Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-11
EXPERTS EMPLOYED TO EXAMINE
/. STATE HOUSE ACCOUNTS HAVE
go EASY TASK.
SETTER METHODS POSSIBLE
IN, AUDITING BILLS
State Accountant Heretofore Employed
Has Kept Close Check on Al Funds
-DupIieation Of Work and Needless
Expenditures Probably Will BE Found
and Reported Upon.
cial to mes-Republican.

Des MONIES, Feb. 1.-THE expert
accountants and efficiency engineers
who set out last week on the quest of
irregularities or weaknesses or leaks in
the accounting system OF the state OF
Iowa will discover at the outset that
their task is 10 be much simpler than
it would have been had such work been
tried a dozen years ago. In recent
years the state has employed regularly.
by the year, a state accountant who
goes over every book of accounts and
compares and computes every bill, OF
every kind. for every department. Of
fetal and semi official, and makes an
nua! reports thereon. Still further 1t
will be found that rok there is sort
Of clearing house for all reports of ex-
penditures and fees and that the state
prints in a book an iteInized statement
Of every expenditure, so that every per-
son who cares to be informed and mas
sufficient industry to turn the pages OF
THE book, may know exactly where the
states money goes and whether or not
there has been fui; accounting there
for. ~.
1t may therefore be anticipated that
when the report Of the efficiency en-
cineers has been spread CT the records
Of the legisla ture it will be not so much
the bringing out of anything new as
to accounting as possibly suggestions
as to better methods of auditing and
paving bills, greater uniformity as to
expense charges, avoidance Of dupli-
r.fsv sy,0 .
less expenditures, etc.
Improvement 10 Possible.
As to auditing. every one familiar
with the state business is aware tnat
while immense advance has been made
there yet remains much to be done.
Formerly there were many btlls palo
that received no other o. X. than tnat
Of the headaof department, or pos
sihly the person making the expendi'-
iture: now every bill has to 90 thru ths
hands OF some board or committee ana
he signed by responsible persons VINO
approve it. But the weakness OF the
present system IS that there are sew
erai auditing boards. There IS aooH-
ing done in the office OF AUDITOR OF
state. there is auditing in the Office OF
secretary of the executive councii,
there is auditing in the secretary Oh
states office, and elsewhere. the state
library board performs auditing rune
ticns. The railroad commission and the
attorney general. for instance. audl'
certain bills. So on down the line.
But al. these bills and expenditures
are reported to one place and the ex-
ecutiye council publishes book
showing where every dollar OF the
states money went. The latest repor
of expenses makes a book of S4s pages
covering two years operations.
In this book will be found innumer-
| ab,e small items, ranging down to the
price Of postage stamp-1tems LOT
travel. meals. baths, papers, street car
fare. washing, pencils, etc. FormeFiy
,he travel expense Of state officials ano
agents was Jumped off, and appeared
without being itemized. Nothing Oh tux
sort is now permitted. Formerly ioi
instance. in the days OF the S-cent 1are
railroad fare was charged up al Genus
! q mile and the inspectors VINO tfase'
bought mileage books and pocketeo the
/ difference Nothing doing now.
! s.for duplication Of work and neea
J legs expenditures there is room Tor
/ voluminous report. Every state oiicia
is soon made aware of this weakness OF
the state system, and there is hardy
a state official who has not on his owr
motion made some practical reform II
this direction. Conditions are not per-
feet: but they are better than before.
/ An erroneous impression seems te
! have been given out as to the purpose
of the legislature in hiring experts u
go over the affairs OF the state. FOL
such experts to merely check up the
Books. which have already been per
fectly checked and the report pTinscc
would be a waste of time and expense
The intent is to go deeper than merei!
to see if the books balance.