The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1915-06-18
HODGES BALKS AT
AUDIT OF OFFICE
Secretary of State Declines to Per-
NIT Accountants to Continue
Their Investigations.

Little Rock, June 17.-Secretary
of State Earle w. Hodges yester-
day refused to permit the expert
accountant in the employ of the
legislative investigating commit
tee to continue the audit of the
books in his office. The expert
has been working on the secretary
of states books for the past 10
days. Mr.. Hodges bases his action
- In refusing to permit the further
examination of his books by the
legislative committee on an afflda-
Wit made by |. F. Thomas, who
sswore that U. A. Gentry, one OF
the members of the committee, told
him before his discharge by the
committee, that Gov. Hays and
members of the committee were
anxious to f'get something on the
secretary of state. He stated in
fne affidavit that it was Gov. Hays
wish that special attention be paid
that office and every energy put
forward to show it in as bad
light as possible. Mr.. Hodges says
he did not propose that his office
should be investigated by men who
were making every effort to ruin
him politically. He is willing, he
says, for any set of fair-minded men
TO make a thorough Investigation
OF mis- office.
HODGES STATEMENT.
Secretary of State Hodges yes
terday gave out the following state
ment relative to his refusal to per
NIT the legislative investigating
&committee to make an audit of his
books:
Il have read with much surprise
and chagrin the story and the af-
fidavit of l. F. Thomas, one of the
auditors employed by the special
investigating committee, to the eff
feet that my office was the target
OF the investigation and that an
adverse report was desired, insist
ed upon and expected by the COM
mittee and the governor. l had
heard rumors of that sort ever
since the investigation began, but
~ knew the auditors could find
nothing that would reflect upon
7 n
lieve that the committee was de-
termined to make an adverse re-
port, for political purposes, regard
less of the true findings of its aud
itors. 1t now appears that such is
the case.
Under such circumstances l am
not justified in permitting this po-
Iitical farce to continue. How
ever, l want a thorough, impartial
investigation, and so stated to the
Investigating committee, even Of
fering to share or pay all the ex-
penses of such an investigation. 1
did this, believing at the time that
this special committee was sincere
in the purpose for which it was
created-to make an impartial and
honest examination and to improve
the states system of handling it's
business where possible to improve
it.
''The committee has been at
work in my office for 10 days. Il
welcomed them heartily and have
shown the auditors every courte-
sy, helping in every possible way
!, TO expedite their work l know
that my accounts and records are
, straight, and l know l have given
particular attention to the matter
of system in my department so
that it could be easily checked by
any ordinary accountant. I pride
myself on many improvements in
the system of handling records and
receipts in my office, and I court
honest investigation to the end
that the public may know what l
have really accomplished in that
line and how carefully l have han
died every detail of the states bus
iness that passed through my
hands.
But it would be foolish to sub
init to an investigation by court
that has convicted and would hang
me in advance of trial and is de-
termined to embarrass me, whether
there is anything wrong in my of
file or not Since it appears from
M. Thomas affidavit that this in
vestigation is wholly political, the
people will be none the better off
after it is completed. If it were an
honest business investigation for
the benefit of the state, where the
people could profit by it, I would
be willing and anxious for such
an investigation to be made.
~ sfyTbat tba ;puoc4i oro ti0n 80 r,01iti