Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-10
DIVISION OF THE BALANCE
Comptroller c Holds UP First Headquar-
ters Demand.


Comptroller General Jones has re-
fused to issue a warrant for $3.50 to
he headquarters Of the First in
fantry. National Guard Of South Caro-
lima. A letter was addressed by him
% Col. w. w. Lewis, suggesting that
the courts be asked to decide the mat
ter. There was a small amount left
over from the state appropriation for
he National Guard. The military
board decided to give this money to
the headquarters to be used In
paying the debts of companies fall
ing 10 pass the government inspec-
tions. Adjt. Gen. Moore refused to
certify that the amounts were cor
rect. He certified, however, that the
headquarters had performed the du-
ties required. Col. Lewis made de-
mand on the comptroller general for
the amount given to the First in
fantry.
The following reply was made by the
comptroller general:
Col. w. w. Lewis, Yorkville, s. c.
Dear Sir: Your letter Of the 4th
inst is at hand, and I do not feel
justified, under ell Of the circumstan-
ces of the case, to forward you war
rant on the state treasury for the
$3.50 as requested by you, for the fol-
lowing reasons:
THE adjutant general, who Is also
a member of the military board, has
certified to this office that the appor-
tionment made to your headquarters,
and to two others, besides being un-
necessary Is in his opinion unlawful;
first, because the law does not pro-
vide for any apportionment whatso.
ever to the various headquarters, ard
second, because the opportionment
made to your headquarters, with he
two others mentioned, Is intended 20
be used for the benefit Of companies
which the board has already adjudged
not to be entitled to receive any part
of the money appropriated by the
legislature for The maintenance OF
the militia.
"If the adjutant general Is correct
in the statement that 1t Is your pur-
pose, as we'll as that Of other militia
headquarters. to use the apportion-
ment made to you. for the purpose OF
defraying the expenses Of maintain
ing militia companies which are not
entitled under the law to receive aid
from the State, then I am inclined to
think you would not be entitled to re-
ceive the apportionment which has
been made.
I'm view Of the protest of the ad-
jutant general, who is a member OF
the board, and also in view OF state
ment of the News and Courier Of
February 1, purporting to come from
Col. Cogswell, commanding the Third
regiment, and a member Of the mill
tary board, the effect that the mill
tary board had evolved the plan that
nidfds cd renma.tSeons thepayi-e
every company failing technically
shall have the share apportioned to
It go to headquarters, and that the
headquarters shall dispose Of the
debts / do not think that l would be
justified in issuing a warrant without
these matters being cleared up by the
courts.
"As to your statement to the ef-
feet that moneys apportioned for the
maintenance Of the militia have here
lofore been improperly expended,
will say that / am entirely dependent
in these matters upon the information
received from the military board or
from individual members thereof. 1t
Is impossible for me to know the va
rious reasons for the several depart
ments of the state government using
funds apportioned to their use. But
when I am officially informed that
there is objection, and that the
ground Of such objection is that there
is a purpose to divert an appropria-
ton, and when such information
seems to have merit, 1 do not think
that / should decide the matter, but
that the court is the proper place to
have such matters determined.
Yours very truly,
"a. w. Jones,
Comptroller General"