Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-10-28
An Unprecedented and InvuI-
nerable Record.
IRON st. Joseph Observer

m0mOerS OF the legislative In
vestigating committee, appointed to
examine various departments of State,
were unanimous in their findings on
the office of Secretary of State Cor
nelius Roach. Mr.. Roach may we'll be
proud of every comment made on his
conduct of the office.
This committee was appointed to
criticise. No one who knows either
Hon. Almon Ing, of Butler County, or
Hon. Frank Harr, OF Clark County,
will doubt the republicanism of those
gentlemen. Both r typical stand
patters plus ambitious to win a place
on the next republican State ticket,
the former being credited with as
pirations to be Attorney General and
the latter State Auditor.
These partisan rivals subscribed
their names officially to the following
statement of fact:
"Your committees finds that the
clerical force employed in the office
OF the Secretary of State was author
lied by law and by specific a~ppropria-
ton to cover the same, and that no
new positions have been created in
that office, or salaries raised except as
authorized by law and by appropria-
tions made to cover the same"
This formal admission subscribed to
by these eminent republicans ought to
be sufficient to put forever at rest the
false and libelous charge, made by
mendacious and hostile partisan pa
pers, that Roach has numerous mem
bers of his family on the pay roll. The
people (not Roach) speaking through
the law limit the number of employees
of the Secretary of State; the people
mot Roach) speaking through the law
fix the wage paid his employees; and
the people mot Roach) through the
law appropriates every dollar spent to
pay his clerks.
These republican Investigators and
critics further find and officially re-
port:
1.-THE total expenses of the Secre-
tary of States department during the
last full term, 1909 to 1912 inclusive,
were $77, 900. 90 less than they were
the years 1905 to 1908 inclusive and
the receipts during the years 1909 to
1912, Inclusive were, in round numbers
1920, 900. 90 greater than the term pre-
ceding."
These republican committeeman al
30 join their democratic colleagues in
appending their signatures to the fol-
lowing findings:
"The earnings of the Office OF the
Secretary of State for the two wears
1913 and 1914 we're practically the
same $3.50, OO0. 00) as the total earn
ings of the office during the four years
1905 to 1908 inclusive; and these prac-
tlcally equal receipts lin half the time)
were obtained (by Roach) at a dimin-
lshed expense of SOL 900. Co.,"
How would it be possible to furnish
better evidence of Roach's practical
economy and business efficiency? But
listen further to the concluding para.
graph of the findings to which these
republicans attached their signatures:
Your committee finds and reports
that the office of the Secretary of
State is being efficiently, econo mically
and carefully managed and conducted.
and that It has no suggestions to make
which it believes would make the SER
vice better to the public and for the
State and at less expense than now
conducted"
When these eminent republican par
tisans put their signatures to the
statement that it is impossible for
them to make a suggestion that would
add to the efficiency, the economy, or
the character Of the public service
rendered in this office, all fair minded
people must be forced to conclude
that ae a public official MI. Roach has
attained as near perfection as any
mortal may hope to achieve.
On such a record and with such O
finding in black and white from such
opposing p~artisans, Secretary of State
Cornelius Roach may well indulge an
aspiration to serve the public in more
exalted station; but, whether he does
or not, he will leaveto his countrymen
and that numerous progeny of his the
priceless heritage Of an honest, faith
full and capable public servant.