Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-10-29
honor to vote for him.

honor to vote for him.
The duties of Secretary OF State are
multitudinous. Some of his work
is entitled to special mention,
especially that in connection with
bank and trust company inspection.
Some duties in which he has excell-
ed may be mentioned in brief.
The law requires that all printing of
the state shall be done under the super
vision of the Printing Commission, and
under contract made by that Comnis.
sion. 1t had been the previous practice
to let great deal Of this printing for the
different bureaus to favored printers
over the State, and, in many instances,
at prices greatly in excess Of the State
contract and in total disregard Of the
law Under the methods now employed
in this department all printing required
by the State Department and paid tor out
Of the State Treasury Except that of the
Insurance Department, which is express
| ly exempted by the Legislature), Is re-
Quired to be done under the supervision
Of the Printing Commission and under
the contract for State printing, as enter
ed into by the State in July, 1904.
In the purchase Of stationery for the
several departments the greatest OF
economy has been used and prices great.
ly reduced by the practice Of acquiring
competitive bids. AS an illustration; /;
letter heads and envelopes for which the
State was charged $40 previous to the
present administration were afterwards
secured by competitive bids from the
same company and the same material for
$Sl. Another illustration: the State had
been paying SIS per thousand for a GER
tain brand Of carbon paper. Through
competitive bidding it is now being pur-
chased through the same firm for SO,
which, in the course Of four years, upon
this item alone amounts to several
hundred dollars. In some instances
under the present administration the
State has been enabled to secure reduc-
ton of almost one. half of The original
cost Of articles used by the State and
this department has been conducted with
the same economy as would be used iii
ones own private business.
In the Land Department the same
paiiistaking care and devotion to the in
terests of the State has characterized the
administration of MIR. Swanger. Old
land records of extreme value have been
rescued from the boxes af refuse under
the stair ways IN the basement and restor-
ell to their proper place in the records OF
the State. Tie records have been index
ed and placed in the best possible con
d,t,on and everything done to perfect
and keep secnre these priceless records
In the matter of correspondence in
answer to inquiries and applications
promptncss has characterized the work
III each department. it being the we'll
established policy Of the Office thst every
citizen in Missouri is entitled to a prompt
and full reply to all inquiries and appl,
cations made to the Office
dn the matter of the Board Of EG,ali-
zati0n, the present Secretary of State, AZ
one of its members, has steod for Al
equal and impartial assessment of values
upon all classes OF property 10 the State
, In the assessments Of railroads and Other
public service corporations, together will
the other members of the Board, he has
favored an increase in their valuation
believing that they, enjoying large fran