The Washington herald., 1915-10-15
BUSINESS BASIS
. FOR CITY URGED
New System Of Appropriating
Recommended by Audi
tor Tweedale.
SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT
Official Cites Faults Which mo Well
governed Corporation or Busi-
ness Would Allow"

Of the District is urged by Alonzo Twee.
dale. District auditor. in his annual re-
port submitted to the Commissioners
yesterday. In denouncing the custom of
Congress of appropriating for the Dis
trict In number of sundry bills the re-
port states: No well-governed corpora
ton or business would allow such prac-
tice."
Mr. Tweedale points out that the Com
missioners are compelled to keep their
recommendations within a certain sum.
As long as Congress splits up the Dis
trict appropriations into different bills,
he says. the Commissioners will be driv-
en- to the present practice of estimating.
using the appropriations of former years
as basis"
1T especially appropriate" the re-
port goes on, that this matter be SUBJ
mitted to Congress at this time for con-
sideration and action in connection with
such revision as that body shall decide
to make in the matter of the fiscal rela-
tions between the District and the gov
ernmenr.
Police Funds Short.
Il: would seem to reC.Iire no argument
TO convince one that Congress desires to
know, when appropriating. the exact
amount Of regular annual appropriations
that will be required for th,. expenses of
the District. and tnat this figure shoSld
appear in one act-thc District act
The auditor also urged that steps be
taken to make up and provide asains; de-
fciencies in the police and firemen's pen
sions. The report shows that the de-
ficiency increased SO 1863. - during the asst
wear. due to the fact that fines in police
court fell Off
If the payment of pensions and relief
is part of the expenses of the District
similar to the payment of salaries to
active members of the force-and men
entering the departments have a right
to and do look forward to the payment
of pensions in the event OF their dis
ability-it would seem that in all fair
ness to the men who have performed
efficient service in these departments and
to their families that adequate provi-
sion should be made SO that no def
ciencies would occur in the payment Of
pensions or other relief authorized by
law"
The report states that a total reduc-
tion of 81 .2s9. SG5.i2 was made IN the Dis
trict's debt to the United States. "leav-
ing only the debt covered by the 3.6J
bonds outstanding in the sum of s6.5lS.Ooo.
less sinking fund investments of 500. .Ooo."
Had it not been for the large amounts
required to be reimbursed to the United
States on account of operations OF
former years." the report reads, I'VE
would have had during 1915 more than
81. .ooo.oeo surplus revenues"
The auditor urges that the CommIS-
sioners renew their recommendation to
Congress for the enactment of i bill
treating a board of accountancy for the
District of Columbia
Donovan Praised.
AT present there is no legal rcSrila.i .ioa
IF the profession of public accounting in
the District" reads the report. 1T needs
no argument TO demonstrate the truth
"f the statement that public accountants
having to do with the settlement of the
accounts of property of the ,'itiZnns
should be required to possess certain
both to skill and prac-
lice In accounting similar to hose re-
Huired Of other professional men. that
The public interests 10 duly protected
In closing Mr.. Tweedale commends the
work of Daniel ]. Donovan. former chief
clerk of the auditors Office. who recently
was made secretary tC the Commission |
FRS. The report adds:
Cash receipts from all sources for the
year amounted to sl5.6s4 9l3.7o made up
as follows: From taxation. licenses, and
sources, sS.041 SO 6S; amount
raid bp the United States as share of
expenses Of government under the act of
June II. 1878, s6.1lS.0l5.99: temporary ad-
vance by the United States for special |
park improvements. $40; trust and spe-
cial fund collections including the water |
und. sl.:sa. $50 s3.
Expenditures Itemized.
Cash expenditures for the year |
amounted to s1i,si5. 1875 OF which there |
was paid from appropriations and gen.
eral fund s13. i7a, 1C99 90. and from trust and |
special funds, including the water fund |
81. .31O. $50. 46.
The expenditures from appropriations
and general fund of the District. includ
ing payments made to the United States
for reipbursemepts for advances and so
forth for prior years. are as follows: For
general government s7s5, 30; protection
II life and property, including fire and
police departments. si.92o5S health
and sanitation. including health depart
nent, sewage disposal and construction.
y. Ia. g.. -: highways. including street eX-
enSions, improvements and care Of pub
lie highways. sl.S11. .S971s; charities and
81. &c. 1892 education. includ-
ng public schools. special education and
public libraries. 50. l64 30S.17: recreation, in
'lUuhS pafhS, play grounds, ana DdtnlnS
,each, $S3S. T4sOS: miscellaneous. includ-
ng tax and license refunds $346, ,o59 S.;
,ublic service enterprises. including mar
tets and water supply, s192. 7o954: interest
md debt, including bonded debt and re-
to the United States re-
luired by the several acts Of Congress
or advances made in prior years. 1884,
so
THE expenditures from special and
rust fund accounts include payments
or general government, $6l+T4: protection
I life and property. including pay of
oliee and fire pensions and salaries CT
treet railway crossing police. $l&. $40:
ever construction. $lS,l2I.S9: highways.
including cost Of repairs to streets Incl
ent to cuts made for street railway -om-
ate persons. plumbers and SO forth.
ia S.: charities and corrections, IN
luding payments made through the
uvenile Court account nonsurport of
bandoned wives and children. s6,nS4;
ducation. including prize awards In the
choOls. $155.S5; recreation. including the
lacinS OF trees in private parking
pace. $S76. 81: miscellaneous. being rrinci-
ally tax sale and other refunds and re-
emptions. $aS47N.6s: public service en-
being principally expenses Of
he water distribution paid from the DIS
rict water fund. $612. .2so.l3"
II
Three Die in California Fire.
Cloverdale Cal. Oct. 1l-Three
ersons are known to be dead and nine ]
usiness houses have been destroyed in