Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-15
Auditor Tweedale Recon-
mends Capitalization of Au-
thority in Commissioners.
ONE BILL TO EMBRACE
ALL APPROPRIATIONS
Statement Made of the Receipts and
Expenditures for the Past
Fiscal Year.

ard direction OF District affairs
and finances in the District Com
missioners is recommended in the
annual report of Auditor Alonzo
Tweedale for consideration by
Congress in connection with the
study to be made of the fiscal re-
lations between the local and fed
eral governments.
Asserting that this matter should he
brought to the attention of Congress at
the present time, Mr.. Tweedale sets
forth at length his reasons for the
recommendation, treating them under
the following heads: % the appropria-
ton bill and act. co the control of ex-
penditures and revenue collections, CD
the accounting incident thereto
Concerning the former, the auditor
urges that all District regular annual
appropriations appear in one bili-the
District bill. He points out that mem
bers of Congress cannot refor to any
one bill and find therein the total
moneys required for the annual eX-
penses of the District for given year.
for the reason that appropriations are
carried IN the DlSlTlCC OIL, civil
bill. Legislative bill and sundry other
smaller bills
Expenditures and Collections.
With respect to the Capitalization of
control of expenditures and collection
OF revenues, the auditor recommends
that all expenditures from appropria
tons other than the interest and sink
ing fund provided for the funded debt
and disbursed by the treasurer of the
United States be made through the Of
five of the District auditor, payments
made by the District disbursing officer
and the accounts certified to the Treas
ury by the Commissioners. In this con-
nection he says:
Under present practice expenditures
from District appropriations are made
by some ten Independent agencies.
Congress in providing commission
form of government for the District of
Columbia by the act of June II, 1878,
undoubtedly meant. and the language
OF the act so indicates. that the COM
mission so appointed should be the su-
preme governing and administrative
power. subject only to such limitations
as Congress itself might see fit to i'm
pose. The Commissioners appointed
were to have full charge of all affairs,
financial, administrative and otherwise.
of the local government. AS one of a
number of illustrations that might be
cited of the present divided authority
IN administration the case of the Ma
donal Training School for Girls is re-
ferred to.
Instead of this institution being I'M
der the direction and control of the
Commissioners, it makes separate con-
tracts for its supplies. not being bene-
fitted by the prices contained in the an
nual District contracts: has it's own
machinery for accounting, paying and
SO forth. with its own treasurer paid a
salary. 1t is believed that a very ma
terial saving would be effected by
bringing this and all kindred institu-
tons under the Commissioners direct
Should Vest Power in Board.
The board of Commissioners should
then have that power which Congress
undoubtedly intended they should have
% that there would be a Capitalization
Of administration and control, with re-
sulting increase in efficiency of service
and economy in public expenditure by
reason Of the elimination of the duplica-
ton Of offices. of supervision. inspect on
paying, accounting and in other lines
AS an incident to the adoption of the
foregoing recommended ions, the account
ing for appropriations and the account ng
as it affects the fiscal relations OF the
general and local governments Will be
greatly facilitated and improved the
auditor states. Under present practice,
lie points out, the accounts kept in
at least five different ledgerS in the
not settled by any auditor.
ut is submitted continues the report
that all District appropriations should
appear on one ledger-the District of
Columbia ledger; that all revenues of
The District should be covered into one
account, and all advances to the District
charged to said accountable general
fund account Of the Dist-lc: OF Columbia.
Then the Treasury Department. the Dis
trict Commissioners and the Congress
Of the United States would be better
enabled Ia know the exact status of Dis
tr:ct hnaEees at any time. for their in
formation and for il the administra-
ton Of its affairs
The auditor condemns the present sys-
tenn o. handling District appropriations
as being unbusinessike, and declares
that no well governed private corporation
or business would allow such practice.
Feature of the Report.
One Of the interesting features Of his
report is the statement that but for the
large amounts required to be reimbursed
to the United States on account Of opera
tons Of former years che District would
have had during the fiscal year ended
June 90. 1915. more than "A million dollars
surplus revenues
The District financial statement for
that year. as presented by the report
IS as follows:
The total revenues for the wear
amounted to SS.O4I. 80 IS, to which add