Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1909 — Many Calls for the Accountants. [ARTICLE]

Many Calls for the Accountants.

The new public accounting board is already being swamped with requests from all parts of the state for inspectors to be sent out to investigate certain offices. There is scarcely a county in the from which one or more such requests have not been made. In nearly every instance the letters are from some individual who declares that conditions in such and such an office are bad and that they ought to be investigated. Many of these letters are probably spite letters, though in some cases there is probably a good deal of merit. Of course the accounting board is not able to comply with all of these requests at this time. It will be several months before the work of making inspections can be taken up. In fact no inspectors have yet been appointed. The board has decided to examine applicants for positions as field examiners in July. The candidates will be given a thorough examination as to their ability and fitness for the places, and until after the result examination is known it cannot even be known who will be the examiners. And certainly there cannot be any inspections until after then. Chief Accountant DeHority said recently that it would require all of the time of the board between now and next January to prepare and install a uniform Bystem of accounting in the various offices throughout the state and that this was the first business the board would tackle. Of course, in extreme cases, where an examination of an office is found necessary, it will be attended to, but the board is proceeding on the theory that proper preparation and a perfect system is the most necessary thing just now. It was expected right from the start that as soon as the accounting board was appointed there would be a general demand for inspectors, and the board decided early to not do anything unless It has to. The news that the board will not start on the work of inspection will no doubt be welcome news to many a township trustee, city clerk, justloe of the peace and other offlolals throughout the state whose books ate In such condition that even he Mm* self does not know just where he stands. The delay may give them time to get shaped around so as to avoid exposure.