
months ago the State owed $4,000
more than II had in Its treasury.
These figures will, II Is expected,
be surprising. In view OF the expecta-
ton that this year would show inn
proved conditions The Ausitor also
refers to the fact that loan of $3.50.
oo0 was made during the autumn OF
1910. TO cover running expenses, which
was published n year ago, and made
the basis for political fighting during
the past summer.
The committee takes occasion 10
compliment Captain Donohoe for Tho
manner In which he has discharged
MS duties. in requiring local officials
TO settle their accounts promptly. 1t
also expresses It's regret that the State
Is about to lose his services II feels
that It's former statements are fully
oorroborated by his report.
Should Revise Pension Rolls
The suggestion that there are abuses
and possible frauds in the pension
rolls presents n new proposition I'm
this State, whore heretofore there has
been no suspicion of anything wrong
In this regard 1t is recommended
that the Legislature have the rolls
corrected by the most INTELLIGENT and
capable men who can DO induced 10
serve.
the Ignorance OF tho officials of
Chesterfield county of the condition of
their public affairs is made the sub
ject of special comment. For instance
one district, with $50 school funds to
Its credit, had outstanding warrants
amounting to $500 The committee
feels that the State should cxtend ala
to the counties so that they may have
their accounts correctly kept and fx
the responsibility for the public funds
The negroes at Petersburg are COM
plimented for the excellent manner
In which they preserve State property,
while II Is evident that the committee
has heard OF vandalism at "the other"
educational institutions.
Discipline Offenders.
Among other recommendations are:
There should be skilled accountant
to handle the immense expenditures
OF the Department of Public Instruc-
ton; departments should he required
to draw their funds from the Auditor
by individual warrant for each sepa-
rate claim instead of in lump; ode
velopments In Rockingham and indi-
cations at other points" show neces
Sfty for the instruction and discipline
OF many officers accountable for the
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