Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-19

Ncrifieation of payments to the treaSI
frer owing to the lack of. general sys-
ten of reports has been slow and UNI
satisfactory. An, audit, OF the treas
urer's accounts is slow and unsatis-
factory and worthless, unless by some
means vcrification can be had. Any
auditor should be, reluctant to certify
to the correctness of such accounts
with no better facilities than we have
at present for establishing the ac-
curacy of them.
Il With the exception of the State
prison and the State school for boys
the various institutions and depart
ments are upon a system of account
ing which permits the sending of their
vouchers through the auditors office
The State treasurer has thus far failed
to accede to the auditors demands to
file the vouchers for his payments with
the auditor in accordance with the
law.
Those having business relations with
the State realize that the system of
payments is cumbersome and unsatis-
factory to the creditor and it tends to
increase the cost of everything which
the State purchases. There should
be no reason why any bill due shoui.s
not be paid promptly when properly
authenticated by the same persons
who can do SO now only at meetings
of the Governor and Council. 1t adds
nothing to the Importance of the
transaction to delay it until the day of
the meeting of the Governor and
Council, when owing to the volume of
the transaction it can and does have
less attention than If taken up in the
regular course of business.
l. The functions of the Executive
council as an auditing and paying
body are subordinated to other less
important matters with the results
that millions of dollars are expended
annually with no more knowledge of
their legality or effectiveness than il
they did not afiix their names to the
Governors warrant; and vet all-im-
portaht contract engagements calling
for the expenditure of large amounts
Iare delayed and embarrassed awaiting
such formal action by the council. II
all payments could be made direct
from the State treasury for the insti-
tuition as well as the department upon
standardization by@ the auditor and
Governor many executive Offices could
be abolished and our administrative
expenses reduced.
/ 1t must be borne in mind that the
direct tax assessed in given year has
very little effect upon the revenues of
the state treasury for that particular
year. for the very good reason that a
very large portion of the assessment
is made to cover an expenditure to oc-
cur after the first of January of the
following year; and that the payment
OF the tax by the town and the ex-
penditurc by the State treasurer arc
merely an exchange OF receipts to an
extent which very nearly absorbs the
tax assessed.
/ 1t is fact also that the actual reve-
nueS of the treasury applicable to
ordinary expenditures of. the first six
months OF the year (barring the last
ten days of June) will not greatly ex-
coed 100000
when It is taken into account that
the ordinary department expenses for
that period will aggregate nearly
sl.oo0,000 it is readily seen that the
revenue is very far short of the actual
expenses.
| NO payment of any description
should be made from the State treas
ury unless the same is authorized by
law ana appropriation and the trans
lerrinG and juggling of appropriations
should be prohibited. Where appro-
prlations arc made for specific fiscal
years as at present it is difficult to en-
force compliance with specific nro-
visions of law without working a harsh
injustice through Withholding appro-
prlatIons over an elapsing period. In
the absence of any authority of law
'he audltor cannot make appropria-
tons available after they have lapsed.
ana thus it sometimes happens that
the auditor is forced to yield in his
requirements and appropriations have
TO be paid where compliance with law
has not been obtained because further
withholding of the funds means i'm
parment of the main objects of the
appropriation.
All reports of receipts and expendi-
lures of any and all branches of the
government which have heretofora
oeen sent to the Governor and Coun-
Gil should hereafter be filed with the
auditor
IL Is to be regretted that the public
welfare cannot be placed above party
polltlcs and personal interest. A bill
uesiSned to facilitate the financial
transactions and to simplify its fiscal
anairs was submitted to the judiciary
committee of the 74th Legislature hui
met opposition from personal interests
because of fancied grievances and. the
interests of the people suffered in con-
sequence. The auditor strongly
urges the following changes in old
laws and ENACTMENT of new laws af
iectipg payments by the State treas
urer viz:
recurring all money coming to any
department. or institution to be paid tc
Tue treasurer and all expenditures to
DC made by the treasurer.
A law authorizing the adjustment
OF the trust funds of the Penobscot In
dams.
y law authorizing the State to ac-
Hcepl tue trust fund of Isaac Sanford
'ior the deaf. dumb and blind amount
ms to 5000
law repeating the act providing fo,.
the purchase of stationery. by the So
[retary OF State. Heads of departments