The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-10
CLEMENT ASKS
FOR TEAM WORK
Continued from first page.

/ ACoHb4HuBu from ITSJ pdBe,D
AT the same time the state board Of edu-
cation should be given responsibility and
authority for cooperating with the
towns in the planning, repairing and
building of rural schoolhouses.
Would we have two normal schools,
one at johnson and one at Castleton,
when one central school would suffice
Would we have two agricultural
schools, one at Randolph and one at Lyn-
don. when either one of these schools
would care for all our pupils, to say
nothing of the agricultural college in
connection with the University of Yer
mont, maintained in part by federal aid !?
| Would we have a school for pedagogy
in Middlebury and one at the University
of Vermontl
Would we support 10 municipal courts,
, Ia county courts, 20 probate courts and a
supreme court
Would we distribute and scatter our
business interests over the entire state,
making 1t necessary for our boards and
officers of supervision to travel contin-
ually in order to keep in touch with
them, or would we aim at concentration
IN some central plant
Some progress toward concentration
and Capitalization has already been
made.
These are problems for you to consider,
and | am aware that any attempt ON
your part to change existing conditions
will be met by opposition on the part of
those who have a special or local interest
in such institutions as may be affected.
My purpose at this time is merely 10 call
these conditions to your attention, not TO
urge upon You any legislation except
such as in your wisdom would appear to
you an adequate and proper remedy.
Accounting.
In regard to accounting all material
for the use OF the state should be pur-
chased upon requisition from the depart
ment requiring the same These requisi-
tions should be made upon the board OF
control sufficiently in advance of require.
meDts so that material can be purchased
to the best advantage After being APP
proved by the board of control the requi.
sitions should be handed TO the purchas
ing agent, the material purchased and the
bills therefor presented TO the auditor
The auditor should examine the bills and
if found correct they should be yOuchered
for payment.
The auditors Office should be an office
Of record with regard to appropriations
made by the legislature and the amounts
charged against them from time TO time.
1t should also examine and certify as to
the correctness of all bills against the
state. When bills are found to be cor
rect, they should be youehered and sent
TO the state treasurer for payment
The treasurer's office should keep full
and complete books showing cash on
hand and the full financial condition Of
the state every night.
One Of the best ways to provide for the
payment of bills and the receipts for the
same is by means of voucher check |
from the treasurer's Office and full ac-
count thereof Kept there No money
should be paid out from the treasurer's
office except upon vouchers, properly au-
thenticated by the auditor. Il is not
necessary that money should be advanced |
to the heads of departments, and this |
practice which has prevailed in the past, |
resulting in financial difficulties for the |
state should be stopped. All receipts for |
money received for the state by depart. /,
ments and persons employed by the state |
should be covered directly into the state
treasury.
1t would be tiresome to 90 into the full |
details Of such a system Of accounting, |
but it can be worked out with the help of |
expert accountants.
/ believe that instead of examinations |
by the bank commissioner, whose duties |
in connection with the examination of |
state banks should take all of his time |
the state should have a certified account
ant make examination of all state books |
and accounts relating TO the receipts and |
of money at least twice
every year.
All material in state institutions and
bought and on hand should
be made a matter of careful inventory, so
that the exact condition of such depart
ments and institutions in relation to
state property could at all times be de-
termined by an examination. This has
already been done in state institutions
during the year 1918.
Highways.