Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-22
Reimbursing Unlawful Advances.

What have the taxpayers of today to do
with the violations of law o. Secretaries
of the Treasury in the seventies or neg
lects of controllers of the Treasury or of
Congress thirty-five years ago? If the
advances were not lawfully made under
the statute why should we thirty-five
years later be required to reimburse in
strict accordance with the terms of the
statute?
The provision of law under which this
million dollars was advanced appears IN
the act of Congress approved July l, 1876,
and to the same effect in the act approx
ed March ), 1877. and reads as follows:
That the Secretary of the Treasury
shall reserve of any of the revenues OF
the District of Columbia not required for
the actual current expenses of schools.
the police and fire department "a sum SUI
fcent to meet the interest accruing on
the 1865 bonds of the District during the
fiscal year beginning July 1. 1876. and
apply the same to that purpose; and in
case there shall not be a sufficient sum
of said revenues in the Treasury of the
United States at such times as said in
terest may be due. then the Secretary OF
the Treasury is authorized and directed
to advance from any money In the Treas
ury not otherwise appropriated sum
sufficient to pay said interest, and the
same shall be reimbursed to the treasurer
of the United States from time to time
DIS Sdlu revenues may NC pdii iiilo sou
Treasury until the full amount shall
have been refunded.
Commenting OIL the action taken under
this provision. Accountant Mayes in his
report says: The revenues of the Dis,
trict of Columbia since July IL. 1874. had
been deposited in the Treasury OF the
United States AS shown by the
accounts kept in the Treasury Depart
ment, on August L. 1876 the day the Sec
rotary of the Treasury advanced 500
IN the August I ING interest
on the 3.65 bonds of the District of Co
lumbia, the Commissioners OF the Dis
trict of Columbia had to the credit OF
their revenue and tax account with the
treasurer of the United States the sum
of 1917. 212.49, none Of which was re-
served to pay tho interest then due.
But the full amount was advanced by
the Secretary out of the revenues of
Secretary of the Treasury advanced the
Sc50.S14.31 to pay the February L. 1877
interest on the $50 bonds the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia had
to their credit OH the books in the
Treasury Department the sum of $l45.
1875. none of which was reserved to
pay the interest then due. At the time
the Secretary of the Treasury ad
vanced $250.S14.31 to pay the August
], 1877, interest on the 3.65 bonds the
Commissioners of the District Of CO.
lumbia had to their credit on the books
In the Treasury Department the sum of
$l42.s14.61. none of which was reserved
to pay the interest then due. At the
time the Secretary of the Treasury ad.
vanced x250.814.31 to pay the interest
on the 3.65 bonds due February /. 1873
the Commissioners Of the District Of
Columbia had to their credit on the
books in the Treasury Department the
sum of s296.099.SI,- none Of which WINS
reserved to pay the interest then due.
1T is true that if the entire amount
on hand to the credit of the Commits
SlOnGrS of the District q the
advances were made by the Secretary
of the Treasury was needed for actual
current expenses Of the schools, the po-
lice and hre department then IT could
not have been reserved by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury; but during the
fiscal years 1877 and 1878 the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia de-
posted in the Treasury Department
revenues amounting to over $500, 900
In excess of the actual current EXPENSES
OF schools police and fire department
out of which Congress had directed
tnat the Treasury of the United States
should be reimbursed hut mn refine
bHrsement was made"
lhese words OF Accountant Mayes made
part OF the report Of the House Dis
tr!ct committee. accuse the Secretary of
the Treasury nS76-1s) of violating the Law
both In making interest advances fro.a,
the Treasury and in failing to reimburse
the United States for such advances ac-
tually though unlawfully made The Sec
rotary of the Treasury was commanded
after deducting 1.-The actual current ex-
penses of schools. the police and the fire
department to reserve the revenues of
the District in his control in the Treasury
to meet the int est on these bonds and
only in case of :; failure in such District
revenues was hc authorized to advance
these interest PAYMENTS from the Treas
ury. The hgur%'i given by Accountant
Mayes show thal he quarter million ad-
vance of August :. 1876. was as to every
cent of ii in vio.; ion Of the law, there
being at that tin of District funds in
the Treasury S;1I."l2f9. The same total
unlawfuness is Attributed to the quarter
million advance OF ebruary 1. 1875: and
violations of the la as to q substantial
portion of the advances on February l..
1877. and August |. 1913. The Secretary
of the Treasury OSIG 10 1879 is accused
OF violating the law, not only in respect
to the advances, but in his failure to ap-
ply District funds in reimbursement Ad-