The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-24

I 2 The revenue Of the state Is coll
lected and disbursed under certain
statutes which have to be hourly con-
suited, and public officials all over
the state by the hundreds have to be
settled with. In the millions collect
ed and paid by the auditors in year.
all Items have to be critically exam
tined and passed on. not with reference
to signatures alone. but for allowance
or rejection as they conform to the
statutes or not
The second auditors office has a
balance sheet of twenty nine millions
It has charge OF more than Ave mil
! lions Of invested funds. AS accoun-
! tant OF the literary fund the second
auditor collects all money belonging
to that fund and disburses the same
upon the order Of the board OF educa.
ton as provided by law. The auditor
Of public accounts. the treasurer and
the second auditor. as the board of
sinking fund commissioners have
charge OF the public debt amounting
TO about s24,ooo.ooo and the two last
named have TO sign each bond that is
Issued The second auditor as presf-
dent OF the board OF sinking fund COM
ruissioners draws checks countersigned
| by the treasurer on which are paid
!
gnias public debt as interest more
money than Is paid out In dividends
by every bank and trust company In
the city of Richmond with the possible
exception Of the federal reserve bank
3, The Auditor OF public accents Is
a member of many necessary state
agencies where expert knowledge Of
state taxes Is required The second
auditor conducts a bank and trust COM
pany with a capital Of 100000 He is
accountant OF the board Of education
and an expert on matters connected
with financial matters and Investments
OF that board. He is required to check
up transfers Of bonds with the treas
urer's office regularly. and with the
treasurer and secretary OF the COM
monwealth TO examine all coupons cut
off in the treasurer's office from cou-
pond bonds which are issued during
the previous month
4 Under the century settlement Of
the public debt in 1892, the accruins
interest Is PAYABLE at the office of the
treasurer Of Virginia.
5. Under the law the second auditor
has charge OF the retired teachers
fund. OF the Dawson fund. etc, and
under the will OF Samuel Miller he is
made practically the financial agent
of that great foundation and as part
OF his salary is paid one per cent
on the Miller fund collected and dis
bursed by him.
6. The treasurer of Virginia re-
REEVES and pays out all Of tho revenue
OF the state upon the order OF one or
the other OF the auditors And when
the late Treasurer Hartman died the
other day at II o'clock in the day the
accounts were shown to be exactly as
they should have been.
7. The state accountant has been Of
great service to the people of the state,
and Will of greater value ae time
passes, Every state officer may call
upon him for help in time Of need and
many county officers. Many a county
clerk. and treasurer has had his ac-
counts untangled. and his estate saved
from threatened ruin by the state ex-
aminer's work. and the state by his
visiting and settling accounts has been
saved thousands and ten thousands OF
dollars
There Is no confusion. no overlap
ping. but each office has its own de-
fined duties. aud its own responsible
ties which are regularly reported to
the governor and the legislature.
! file the general traverse OF Mr. I
Bryan's statement rs to the costs of
the administration of the offices named
In the report of his speech
The second auditor receives $500.
OF which the Miller fund pays $500, and
he paws $50 annually as premium for
bond the auditor Of public accounts
receives $4,000 and the treasurer re-
ceives $4,000 from the state and fees.
The state accountant receives $4,000
per annum.
After all Mr., Bryan's criticism Is one |
OF the nomenclature. The bank sews
ifs traces and hreast-strap together
into one piece. The state uses col
lar and traces in separate pieces II
claim TO speak as an expert in the mat |
ters OF state mentioned In the report
OF Mr.. Bryan's speech. and 1 affirm
without hesitation that he is uninform-
ed as to the conduct Of the stata Affairs
mentioned BY him. Any one Of the