Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-13
Indicting the Nations Bookkeeping

Tn his researches in the government
bookkeeping regarding matters affecting
the fiscal relations between the govern
ment and the National Capital munich
patty the chairman of the House anti
District committee Gains 10 have discov-
cred amazing laxity which he now
declares calls for swift remedial legisla-
ton to recoup the United States in
large sums which according TO his rcck-
onina. the District owes OF old ac
counts. One Of these is for an item of
over million dollars owing he asserts
for nearl! forty' years for interest pay
ments advanced in the Districts behalf
BY the United States debt of more
than doubtful validity and certainly long
since outlawed through lack of federal
attention and disposition TO collect
Another Is d statement of an old ac-
count between the District and the Gov
ernnent Hospital for the Insane for the
care OF INDECENT District patients a. that
institution, running over a long period
OF years AMI asgregating nearly 100000
al account which was never stated
against the District in its fullness while 1t
r as running. and the neglect of which
was in no wise their fault. but the fault
rather of the officials OF the Interior and
Treasury Departments.
these extraordinary Instances of book
keeping careiessress reflect upon the fed
erai agencies of accounting and auditing
Rather than on the District OF Columbia.
Tie District IS in i sinsularly unPro-
tected position ia this matter. 1t has
no auditorial initiative. even rs il has
none OF an administrative or legisla-
tive character. 1t ;a,4es what laws and
".Iat appropriations are passed by Con-
sress. subject TO the checks and balances
Instituted by statute. It's own accounts
are audited at the Treasury Department
b. the auditor of the State and other
departments In the first instance and by
the controller OF the Treasury that fiscal
autocrat whom no man may say nay. in
the final state of case. If these two
items, one OF which is il process % coll
lection and the other has just been
passed by the House in the form of a bill
are IN fact owing 10 the government from
the District the fault Is not that Of the
District, but that of the United States,
It's administrative and its legislative
and Its auditorial authorities combined.
In infpeachinS the correctness Of the
} bookkeeping between the District and the
government the chairman OF the House
: anti-D!strIct committee impeaches the
whole national bookkeeping system. For
II stands 10 reason that mistakes OF this
Character. lapseS OF account state
ments and failure 10 audit correctly.
could not possibly have been confined
10 this one particular kind of account
IL is inconceiyable that mistakes were
made only in handling the Districts
money, and then only TO the advantage
OF the District and the disadvantage OF
the United States. Ii the District
or Columbia had full control of the
legislative, administrative and AUDI
tor!al processes affecting its own
funds 1t might. assuming a dis
honesty OF purpose which has not the
slightest Justification IN the facts, perhaps
have manipulated these accounts to its
own benefit. But with all the checks in
the control OF federal officials ii is ab-
suTd 10 suggest. the chairman OF the
EIouse antl-District committee has in eff
feet suggested. that the District has ex-
ercised = monopoly of error in it's own
interest during these many years OF op-
erat.cE under the organic act of 1873
The repeated accusations brought By
the chairman or the House anti-District
committee against the fiscal integrity OF
the National Capital. eliminating In
speedily pressed charges III large sums
against local revenues-from which there
l. no possibility of appeal-shouId give
pause TO the legislators. They will
recognize that il these things are true
they must be symptomatic of blunders OF
similar character affecting other branches
or the federal fiscal administration. And
II there has been sue. laxity as the sue
cessiye demands for restitution from
District funds made by the House anti
District chairman appear TO indicate. it
follows that the governments often
ooasted checks and balances In the in
teFest Of Treasury honesty and efficiency
have for at least a third Of a century
been weli-nigh worthless