Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-19
S|A1E REGISTER SOLD
Geo. E. Roberts, Director OF the
Mint, Buys the Des M0ines
Newspaper.
The Deal Editorially Announced
in the State Register This
Morning.
Consideration Not Known, But
Understood TO Be $l5O,O00-
Roberts to Resign.
to Times-Republican.

special to 1lmeS-hepupicah.
Des Moines, June 19.-Director OF the
mint. George e. Roberts, has bough'
the Iowa State Register, published IN
this city, and it is reported that ne
will resign his position at Washington
to give his attention to the manage
ment of the property. The Register
since 1870, has been conducted by the
Clarkson family, of which the present
surveyor of the port of New York, Cen
eral John S. Clarkson, is the pest
known member outside of the state.
II is one of the best known newspa-
ners in the state and long has been
the republican organ of the state cap
ital.
Mr. Roberts will assume possession
the latter part of this month. He holdS
a high place among the polltlcai ieao-
ers of the state, and many see in hls
present move purpose to associate
himself more closely with its pupnc
affairs. Mr. Roberts bought the ri
Dodge Daily Messenger newspaper
property about 1875 He was state
printer for six years. He was appoint
ed director of the mint in 1898 by Fres-
| ident Mckinley. Mr.. Roberts is sala
to have purchased the Register on ms
own account exclusively. lie mas oeeii
! nolitical manager for Senator DoillVer
OF whom he is a neighbor In ri
Dodge.
The consideration is not stated, but II
is understood to be above $l50,0oO. MT.
Roberts will assume possession ana
management of the property the latter
| part of June 1t is not known here
when he will retire from the mint dl-
| rectorship to which he was appointed
by President Mckinley in 1898.
| 1t is stated. that r. P. Clarkson will
become pension agent in Des Moines
One rumor is to the effect that Shaw.
! Allison and Hull are interested with
Roberts in the deal and that Roberts
will Immediately resign and come to
Des MoMines to take charge. Another
story. credited in some quarters iS
that A. b. Funk will become editor
of the Register and be associated with
Roberts.
The sale is officially announced by
the Register today in the following
editorial:
"The Register property and plant
have been sold to Hon. George f
Roberts, Of Fort Dodge, who will take
possession of the paper at the close of
this month, possibly few days earlier.
The sale is the result of the failinJ
health of the present editor, who has
ri, ~, tJn,,
of labor, counting hours days la
Dor during the past thirtyone and
la half years. 1t is possible that les1
arduous and exacting labor may re-
suit in the restoration of the health
that has not permitted half days loss
of time by sickness and accidents, COM
bining all the time we have lost from
those causes, but at all events we shan
fight the battle out as brayely as pos
sible, and shall never forget the kind
friends who have given the Register
aid and encouragement during the
nearly an average lifetime the write.
has been connected with the manage
ment Of the paper. He began work
on the Register as a compositor in
May, 1S61-more than forty-one years
ago-in accordance with the plan o:
the two Clarkson boys to buy this
paper. which they talked about and
planned for from the day they left
the Indiana paper on which they
learned the printing business, five to
six years previous.
But, we have no desire to tire the
readers of the Register with long de-
scrption of our connection with the
paper, and our regret at laying down
The idol of our working life, for the
readers are more interested in the new
editor and proprietor, and we assure
them that he is capable of greatly i'm
proving the paper. Mr. Roberts began
newspaper work more than a quarter |
CT century ago, on the Fort Dodge |
Messenger, which paper he has owned
for more than a dozen years, and still |
Owns. He was state printer for six |
years and has been director of the ma
tional mint for six years His close con-
nection with national affairs and men
during the time he has been director of
the mint has given him the opportunity
to acquire knowledge of public affairs
that will be of valuable service to the
readers of the Register; and he has the
the talent, the capital, and the
physical strength to make the paper all
that it should be in every respect. The
paragraph appeared in the
Fort Dodge Messenger of April 26. 1876
soon after Judge Messervey became
the owner and editor of that paper and
il appeahs to have been somewhat pro-
phetic:
Successful editors are born, not
made. The ken that knows an item on
sight, comes not from education, but
from natural knack, it buds from
good sized sprout of genius During the
last few months the local page of the
has been mainly filled up by
cne of our printer boys, George E. Rob
arts. We know that the has done his
work we'll. that it has been satisfactory
to both readers and Ourselves. Mr.. Rob- !
artS has the natural way of saying his s
ocal doings, and there is no other lad in j
Iowa of his years who promises more
smelly than he. We are glad to an /
that he will become Judge Mes i
'ervey's very competent local l1euten- I
ant, and we feel sure that he Will make
hings local move along lively. Our e
George" will yet toot his editorial horn