George E. Roberts
Encyclopedia
George Evan Roberts was Director of the United States Mint
from 1898 to 1907, and again from 1910 to 1914.
, Manchester, Iowa
, and Fort Dodge, Iowa
.
At age, Roberts began a career in the newspaper
industry by working as a printer's apprentice at the Fort Dodge Times, and later the Fort Dodge Messenger. He was briefly city editor of the Sioux City Journal
. In 1878, he purchased the Fort Dodge Messenger and served as its editor. Roberts was active in the Republican Party of Iowa
and, in 1883, was elected State Printer of Iowa, holding this office until 1889. In 1902, he and a partner purchased the Iowa State Register and the Des Moines Leader, which they merged to form the Des Moines Register and Leader.
As a newspaper editor, Roberts was particularly interested in economic and monetary policy. He was an opponent of free silver
. In 1894, he published a response to William Hope Harvey
's Coin's Financial School
(1893), entitled Coin at School in Finance. He followed this up with Money, Wages and Prices (1895) and Iowa and the Silver Question (1896). Both of these works were important parts of the campaign that defeated William Jennings Bryan
in the 1896 U.S. presidential election
. In 1902, Roberts authored the Iowa Republican Party's platform on tariffs, which criticized protectionism
and supported reciprocity
.
In 1898, United States Secretary of the Treasury
Lyman J. Gage
recommended that President of the United States
William McKinley
appoint Roberts Director of the United States Mint
, and Roberts held that office from February 1898 to July 1907. He then became president of the Commercial National Bank in Chicago
. In 1910, President William Howard Taft
appointed Roberts to a third term as Director of the U.S. Mint, with Roberts holding office from July 1910 to November 1914.
Upon leaving government service in 1914, Roberts became assistant to the president of the National City Bank in New York City
. He became a vice president of the bank in 1919, a position he held until 1931, when he became one of the bank's economic advisers, a position he held until his death. From 1914 to 1940, Roberts edited the bank's Monthly Economic Letter, an investment bulletin dealing with world events, economic affairs, and national and international finances. In 1929, he headed a delegation of financiers to Panama
to study that country's finances. He was a member of the Gold Delegation of the Financial Committee of the League of Nations
from 1930 to 1932.
Roberts died at his home in Larchmont, New York
on June 6, 1948.
Director of the United States Mint
The Director of the United States Mint is the head of the United States Mint. The position is currently vacant following the resignation of Edmund C. Moy in January 2011....
from 1898 to 1907, and again from 1910 to 1914.
Biography
George E. Roberts was born in Colesville, Iowa on August 19, 1857, the son of David and Mary (Harvey) Roberts. He was raised in Dubuque County, IowaDubuque County, Iowa
Dubuque County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 93,653 in the 2010 census, an increase from 89,143 in the 2000 census. The county seat is the city of Dubuque. Dubuque County is coterminous with the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the seventh...
, Manchester, Iowa
Manchester, Iowa
Manchester is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,257 at the 2000 census. As of the 2005 population estimates, Manchester's population was 5,052...
, and Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
.
At age, Roberts began a career in the newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
industry by working as a printer's apprentice at the Fort Dodge Times, and later the Fort Dodge Messenger. He was briefly city editor of the Sioux City Journal
Sioux City Journal
The Sioux City Journal is the daily newspaper of Sioux City, Iowa. The publication covers western Iowa and portions of Nebraska and South Dakota.It is owned by Lee Enterprises Inc....
. In 1878, he purchased the Fort Dodge Messenger and served as its editor. Roberts was active in the Republican Party of Iowa
Republican Party of Iowa
The Republican Party of Iowa is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Iowa. The State Central Committee is led by Chairman Matt Strawn and Co-Chairman Bill Schickel...
and, in 1883, was elected State Printer of Iowa, holding this office until 1889. In 1902, he and a partner purchased the Iowa State Register and the Des Moines Leader, which they merged to form the Des Moines Register and Leader.
As a newspaper editor, Roberts was particularly interested in economic and monetary policy. He was an opponent of free silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
. In 1894, he published a response to William Hope Harvey
William Hope Harvey
William Hope "Coin" Harvey was an American teacher, businessman, author, and politician best remembered for his views and his book on bimetallism and the health resort he built in Northwest Arkansas, Monte Ne...
's Coin's Financial School
Coin's Financial School
right|thumbCoin's Financial School was a popular pamphlet written in 1893 that helped popularize the free silver and populist movements. The author of the text "Coin", William Hope Harvey, would later go on to aid William Jennings Bryan in his bid for the presidency and would run for the presidency...
(1893), entitled Coin at School in Finance. He followed this up with Money, Wages and Prices (1895) and Iowa and the Silver Question (1896). Both of these works were important parts of the campaign that defeated William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
in the 1896 U.S. presidential election
United States presidential election, 1896
The United States presidential election held on November 3, 1896, saw Republican William McKinley defeat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in a campaign considered by political scientists to be one of the most dramatic and complex in American history....
. In 1902, Roberts authored the Iowa Republican Party's platform on tariffs, which criticized protectionism
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
and supported reciprocity
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
.
In 1898, United States Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
Lyman J. Gage
Lyman J. Gage
Lyman Judson Gage was an American financier and Presidential Cabinet officer.He was born at DeRuyter, New York, educated at an academy at Rome, New York, and at the age of 17 he became a bank clerk...
recommended that President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
appoint Roberts Director of the United States Mint
Director of the United States Mint
The Director of the United States Mint is the head of the United States Mint. The position is currently vacant following the resignation of Edmund C. Moy in January 2011....
, and Roberts held that office from February 1898 to July 1907. He then became president of the Commercial National Bank in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In 1910, President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
appointed Roberts to a third term as Director of the U.S. Mint, with Roberts holding office from July 1910 to November 1914.
Upon leaving government service in 1914, Roberts became assistant to the president of the National City Bank in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He became a vice president of the bank in 1919, a position he held until 1931, when he became one of the bank's economic advisers, a position he held until his death. From 1914 to 1940, Roberts edited the bank's Monthly Economic Letter, an investment bulletin dealing with world events, economic affairs, and national and international finances. In 1929, he headed a delegation of financiers to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to study that country's finances. He was a member of the Gold Delegation of the Financial Committee of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
from 1930 to 1932.
Roberts died at his home in Larchmont, New York
Larchmont, New York
Larchmont is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,864 at the 2010 census. It is located within the town of Mamaroneck, on the shore of Long Island Sound, northeast of Midtown Manhattan...
on June 6, 1948.