The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-02-13

| ces, which, under the old law would
have been converted into the pockets
of those officers, has resulted in a
saving to the state OF $372,s11.O4. To
show his faith in his works, Auditor
Darst later became candidate for
auditor and was elected. Instead of
drawing his annual salary had Aud
i'itor Darst been content to have al
lowed the old fee system to remain,
his fees alone from the insurance,
corporation and land departments of
his Office, from the beginning Of his
term to the first Of the present year,
would have amounted to. $1O4, 5SS. so.
While a member OF the state senate.
Mr.. Darst was an incessant worker
for the new tax system which had its
inception under Governor Albert B
White and was perfected under tn.
administration Of Governor Dawson
and at the expiration of his term in
the senate he was appointed assistant
state tax commissioner and assisted
in the installation of the new system,
Dufing his term Of office, Auditor
Darst has been criticized in some
quarters for an effort to check ex,
trayagance by refusal to pay I'M
constitutional appropriations OF the
peoples money, but the records show
that in the application of the consti-
tutional test to appropriations made
by the legislature of 1909 for the year
19Os-1O, saving to state of $69, 4OS.5O
resulted. The auditor contended that
the public money could not be pa
the public money could not be APP
in two separate cases was sustained
by the supreme court OF the state.
Under the statutes of West Virginia
the state auditor is the insurance
commissioner of the state and the
present auditor has devoted much OF
his personal attention to this depart
ment, which has proved to be an in
strumentallty for great good among
the people. While fair to the insur-
ance companies doing business in the
state with the consent of the state and
in compliance with the statutes, il
has been the policy Of the depart
ment to first protect the policyholders
from the irresponsible and wind-in-
fiated insurance companies and the
blatant stock statesmen with fake
stock schemes who impose upon the
credulity of investors. Through am
pie public warning of these fake
stocks Auditor Darst has saved the
public many thousands of dollars,
| while through the medium Of the de-
partment, thousands of dollars have
been collected for policyholders which
otherwise would have been lost. The
insurance department, which receives
an annual appropriation of $1,000 for
Expense and clerk hire, turned into
the state treasury for the last fiscal
year, taxes and fees amounting te
$165,52s.s6.
Another department placed under
the supervision of the state auditor
is the Office OF state fire marshal. In
other states this Office has proved ar
excellent deterrent to the crime OF
arson and it is felt that the several
convictions secured in this state to-
gether with the rigid investigation OF
all suspicious fires and the removal
of fire hazards, will prove beneficial
in the reduction of the fire waste; and
will, in time, reduce the cost of in
surance. Since this Office was es-
tablished, July Is, 1909, incendiary
fires decreased from, 1Os in 19O9-1O to
eighty-four in the second year of the
department, while the incendiary loss
in the same period decreased from
s212 865 to $145,SO1. Since the es-
adjustment of the Office there have
been fourteen convictions for incen-
diarism. This department is sup
ported by the FIRE Insurance compan-
les doing business in the state.