Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08
Office of State :
Auditor Result
Modern Method
BY Ebert ID. HayfOrd, Auditoe

by EIUert ~ nay lOAus Au~AsA
The office of State Auditor val
created by the Legislature In W.
Previous to that time the account
of the State had been audited by tn'|
Governor and Council. Governo'I
Powers in his inaugural OF l@'I
recommended that the office OF tis|
State Auditor be established. no ss|
ton, however, was taken on us|
matter by the Legislature that yea
In 1890 Governor Powers renevea|
his recommendation relative 70 n
State Auditor. He declared lna|
there was an urgent Necessary Nv
creating this office and ne nslN..I
that the State would save mM.
money by so doing. in excess o. s.l
cost of the department" A reson.|
was therefore passed proposans
amendment to the constitution' D~
this amendment was defeated.
The demand for the establlsnmeu
of this office did not cease. wv
ernor Cobb in his second mesSas
in 1907, said:
1.-The office OF State Auditor snouI
be created. The present system. y
auditing the States accounts py ~,
Governor and Council is an afcna"
absurdity. 1t is cumbersome. w.
certain and incorrect and wouu Az
be tolerated an instant py any s ,n
yidual. firm or corporation uO =.
business in accordance VIII "
proved modern methods. ,.a,,
Acting upon the Recommended. i
of Governor Cobb the Legisiatu,Ss a., -
1907 passed an act creating the on'
of State Auditor. IA.
Charles 2. Hatch, of Portianu' ~.
came the first State Auditor. ps as
pointment of Governor CobD, a. =,
was elected to the office IN lVo,
a second two-year term. ne w.
man of wide accounting exper,e n,.
and established the States accou''
ing on a thoroughly SOUND OASIS a.
The second State Auditor was ' -
mont A. Stevens. of Wells, VIM GA.
elected in 1910 and held the oh''
for two years. .sc.
The third incumbent of the on ,..
was Timothy +. Callahan, or Lev" ~,
ton, who was elected in lol- ~
served two years. 1
The fourth state Auditor I'm
Edward Sullivan. Of Bangor ". AZ,
was elected in 1914 and serVeu ~
years. pM
The next State Auditor was r Ss,
l.. Wardwell, of Augusta, WIZ
elected in 1916 and served hve sea N,
The sixth State Auditor anu
present incumbent of the olh. as,s
Ebert d. Hayford. of Farmlnsuo~r,
He was appointed to MI on. NJ
year of the uneXpired term ~ c,ah
Wardwell. He was elected ~.
Auditor in 1922 and in l9-4 was
elected to a second term. ,,,,e
In addition to his regular ~" N,
the State Auditor is Secretary " Il
Farm Lands Loan Commission m,
Maine and is also Secretary VI lad
Committee on Budget. ING
Legislature also constituted NJ M
member of the board to examine Al
tax exemption laws of the State AL
this same session there was aiao col
egated to the State Auditor lno h,
lection of the gasoline tax any isoru
was authorized to install MilN and
systems of accounts in clues
towns applying for the same. .,,rei
All the States bills are eXain,h M
and checked in the office ol ,yej
State Auditor and those appi Gar
are certified for payment III ,rril
rants to the Governor ana Co s,isd
All the State institutions are aua not,
from time to time and their wv
examined and closed each year. IN.
There has been an enormous .,ne,
crease in the States business ,us
1907. The State Highway Co,n'tb n,
sion a.one now sends throusn,
Auditors office n volume OF puo ,nss:
equal to the entire states pu''
in 1907. ,,,nt
The total increase in the o o0. IA:
of the States business since ~ mn
been 80 oer cent. The fore, 90 mel
Auditors office has increased lS
cent. ~