Show VW Vrr r 1 1 Publication Should Be Made According M to Law LawOne One of the very fine factors which helps to curtail graft in public office and which does much to inform the general public as to how their tax money is spent who receives it and for what purpose is the publication of a detailed financial statement as S required by law v. j Cities counties and school districts that comply with this law pu publishing lishing a financial statement statement statement state- state ment yearly giving the facts as to who vho received I the money paid out the definite amounts d disbursed dis- dis s burled and for what have a much greater degree degree degree de de- de- de gree of the peoples people's confidence than do dothe the cities counties and ana school district which publish no financial reports at all aB or publish reports that are general and give no significant details If a city or a school district refuses to publish publish publish pub pub- lish its financial statement citizens become suspicious suspicious suspicious sus sus- and whether or not there has been mis- mis mis misappropriation appropriation of funds the natural conclusion is that there must be some unrighteous reason for refusing to comply with a law v that has been t created to protect th the e public and inform those who pay clay the bills h how nv and for what their money I is being scent In some instances public servants refuse to tom tomake tomake m make ke proper publication of the business done by upon the grounds that publication of a I financial statement is unnecessary Such a stand is clearly not according to law and is certainly not sensible Men lien in office are more careful and in the use of public money if they know that a statement must be published as to who receives the money paid out how hew much was vas paid out and for what It was with this very thought in mind that our lawmakers framed i this splendid requirement The publication of financial statements i is not only a protection for the public ag graft groft in public offices but it is a protection for the public officials themselves holding them in check cheek when temptation to help themselves unlawfully unla might otherwise be yielded to Financial should be published as the l law nv prescribes prescribe There should be no side sidestepping sidestepping stepping or hedging The Tile law is IS sound and nd should be enforced Officials who refuse to comply com ply with it are unwise to say the least |