The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-08-31
SEWELL DESIRES
CUT IN EXPENSES
GOVERNOR ASKED TO TAKE AC-
TION FOR STATE BY
EXAMINER.

Frankfort, Ky, Aug. 25.-The
elimination of exorbitant charges for
hotel accommodations by State OFF,
Gals and employees and the padding"
of expense accounts, is recommend
ed by State Inspector and Examiner
Nat b. Sewell in a report filed today
with Gov. Stanley.
The subject of illegal, unwarrant-
ed and exorbitant" expense accounts
is by no means a new one to Inspector
Sewell. Nearly year ago he raised
the question of trimming" expense
accounts and since that time has Sc
cured the cooperation of Gov. Stan
ley, State Auditor Greene and M. NJ.
Logan, who was then Attorney Cen
eral, in his fight for the elimination
of what he terms illegal expendi-
lures. Many of the claims present.
ed to State Auditor Greene for pay
ment are now being refused, or cut
down to meet the requirements of the
law.
State Inspector and Examiner Sc
well says that many Of the State Off
Gals do not give any thought to
economy when the State is paying
their expenses and in number of
cases he says he has found instances
where employees have Systematically
padded" their expense accounts.
Inspector Sewell calls specific at
tention to the following classes of
expense items that continue to ap-
pear in claims presented by State Of
ficials and employees and approved by
heads of departments or heads of in
stitutions; Pullman or chair car
charges other than sleeper; excessive
telephone and postage charges; high
er hotel rates than are necessary for
reasonable comfort and convenience;
including in hotel bills expenses 9TH
er Tran lodging and meals; unneces-
sary travelling from small towns in
order to spend the night in a city;
personal or incidental expenses not
necessary in the performance Of Off
cial duties and padded expense &C
counts.
Certain expense accounts examin-
ed, Inspector Sewell says, show daily
charges for postage and telephone
calls which he says is entirely incon-
sistent with the requirements Of Of
fetal duties in which the officer or
.employe is engaged. He recommends
that all such charges be trimmed.
In the report Inspector Sewell calls
attention to the expense account of
certain official for the month of May
which amounted to $107.40, or an
average cost of S3.S4 per day. The
expense account shows that this par
ty spent twenty nights during the
month in Louisville. No receipts for
any of the expenses were filed with
the account. Inspector Sewell does
not name the man in the report, but
refers to him as Mr.. X. This ac-
count. he says, is a fair sample of
the ones that have been presented
during the past year and half. He
recommends that proper steps be talk
en- to put a stop to expenditures of
this character.
Inspector Sewelf says there are
other officials who drew either a
monthly or per diem salary on the
assumption that they devote all OF
their time to the work of the State,
who actually spend the greater part
of their time in private employment
and render only small part of the
service TO the State for which they
are paid. A report dealing specifl-
eally with these cases will be filed
later by Inspector Sewell.