Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-25
UNITED STATES TREASURY
RECORDS ARE 50 TANGLED
THAT FUNDS ARE IN Peril,

of a3private depositor, would cnusaffssl,l
ito change his bank immediately IA n
During the year ending Jane 30, 1915
the total Of the entries passing through
the books. of the treasurer's office wer
close to $4,000. 000, 900.
The office maintalns accounts in 1,G0
national banks. 1t furnishes the fund!
and keeps the accounts of early 5000 gov
eminent disbursing officers. 1t acts nj
agent for $500 banks in the redemption
of their bank note circulation, and 1
handles for the %postoffice department tn
deposits of surplus money order fund!
from 5000 postmnsters.
1t receives every business day from
$4,000 to 10000 checks, and it must keel
the continually changing records Of near.
~ $2,00O,0 900, 900 Of paper currency sscurei
by gold and silver in it's vaults.
In the performance of these and other
highly responsible duties, TIL, services OF
over Gao people ore required in the Wash
ington office alone.
1t is apparent that to record the great
amount Of business which passes through
the treasurer's office. with it's extrlor-
binary maze of entries, transfers. is
sues. r~edemptions, exchanges etc not only
| suhusual skill required from the book.
keepers and accountants but the system
of accounting should be so complete and
effective In all It's parts that it would
thoroughly control the millions of items
passing through the books each year
ana every moment safeguard the vast
FNr r,h{1l,E 49, k~oe " ,..~>.-
sib!e under the law.
John Burke, treasurer of the United
States, was appointed to the position he
holds largely because of his delivery Of
the North Dakota delegation to the vii.
son column during the Baltimore con-
VentiCn.
Much Of the confusion which prevails
is attributed to the use Of a machine for
the clearance Of checks, which is under
the charge Of Jasper N. Baker, IAN ex-s
aminer in the office of the director Of the
min t.Mr. Baker was assigned to the
~treasurer's office though such assign
ment is asserted to lave been illegal. Mr..
Baker is said to have the ear Of Assis..
tant Secretary Of the Treasury Williams
something Mr.. Burke does not enjoy.
During the Sponish- American war when
the work was far heavier thar it Is to-
day. the treasurer's Office is said to have
been up to date at all times.
In February last the treasury depart
ment, because. of the congestion reported
put into force a new method of paying.
government creditors. This carried with
it the transfer to Washington of the ac-.
counts of nearly all the disbursing Off
GERS of the government. and as a result.
the office was overwhelmed by the volume
of business which fell upon it.
Extraordinary efforts were madeeto re-
owe from the disorder into which the
accounts yer thrown by reason Of this
change of method, hut the work Of the
office in September last at the end OF
seven months. according to the Chase,re-
port, was in a serious condition.
With the york on national bank ac-
counts two and one-half months behind
hand" the report says, with a week or
more accumulation OF uncleared checks
constantly on hand, with disbursing Of
ficers' accounts unbalanced and unstated
for months, with controlling accounts, r.
norcd by reason of the pressure Of de-
tails, and with the; task Of bringing or.
der out Of confusion which now exists
hopeless by the clerks engaged
the work, 1t is manifest that the,
efficiency Of the stan is seriously Affect
ed, and that the condition calls for i'm.
mediate and effective remedies.
"On account. Of the, transfer to WASH
on Feb. l, 1913, Of all disbursing
accounts Except a few kept in
Hawaii and the Ph'lippines). the treas.
urer's Office Is carrying. on It's books ac-
with over $500 disbursing officers
which are kept in nine ledgers and sup.
posed to be controlled by summarized
accounts insthe cash room AS a matter
Of fact, these controlling accounts are
in name only, no attempt having
been made since Feb. l. to reconcile the
tota Ito the balances in the detailed Nledg-
ers with the controlling accounts.
I'm fact, the detailed accounts have at
time been in such shape that a total
u; the balances could be taken orr
This statement is Illustrated by the fol.
owing examples taken from any one of
The ledgers:
Account 17054. redemption agent, Unit
States treasurer, national bank re-.
aemption agency.
From Feb. l. to Aug. 30<the total credits
q, this account on the ledger were $780,
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