Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-12-07
the correction OF the faults In tn,
law as mentioned above.
The state Auditors Otfic,

The State Auditors Office.
Besides the auditor, four people
are required to do the work OF this
department-One deputy, one book
keeper. one general clerk and one
stenographer. The cost of the clerk
hire is $4,000 per month.
For the biennial period ending July
lst, 1912, the check payments of the
department amounted to the total
sum Of $S,771,244.99. The total collec-
tons handled during the same period
amounted to $8,29c, 01O .32.
During the two years $3.50 checks
of all kinds were issued: 7,547 wolf
bounty certificates were registered
and paid; 1908 vouchers OF all kinds
were received. checked, paid, and H.
ed; 2,0S3 drafts on counties were
written, and 1890 receipts issued by
the state treasurer were received and
posted.
Information was gathered, compiled
and tabulated for two meetings of the
state board OF equalization; all no.
tees OF changes We're sent ont to the
counties; the report completed for
the printer. and the priateds .rep0sts
distributed: the biennial repOr.. Of the
state auditor was compiled and the re.
port distributed; and the large dmouni
OF correspondence necessary for the
carrying on Of the business OF this
department was attended. to; nunier.
GUS tabulated statements containing
interesting and valuable information
were compiled and distributed, and
some time was found that could be
used in figuring improvements in
methods employed for the transaction
of the business of this department.
During the past year | have discard
ed the old system of stamping the set
Element date with a rubber stamp en-
the casheG checks turned oycr by the
state treasurer monthly, We row use
a perforator. This per:crates the
check to read "CANCELED," together
with the date of the cancellation, do
ing away with practically every Eos.
sibility of using the check a second
time.
Contemplated improvements.
Plans are about completed whereby
the auditors checks will hereafter
be typewriter. This will provide
those having occasion to handle state
business with a safe, clean. legible
check; the department will be saved
a great deal of time, both In writing
the checks and correcting mistakes
which are caused by poorly written
pen and ink checks.
Some time after the first Of the
V0nr n cpooin1 c0yc+npn = ~ n1no,,pto,
will be installed, from which it will
be possible to make a statement
showing the expense Of running each
and every individual department for
the coming biennial period, giving
such information as the amount OF
postage used, printing, clerk hire.
travelling expense, etc.
An improvement has been worked
out in the vouchers that are to be
used by the different departments in
making claims for clerk hire. The
new voucher will give more informa.
ton than is now being given, without
any additional work.
The Condition Of state Finances in
This Biennial Period.
Inere nave been no more delays
in the payment Of state bills during
this biennial period than during 9TH
er like periods. Nearly all OF the de.
lays have been caused by the time
taken to pass bills through a process
of routine more commonly known in
public business affairs as "red tape"
1t is true, however, that during the
latter part of every year Immediate
ly following the meeting OF the legis-
lature, it is impossible to meet the
claims against the state promptly, ow.
ing to a lack of funds.
This inability on the part Of the
state to meet all Of Its obligations
promptly al be explained Ia this
way, the legislature allows nearly ey.
cry appropriation bill for public build
ings to be passed with what we have
already referred to as the .s'emerg.
ency clause" This clause allows the
appropriations to become effective i'm.
mediately on its passage and approx
al. The states income Is quite as
fixed as that Of the man working on
q salary, and it is quite az Impossible
for the state to meet the larger part
Of what should be two years expendi-.
(Cnnfinued IN r1UTiO -