Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-07-13

s0iFencg. :,
ASKED FOR LARGER FORCE. !
asked the Legislature OF 1903 to !
provide additional examines SO that !
all banks could be inspected as often
as the law contemplated. The Legs
lature, however, failed to make sucn
provision, and as a consequence more
than 200 banks went without inspec-
ton last year. In my report to the
General Assembly of 1905 | called
special attention to this condition,
and urged the amendment OF the
banking laws SO as to provide two ao-
ditional examiners for my successor.
To members Of both the House ana
Senate who spoke to me about the
necessity of an increase in the BANK
ing force | stated that unless the the
additional examiners we're provided,
it would be impossible for the depart
ment to make the inspection as
thorough and as often as the public
interests required. The bill passed
and the department has now SIX eX-
aminers instead Of four.
AS to the efficiency, importantly
and integrity of the department dur
ing my term Of Office, | challenge a
comparison with any State or national
Examination made in any common
wealth in the entire country. There
is not a reputable banker in Missouri
who will not say that the department
performed its duties with absolute L.
deity, wholly free from political bias
or influence.
During the four years in which /
had supervision Of this this import
work, Messrs. George D. Biggs, W, l..
Mcdonald, David B. Seibert. @. L.
Bunce and W. II. Reed were examin-
ers, George B. CaTstarphen as bank
clerk. Mr.. Mcdonald retired In 1901
a and was succeeded by Mr.. Bunce, anc
S he with the other gentlemen named,
: remained with the department until
\ the expiration Of nv term. The re
r Election. in the face of their fidelity.
il Infamous. No public servants vert
ever more faithful to duty or dis
Icharged ii With greater fidelity or In
,e p~artiality. The record they lei
n won for the department the contidenc
4. and esteem Of the strongest and ables
10 bankers Of the State During thei
four years's service there we're onl
lie four bank failures, the total loss I
As to depositors being less than s4o,0O(
What other administration, State 0
TX national, can show a better record:
c. FORGERY.
r.. No law, however stringent or how
r. ever faithfully enforced, has or ca
prevent forgery, and forgery came
u be detected at nee.
ID The national bank examiners II
ne spected Bigelow's bank at milwaukee
Ak more than a dozen times while Big
nd low was carrying on his speculation
er but did not discover the forged e.
IS. tries which he carried for ten year
zee during which time be defrauded IL
on bank of two and an a half millions
BY, dollars. Did the Star charge tn
to failure Of the national bank exami
las ers to detect B~igelow's forgeries
d. political favoritism or has it seen an
W. thing politicalin the more receI
IN, three-million-dollar failure OF bank
Inc Devlin at Topeka, Kas.?
ally But let me give the Star addition
te- light on the Salmon s. Salmon Bal
dr. examinations.
The last examination, as stated, "
the made by Mr.. Bunce on January 2 a
The 3. 1905, The report Of the exam
uld alton, with Others made by Mr. Bum
nee was mailed to the department at
the close of the week aud turned over
INV my successor on the Monday folio
, to ing, together with the reports
{ | other EXAMINES made during {
the same period. None OF these repo
MIS- could be examined by me, as refill
to from Office at noon Monday, and
the never saw n Of them until after
.de- Clinton failure, when, with Mr. Bur
mt. and Mr.. Carstarphen, | went over
non reports Of the Salmon s. Salmon Ba
ing on file in the office Of the Secretary
of State.
- The gratuitous statement was CIV
out from Clinton by the present ba
clerk, Mr.. r NJ. Cook, that the
mon & Salmon Bank had failed
years ago, and the inference was
I by him that a proper examination
the previous administration wo
have disclosed this fact, II is not d
cult 10 see bow, ia the face OF th
wholesale forgeries, that this b;
should have been closed years ago,
&c there was neglect Of official duty
i~nsinuated by Mr.. Bank ClerEC
and the Star, the records will clea
demonstrate that the responsible
does not rest with the %administrat
OF the banking department Of VII
had the honor to be the head
COOKS EXPLANATION.
While examining the reports OF
examination Of the Salmon & Salr
Bank In the Office Of the secretary
State, On July ?, 1905, Bank @
looks explanation for giving
Newspapers the statement that
Ciinton bank had failed two years
and leaving the impression that
former ad administration was derelicl
duty in not discovering 1t, was tina
found that the Salmon s Salmon b
owed one OF the Kansas City ba
sI50,OOO and held $4,000 Of the
mon s. Salmon assets as collateral.
was naturally anxious ~ K
how this information was Obtai
and was informed by MI Cook
the examination made Of the Ka
lefty bank by Examiner Reed on
IL, 1905, or four days after the Sal
& Salmon Bank examination,
CLOSED this fact / had not had
vious opportunity to go over the
mon s Salmon report or the repol
Mr. Reed on the Kansas City b
fn-. .w.nsrfoa than m IulV ,