The daily sentinel., 1912-08-29

And apart from the financial phase
or the law, II has the additional ad-
vantage of disclosing TO persons In
terested. the exact condition OF each
corporation at the lime the report
was filed.
Thousands of corporations which
had passed out OF active existence
were recorded on the indices OF the
secretary of states office when Pearce
took hold. Pearce had law passed,
legalizing those inactive companies
as dead. through advertisement in
the official state paper. In this
way, the indioes were relieved of
the cumbersome accumulation of
names. and innocent stockholders
saved from defending liability in
companies defunct for years.
The corporation laws of the state
We're compiled by Secretary Pearce at
greatly reduced cost This compila-
tion is necessary at certain intervals
One thousand copies Of the laws. com
piled by Pearce's predecessor. in pa
per, containing 2l3 pages. cost $I.O3
a piece, while the same number of
copies of 705 pages eacn. bound in
cloth, cost but soc each, the result
OF specified contract made with the
state printers, and making a profit
OF Sl,3UO Tor the state.
/ The present state auditing board
is also directly traceable TO the activ-
ity OF Secretary Pearce. His recon-
mendation for its creation was en-
acted into law by the legislature.
/ Another innovation which the leg
islature adopted was the abolishment
OF the fee system in the factory in
spection department, and the substi-
tuition of an annual appropriation in
stead. Through this law. there is no
danger of abuse and the work of the
department is carried on with more
satisfaction.
Secretary Pearce was the author of
number of recommendations, which.
had they been Incorporated into the
statutes. would not alone have great
ly facilitated the work of his office.
but would have saved the state many
thousands of dollars. Among those
were that assessors be required to re-
port the names of corporations oper-
ating in their respective counties:
the establishment of state printing
concern to economic the cost OF all
state printing and the additional cost
of laws enacted under the initiative
and referendum; the material reduc-
tion of stationery supplies for mem
bers of the legislature and of the
statutory number of session laws and
revised statutes; provision in the
election laws providing for direct
election returns TO the secretary Of
state. thus obyiating errors and pro-
hlbitlng illegalities in any of the out
wing countes-as we'll as partisan po-
liiical action in the canvass of the
votes.
His observations on organized cap
ital and organized labor maintained II
to be the duty of the, state govern
ment TO have a.proper labor depart
ment which should be a clearing
house for all petty grievances and
where the public official can bring
together contending parties and keep
the state clean. Improved sanitation
and modern safety appliances in haz-
ardous occupations We're also strong
recommendations
In the report t1the goSernor of his
official visit to the northern coal
fields during, the coal miners strike
he pointed out that, under the pres
ent industrial system, with five or six
nationalities represented in the min
ers membership, Ii was not intend
ed they should be enlightened. For"
said he, should they arrive at n full
understanding of their rights, coal
mines would cease to be human
slaughter houses. and those who
grow rich and fatten off of cheap
foreign labor, would be compelled to
spend some of their wealth in making
1t reasonably safe for men to dig
coal"
In general way this is the record
of James b. Pearce, candidate for
denomination at the primary election,
1t is simple juhsm, that he has
made good The man who saves the
state $3,259.5G month during
period of business stagnation, is
success. At that. the work of his
office is not nearly complete. Delin-
quent corporations remain to be dis
1 ciplined. His recommendations, all
sound. conservative and reyenue-rais-
ing. should become the law of the
state. He ought to be re-nominated
because he deserves It, Nothing sue
ceeds like success and James B.
Pearce has been eminently successful
in every line of effort intimately and
broadly interwoven with the office of
secretary OF state.