The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-11-25
PRESERVING THE STATES
MORAL INTEGRITY

Padded expense accounts, with their
proceeds added to a division of salary
with a member of the legislature, are
serious offenses against the integrity
Of the state, and there should be no
politics in the enactment of legislation
to prevent any such practices in the
future. The case in question reported
by the Atorney-General, is under in
vestigation, but the matter of respon-
sibility in this specific instance is be-
side the important thing at issue. The
law should plainly make such things
impossible. Federal statutes prohib-
it any employee of the Federal Gov
eminent from dividing his salary with
any person from any motive whatever.
The statutes of Missoui should be
equally specific. Expenses paid by
the state should be verified by vouch-
ers, wherever practicable. 1t makes
no difference whether the official is a
Republican or Democrat, or whether
the beneficiary is affiliated with eth
er party, no expense account paid by
the state ought to possess even the
possibility Of being padded. These
things are automatic, but it is not
clear whether the laws of the state
are adequate. Manifestly, they should
/ be made so.
In these days when the state off
Gals are handling many millions in
addition to the ordiary revenue Of the
state, such as the proceeds of sixty
million bond issues for roads, and if
teen million bond issues fer the SOL
diers' bonus, every conceivable safe-
guard should be thrown about the
business of the state. Heretofore,
checks of the state, or warrants of the
| Auditor, were made payable to a
payee or bearer, an Anticipated and
slipshod practice which ought to be
dispensed with. Upon the insistence
Of Democratic members of the legis-
lature, the extra session provided that
warrants covering the bonus of war
veterans should be made payable to
the soldier or order, with the usual
provision for payment to his heirs or
legal representatives. This is a wise
provision, and it should apply to all
disbursements of the state.
Paying two salaries to the same Of
fetal; padding expense accounts; d.
vision of salaries; issuing warrants to
bearer; failure to require identified
ton of all persons upon the states
payroll, with requirements Of personal
receipts for all payments; more dras-
tic provisions affecting the employ
ment by private interests, of officers
or clerks, drawing salaries from the
state, or the receipt of any form OF
emolument or gift from any private
interest; more specific and severe pen.
alties to be imposed upon officers Of
. state, city orc ounty who are interest.
ed, directly or indirectly, in any state
contract, are all especially needed in
: these days of extravagant public ex-
| penditures and the lavish outlay Of
: the peoples money. A clerk who re-
ceives outside compensation for fav.
: ors rendered to private interests ought
to be sent to the penitentiary. An Of
: fetal who is interested in any state
cotract, or in the proceeds of any
, transaction in which the state is con-
cerned, ought to be punished for the
commission of a felony. If the laws
are inadequate, they should be
strengened,
. A public office is not private snap
at least it ought not to be in Mis-
souri.-State Journal.