Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-30
SPROUL AND ALTER MUST ACT
TO PROTECT STATES MONEY
There Is Evidence Enough Of illegal Use
Of State Funds TO Justify Vigorous
Legal Proceedings by the
Attorney General


OF beginning at once vigorous investigation.
into the way former Auditor General Snyder
spent public funds.
The Governor is the chief officer OF the
Commonwealth, intrusted with the duty OF
executing the laws. The Attorney General
is the legal adviser Of the Commonwealth,
through whom the Governor acts when there
is nrima -facic evidence that the law has
been violated. He has the right OF access
at all times to the books and papers In the
Office of the Auditor General, and he is d.
rected by law to attend to all the legal
business of the Auditor Generals depart
ment as we'll as of all other departments
of the State.
There is evidence In the Auditor Gem
erals Office that the law has been disrc-
gardcd. Documents there show that Lieu
tenant Governor Beidlcman received $4,000
for legal services which tho Attorney General
is directed by law to perform. There is
also evidence that other sums have been
paid to other lawyers for legal services
without warrant of law.
And now comes Samuel S, Lewis, the
present Auditor General, with the definite
statement In a letter to q man whose name
was on the payroll of Mr.. Snyder, his prede-
cessor, that he knows Of quite number of
cases" of the payment of money beyond the
salary fixed by law, and that in some cases
the money was paid Illegally.
An attempt was made TO pay large sum
to Mr.. Lewis when he was corporation clerk
under Mr. Snyder. Early in his term as n
clerk he was paid for extra services per-
formed in putting the books Of the depart
mcnt in proper condition. The work was
outside Of his duties and he rightly thought
he was legally entitled to the extra pay.
But when a large sum of money was
offered to him near the close of the term Of
Mr.. Snyder, nominaily for extra work."
he declined to accept 1t on the ground that
he had done nothing to earn the money.
lie had collected 81, $50 900 in delinquent
taxes, it is true, but he did this as part of
his routine work
Mr. Beidleman. however, had been paid
$4,000 for collecting $4,000 in delinquent
taxes when S63 900 was due. and other sums
had been paid to other lawyers. Mr.. Lewis
knew of these payments. and he refused to
Attorney General Alter, with his power
to examine books and papers In the Auditor
Generals office, can get all the official evil
dence there is. lie can learn the sums paid
for services by an official who acted as
though the law of 1915 were not intended
TO apply to him-a law which forb!ds the
employment of special counsel save through
the Attorney Generals office. He cnn in
form himself Of the nature of the vouchers,
If any vouchers exist. And then he can
officially begin legal proceedings 10 recover
the money illegally expended, and, If war
ranted, refer the evidence to the District
Attorney of Dauphin County.
II his sense of public duty !s not strong
enough to induce him to take this course.
jealousy over the preservation Of his own
legal rights as Attorney General ought TO
spur him on to making an example of every
head of a State department who pays out
fees for legal services without consulting
him and getting his authorization.
Mr. Alter has been mentioned as n nOSsi-
bic candidate for the governorship. II he
continues 10 ignore what went on in the
Auditor Generals Office under Mr. Snyder
his chances for the nomination will go
glmmering along with those Of Lieutenant
Governor Beidleman and Mr. Snyder, now
the State Treasurer.
4 courageous and honest course pursued
by Mr. Alter. backed by the Governor
might tear Harrisburg wide open. But
nothing better could happen 10 the State
just now than an exhibition Of the com
p'acent assumption of n group Of politicians
that the public money was their own TO be
used at their discretion in building up a
machine which would fNsrcn thcr control
upon the State government. There Is not
the slightest doubt that public money has
been used for that purpose. Nor is there
any doubt that officials have used the public
money for their own profit.
When n clerk In the Auditor Generals
office confessed TO defalcation Of $1,000
Mr.. Snyder treated the matter lightly, as
though 1t were Of 10 Importance. He said
the money had been returned and that fully
$500, 900 had been taken out Of the State
funds In the same way and put back again
without loss TO the State. But Mr.. Alter
does not need to be told that such use OF
public money is criminal offense. 1t is a
violation Of trust and Is punishable under
the same statutes which send bank clerks to
prison when they use the money OF the de-
positors for their own speCulatlOns.
Low moral standards have prevailed too
long In Harrisburg. They have apparently
Auditor General Lewis written word may
+ II ~