The Harrison times., 1915-05-01

ants, and Miss Dorothy treelanu, VINO
was our most efficient faithful and
trustworthy stenographer in all this
work have all been working since the
31st day OF March without receiving
any compensation whatever for our
services.
'Tf the members OF this committee
we're financially able to lose the time
and expend the money, they would
gladly continue the investigation, sole
iy for the benefit of the taxpayers of
the State Of Arkansas but without le-
gal authority and without funds, we
are forced to submit this report to
your excellency with much regret and
extending our deep sympathy to the
taxpayers of the State of Arkansas, for
we realize more than anyone else that
their political yoke is heavy and their
burdens Of taxation great.
Respectfully submitted, this z2nd
day Of April, 1915. -
MONROE SMITH,
"U. A. GENTRY.
Auditing Committee OF State Depart
ments and Institutions"
Mr.. Cook Denies,
General denials Of charges made by
the committee were made by officials
OF the State Highway Department and
the Department of Education. George
2. Cook, state superintndent Of pub
lie instruction, made a formal denial
OF the alleged shortage in the money
received for state teachers licenses in
his office, saying that It is non-eXist.
ent. He also denied he was connect.
ed, directly or indirectly, with any
nlm manufacturing school appurte.
nances which are recommended to
school officials through his office.
"The statements Of the investigat.
ing committee, in reference to the
State Department Of Public Instuc-
ton, show on their face such an evi-
dent effort to cast unjust aspersions
and are so interviewer with insinua.
tions and utterly unreasonable fic.
ton that they almost answer them.
selves and scarcely merit the dignity
of q formal answer" said Mr., Cook.
"The alleged shortage is in fact
non-existent and is made up almost
entirely Of blank stubs against
which no certificates were issued.
Not Officer OF Company.
"The insinuatlon that / might pos
sibly have been in some way associat-
ed with some company which sold
school supplies is without foundation,
eithr in fact or appearance, The
James L. Waterbury Land Company
sells no school supplies and is as for
oign to the MISUNDERSTANDING
Company as two concerns can possi-
bly, be, Mr.. Waterbury severed his
official connection with the Water
man-Waterbury Stove Company before
no organized the land company,
was offered the vice presidency in the
land company but upon careful con-
Ndcration did not accept this place
and rendered my resignation without
ever having actually served Ns an Of.
fcor Of this land company, although
there exists no legal or ethical rea.
son why should not do so, It was
purely q business proposition and
business considerations governed my
decision,
81 have persistcntly endeayorcd to
have this department represented be-
fore tho committee and had confident
ly expected that hearing would be
given this Office before the committee
published It's report This reasonable
courtesy was denied this department
although II had been granted TO the
other Offices IN which tho inyestIga.
tons we're conducted, The members
" the committee refused 20 visit this
oGlco or in any way TO discuss It's
feel that this Office
should IN simple justice have boen In
tcrrogNted and the committee have Nt
least heard our side Of the case, In
this way, they would have been set
right on several mlsstatemonts con.
tanned In their published report"
Mr., elrs Statement,
Ray GIL, deputy superintendent Of
public instruction, gave out lengthy
statement dlsputing charges made by
the committee and scoring the com.
mittoo for not allowing mombors OF
the department to appear before tho
committee to explain matters IN the
Office on which charges have been
brought Mr. GIN emphatic0lly de-
nlod that his daughter who has boon
grading teachers llconos, IL a student
Of the high school,
"sho was graduated from the high
eehool IN 1912 and IN well qualified TO
do tho work." said Mr., Gin
rhe alleged shortage Is due to the
committee charging nj full value stubs
or licensees marked void" terror" or
"dupltcOto" according 70 Mr. GIN, Mr.
Gnls statement ia az follows
Tho report Of the investigating eomz
mittee in reference 60 the State Dee
OF Public Instruction ls the
most amazingly deceptive tlrufo ever
read, misleading In every essential de.
tall In the flrHl place, no momhof OF
this department has been permitted 90
appear before the committee, This
reasonable privilege having been Hpes
denied our first information
WHH their published report,
Superintendent Cook instructed mo
to turn over 10 the committee ana ltH