PUBUCJERVICE
CONTEST FOR AUDITOR OF STATE
INDICATES RETIREMENT OF DR.
DICKINSON, WHO WAS AP
POINTED TO OFFICE.
MB. OLIVER’S CHARGES
ARE NOT DISPROVEN
One of Dr. Dickinson's Hardest Ob
stacles Has Been His Appointment
of “Bill” Stoddard as Chief Deputy
in His Office—Mr. Oliver’s Record Is
Above Reproach*.
Since the gathering of the political
leaders of the State for the Brough
Hodges debate here last Monday, it is
being freely predicted that Hon. Ho
gan Oliver, candidate for State Adui
tor, will defeat his opponent by an
overwhelming majority. Leaders ware
here from practically every county
In the State and election forecasters
had an opportunity to feel out the sit
uation pretty thoroughly. Although
by some the auditor’s office is consid
ered one of minor importance, it has
developed unusual interest recently on
account of the revelations made by
HOGAN OLIVER.
the report of the Legislative Commit
tee, and the severe arraignment of
Dr. Dickinson, incumbent, by Mr.
Oliver.
Mr. Oliver comes into this race af
ter eight years continuous service as a
county officer of his native county, !
Ashley, and with praotically the solid
endorsement of his home people. They j
say he has made an enviable record
as an officer, both as county clerk
and as sheriff. He has never been
defeated for office, and thus far his
opponent has found nothing in his offi
cial record to assail. It is needless to
say that If there were anything
crooked about Mr. Oliver’s service as
an officer, Dr. Dickinson would have
found it long ago, as he has had men
in Ashley county for some time trying
to dig up something against him. Any
report that the Doctor might circulate
against Mr. Oliver now, however,
would doubtless oe received by the
people with suspicion, for they realise
that eleventh hour reports against a
candidate are generally baaed on
1
falsehood, and cannot be relied upon.
On the other hand, Mr. Oliver’s op
ponent, M. F. Dickinson, conies into
the race with a very questionable reo
ord as a public officer, and with little
support from his home people. He was
frequently in the limelight while the
Legislative Investigating Committee
of the Legislature of 1915, was audit
ing the books of the State officers,
and the notoriety he got at that time
was very adverse to him. The people
of the State have not forgotten these
things, and the sentiment is strongly
In favor of retiring the Doctor to pri
vate life, w'here he will no longer have
opportunity to play fast and loose
with the people’s interests.
Dr. Dicmnson s oniy nope seems to
lfe in his efforts to fool the people
and make them think he is running
for a second term. On the circulars
and cards he is scattering every
where. he poses as a candidate for
“re-election” or for a "second term.”
The people generally know that his
claim is false, and doubtless will re
sent it on election day. He has never
been elected to any state office. He
was superintendent of the State Rock
Crusher by appointment. He was sec
retary of the State Highway Depart
ment by appointment. And when
State Auditor Coffman resigned about
a year ago, Governor Hays appointed
Dr. Dickinson to fill out his unexpired
term. He says that by Democratic pre
cedent he is entitled to a second term,
but there has never been any Demo
cratic precedent in this State, whereby
an officer who is merely appointed to
fill out the unexpired term or one who
has resigned should succeed himself.
The fact that he was able to pull po
litical wires and get himself appointed
auditor when Coffman resigned dOe*
flot entitle him to any more considera
tion ai this election than any one
else who might aspire to the office.
Mr. Oliver has brought numerous
charges of violation of official trust
against Dr. Dickinson, and thus far
the Doctor has neither denied nor ex
plained those charges. If they were
not true he doubtless would have de
nied them, or if they could be ex
plained he would have explained
them. The fact that he has neither
denied nor explained proves conclu
sively that they are true. Every
charge brought by Mr. Oliver is abund
antly supported by the records, and
that probably is the reason the Doc
tor has not seen fit to answer them.
He says these charges are "perverted
mudslinging,” hut it is not "mud
slinging” to tell the simple, unvar
nished truth about a man's record as
a public officer. The people have a
right to know the record an officer
makes. He makes his record, and he
must stand on it. If he has so con
ducted himself in office that he merits
adverse criticism, he has no one to
blame but himself, and his opponent
not only hag the right, but it is his
duty to inform the people about it. Mr.
Oliver has not attacked his private
life or character, and he has told only
the truth, and this he had a right to
tell.
une or the hardest obstacles that
Dr. Dickinson has to overcome Is the
fact that as soon as Governor Hays
appointed him auditor he, Dickinson,
appointed Wm. Stoddard as his chief
deputy. Mr. Stoddard oame original
ly from Craighead county. The crimi
nal docket of that county shows that
Stoddard has been frequently ar
raigned in court charged with various
and sundry crimes, including bur
glary, embezzlement, grand larceny,
malicious mischief, carrying a pistol
and bootlegging whiskey. He was
once a member of the U. S. Army.
While in that patriotic servloe he was
tried by court martial, on a charge
of stealing 80 Colt’s revolvers, of the
value of I860, the property of the
United States. To this charge he
pleaded "GUILTY,” and was sentenced
to be dishonorably discharged, forfeit
ing all pay and allowances due him,
a&d to serve at hard labor for, a period
: cu one year In a federal penitentiary.
Stoddard didn’t like the "hard labor"
part, of the sentence, however, so he
| succeeded In getting that remitted,
; came back home and now he Is chief
deputy In one of the most important
offices in the State Capitol, by ap
pointment of M. F. Dickinson.
This of Itself ought to disqualify
Dr. Dickinson as a candidate for this
office. It is an insult to^the honest,
upright, intelligent manhood of the
State for him to appoint a self-con
fessed criminal and felon as his chief
deputy, when there are thousands of
straight-forward, deserving young
men in the State from whom his depu
ty might have been chosen. Every
warrant on the State Treasury has to
be drawn and signed by the auditor or
his deputy. While Dr. Dickinson is
out over the State making his cam
paign, Mr. Stoddard writes and signs
these warrants. No citizen would en
trust his check book, with full power
to draw checks, to a man like Stod
dard, and it is outrageous for a man
who holds the position Dr. Dickinson
holds to appoint him chief deputy
with full power to draw on the Stats
Treasury whenever he gets ready to
do so. It is time for a change.
Really, Mr. Oliver’s campaign Is a
fight for good government, and in this
fight every good citizen of tl*e State
should rally to his support. Dr. Dick
inson cannot say that he did not know
the history of Mr. Stoddard, for they
were born and reared in adjoining
counties and have known each other
almost all of their lives. He appointed
his chief deputy knowing the charac
ter of man he was, and although he
has been repeatedly criticised for it,
he still retains him. There is no ex
planation for it except the old adage
that "birds of a feather flock to
gether.”
1 lie uniy w <xy iu uui 1 cut lino oau
condition of affaire at our State Capi
tol is for the good citizens of the State
to vote solidly against Dr. Dickinson
in his alleged race for “re-election,"
and give a better man a chance. Mr.
Oliver has made good as a county offi
cial. No word of just criticism has
ever been uttered against him, and
we may safely assume that he will be
as true to the principles of clean, hon
est, faithful public service as a State
official as he has been as a county
officer. It is gratifying indeed to
know that every indication points to
his election by an overwhemling ma
jority. When he takes charge of the
office the people may be sure that he
will not select as his chief deputy a
man whose hands are soiled by theft,
whose life Is blackened by crime. He
will be under tmdue obligations to no
man nor set^ of men. He has gone
straight to the people with his claims,
and when they elect him he will be
I to good, honesty efficient service at
| the hands of their officers, and if
Oliver is elected that is the kind 0f
j service they will get.
Memphis Asks $2,000,000.
Memphis, Tenn.—A suit for $2
000,000 damabes was filed in the cir.
cuit Court here by the city of Mem
phis against the Kansas City and
Memphis Railway and Bridge Com
pany, growing out of the Mississippi
river floods of 1912-13.
? oston.—The lower house of the leg.
islature went on record against the
abolition of capital punishment by a
Tots of 81 to 87.
Piano For Sale.
I have a fine Milton piano, al
most new, in first class condition
and rather than box and ship
same, am offering it at a special
sacrifice. If contemplating buy
ing a piano don’t overlook this
bargain. Call or write,
J. E. Baxter,
Adv. McCrory, Ark.
It is stated that there are three
candidates for justice of the
peace of DeView township, viz,
the two present incumbents L. B.
Winfree of this city and A. J.
Stapp of DeView, and J. W.
Neeley of this city. It has al
ways been customary for Mc
Crory and DeView to each elect
one justice. We make mention
of this so that the voters at Mc
Crory will understand that the
race here between Messrs. Win
free and Neeley is for the J. P.
office in this end of the town
ship.
L.B. WINFREE, J.P.
CONVEYANCES
McCRORY DRUG CO.
Everything in the drug line
PHONE NO. 42.
J. L. Bronte
Has Made A Good
Road Overseer.
Vote For Him
Adv