Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-08-24

AltSi tIG I'M was iLd!heui IL h6S sem
to me by Fir. Peter Norbeck to criti
else Che was chairman of The com
mittee to which it was referred): this
I did; made some recommendations
as to- changes. The changes / sug-
gested were made and the bill became
a law. And / think it is a good one.
Concerning Vouchers.
Now, while you may consider me
IN imposter / indirectly helped yon
to the services of Mr.. Lampy who
should have been called to check the
city every year since hi was appoint
ed as a member Of the executive ac.
countant's department. 1t has been
my privilege 10 check up some cities
and other municipal accounts. / have
in every instance done the work care,
fully. Mr.. Lampy, being much more
familiar with the firms of WATERFOWL
than | am, would have seen things L
did o II has not been my custom.
nor do | think it the practice, to.
question vouchers when made out il
proper form and sworn to. | do think
that ii is a mistake to allow the
voucher to be sworn TO before the
city auditor because that would give
him q better chance to pad the voueh-
&s,
Now, / hope you will not misunder-
stand me in this matter. l hold no ill
will to you for your views, In your
place I very likely would take the
same view you do. But l doubt if any
person whe does public accounting
had been called in from a distance To
examine me records and found all the
vouchers in regular aler and all
books written up and all figures prop
erly entered would have found the
sourc Of the graft practiced. There
is one thing ! see that should be done
in such examinations which is not
done. Every large voucher Oh at
least a number Of them should be
traced back to the firm certifying to
the same and in this way ascertain If
the amount has been tempered with.
Auditor Shouldn't Cash Warrants.
would be my opinion that no
auditor should be allowed to cash al
warrant and remit in draft to a com
pany in settlement, but that the war
rant as drawn should go to the payee
direct for their endorsement. Thel
man who is able to get up a system
OF accounting that will make public
graft and em~bezzlement impossible
will yet have to be born.
AS the executive accountants law
now stands, it does not make 1t obli-
on the city council OF a city
to employ a member Of that depart
ment at stated intervals to check up
the acddAnts of the city. But in the
absence Of an accountancy law, such
is is contemplated in the bill ! have
herewith enclosed to you, | think it
would be well II the duty was made
obligatory on the council at stated in
.ervals, such intervals unknown to
he treasurer or auditor, to have the
,ity accounts checked by the execu-
i've accountants department.
Now, I have tried to make my posi-
ion plain TO you and hope that YOU
viii look d little into my record as an
and that after Sc doing
you Will have a little more consider
alton for ii connection with this
[amentable affair. ! can assure you
lad there been vouchers missing when
examined Lanes records the city
we,,ld Rave heard of il. Lam sure e
YOU viii take the pains TO look up
concerning the executive accounting
ana the efforts to pass bill to
govern tie work 81 public accounts
you VAN and that ! have taken an
activespart and, too, on the right side
az he question.
conplliAents Lampy.
ssBsIthink you areS unfair a your enter
III q vigorous protest against me be-
ank iaSued any sort of recognition, ifl
she' Souih pakota lesislatufe should
90 No mi regslattns public accounts
ants Assunae that an able public
|Aceo1unk8ntw would NY 4 aersoss