Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-05-07

STATE government ana now the alIdlrS
of the people of Idaho are handled by
state officials The following article
deals with the work of the board of
examiners. The next article will handle
the loaning business of the state, and
other articles will follow from time to
time on subjects of interest with regard
TO the way in which the administra-
aeive officers of the state take care of
vast volume Of business).
BY Moses Alexander, Governor of Idaho
What has been accomplished in state
government since January 3, 1914, is
not so easily told.
The question is often asked and the
phraseology frequently used BUSH
ness Administration in contradistinc-
ton to political administration.
Whether it has been a business adj
ministration or not, the people will be
more competent to judge after being
conversant with the workings of the
administration.
All state business is done by boards
of nearly all of which the governor is
chairman. / have no criticism or sug-
gestion to make on things as they
were heretofore done but | can tell you
how things are done now. | believe
there is as much business in the con-
duct of state affairs from my point
of view as would be found migrated
in any business concern in this or any
other state.
There may be little politics creep in
now and then, but not very much, and
by the end of another year there will
be very little politics, if any, in the
conduct of state business.
Il, III
say, as we heat criticisms now and
then of how things should be conduct
ed. and IL anyone can improve upon
our business methods we would Ger
tainly appreciate their suggestions, for
! can assure you that we are all willing
to learn.
At the beginning ! want to assure
you, that we do not follow any dilatory
parliamentary rules on our boards,
such as moving tAe previous question,
laying on the tai <, etc. The only rule
we follow is that used among gentle
men, nor do we require any second to
any motion, nor hurry any member.
The minority can have question de-
n terred.
How Examining Board Works.
The most important is the board
of examiners, created by the constitu-
ton with arbitrary powers.
The attorney general says we can
examine bills and we can pay them
or not. Courts may compel us to ex-
anime into a clawl but they cannot
compel us to payEit, so that is about
as arbitrary a power as can be vested
in three men.
When a bill is presented for which
there are no funds, it is disallowed by
the board usually and referred to the
legislature. When a bill does not look
fair it is laid over and examined into
until approved or rejected, or until the
items charged therein are stricken out
reduced or modified in accordance with
the best interests of the state.
The board of examiners is composed
of the governor, the attorney general
and the secretary of state 1t meets
regularly on the third Tuesday of each
month and can call special meetings
for further examination into claims or
for pressing claims
Saves $4,000 Per Month.
AT regular meeting of the board,
a majority can allow a claim and at a
special meetfg il requires a unani-
nous conseE.
There are no arguments held by the
board, no counsel heard or cases tried
from legal standpoint This board
considers matters from a point Of JUS
tice and equity and hat is all. and
through this board | believe it is safe
to say that the state Of Idaho saves
about $4,000 per month By getting
full value for its money, stopping
waste, preventing unnecessary pur-
chases and travelling and keeping in
touch with supply and demand.
TO get bill paid by the state Of
Idaho, 1t requires considerably more
than to present the bill and have it
receipted and there are very few busl-
!. ness houses that use the same method
and the same preeaution as does the
state.
For instance, If you have a bill
against the state. you take one of the
tsate blanks and set forth every item,
showing price, etc, and then you sign
the bill as claimant. Then the bill
goes to the head of the department to
which the goods We're sold. for In
stance, Soldiers home, state normals,
or any other state institution, and the
head of said department looks the bill
over and IL he finds it alright, adds his
o k and then it is taken to the
state auditor who is clerk of the board
of examiners, and he goes over the
claim. multiplies, adds and extends
each item upon said bill separately and
in total and when found correct in
that respect, he signs it as state audit
or and it receives his 20. X
Members Must Be Satisfied.
After being %. KID" by the state
auditor, the bills are filed away until
the third Tuesday Of the month when
the board meets. The three members
sit in a row and pass on each bill in
divdually. There are about 1000 bills
month to go over, but each bill is
taken up one at a time and looked
over by each member and when the
first member looks over it. he hands
1t To the second, who looks over it and
he hands il to the third member.