The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-10-07

vances to officers, except in certain eases
in which the practice il apparently nee
essary under the law, / believe that the
adoption of the new system will prove
to be we'll advised.
4. Under the necessity of rising costs
and exhausting of appropriations, the
payment of expenses in considerable
amount, incurred near the close of the
fiscal year, apparently must be deferred
until appropriations of a new fiscal year
are available. The obvious result is to
throw upon the latter period the burden
of expenditures incurred for, and proper.
" chargeable to the year closed Cash
discounts must also necessarily be sacri
feed From the accounting point Of
view the result il also unfortunate, in
that the dates pertaining TO expenditures
are rendered inaccurate and unreliable
as an index of economy or as a basis of
comparison year by year Moreover, in
the present form Of auditors report, the
bills unpaid at the close of fiscal year
are not exhibited. thus affecting the
validity OF data relative to the assets
and liabilities of the state. As has been
established by business practice in gen
eraI. an accounting system conducted on
purely cash basis can neither provide
an adequate or effective measure of
financial results and condition, nor be
depended upon for reliable data as a
basis Of administrative control. While
the system rs now operated appears to
be effective in its provisions for ensur-
ing against the fraudulent disbursement
of state funds, it has distinct and in
herent limitations as means OF pro-
viding executive or legislative officers or
citizens OF the state with complete data,
relating to financial operations and con-
ditions, such as are provided by the mod
ern methods Of accounting and control
adopted by many states and municipal.
tiles
5. While it appears that, under the
system which has been In force, adequate
measures have been taken 10 safeguard
funds once they were received by the
treasurer, there has been an apparent lack
OF provision to ensure that all funds to
which the state was entitled were re-
ceiyed. The recent appointment of a
revenue clerk whose function win be,
under the direction of the auditor, to
Cheek up dIl SOURCES Oh revenue sHDHlu
prove to be productive Of desirable re-
suits
8 The new system seems to be well
adapted to correct the shortcomings Of
former methods But experience alone
can tell whether the plan Of extreme
Capitalization Of disbursements now in
force win not prove unwieldy II is not
improbable, for example, but that the
increase in the number Of separate
vouchers handled win retard payments
and involve some loss OF cash discounts.
| believe, however, that the changes
made are well advised, for the present
system viii easily adjust itself to condi-
tions, while the former system could be
made acceptable only by radical revision.
l. In the allowances to state officers
and employees for travel and other ex.
penses, there appears to be a lack Of
Standardization Whether il would be
advisable, however, to follow the prac
tiee of federal departments and other
states in fixing standard per diem ex.
pense allowances 10 officers and employees
travelling ON official business, and in more
definitely limiting transportation allow
anees, are questions on which an out
slider cannot intelligently pass Judgment,
But it is matter that seems TO deserve
consideration, II the policy Of the state