The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-05
CUSTODIAN FIGHT
STILL UNSETTLED
Governor, the Auditor and
Secretary of State Are
Undecided.
MARSHALL STANDS FIRM
He STILL INSISTS THAT THE AP-
PoiNTMENT TO THE DISPUTED
OFFICE RESTS SOLELY WITH
THE GOVERNOR.
MARSHALL STANDS FIRM


Especial correspondsnt.)
indianapolis. April 5.-Apparently
Gov. Marshall, Secretary of State Sims
and Auditor Of State Billheimer. are
about as far apart as ever over the
question OF how the custodian of the
state house shall be appointed and who
shall make the appointment Several
days ago it was said that these three
would hold a conference in regard to
the matter on Friday. Friday came
and there was no conference. Then
it was announced that they would get
together on Saturday. Saturday came
and something else turned up. Then
it was stated that they will surely get
together some day this week. but
whether they will or not remains to be
seen. Governor Marshall leaves for
New York next Saturday. to be gone
about ten days. during which time he
will make speech at banquet Of the
National Democratic Club in New
York City on April Is. Unless he
brings about a settlement of the custo-
dian matter before he leaves next Sat
urday it will have to. rest for at least
another couple of weeks thereafter.
Hastings Patient.
In the meantime. w. J. Hastings, OF
Hammond, is camped on the ground.
patiently waiting for decision. II
the custodian is to be a republican.
he knows it, and that is why he is here.
Hastings has had the assurances Of
both Sims and Billheimer that he will
get the place If 1t is finally decided that
these two officials shall make the ap-
pointment. Hastings feels confident
Of the outcome. However. If the GUS
todianship, which pays 5000 year.
and carries with it the power to hand
out "A other jobs. should get away. he
will be taken care OF by Auditor Bill
heimer in some other way. for the re-
publicans at the state house realize the
fact that Lake county must be given
some recognition, and that the best
job in the state house would not be
any too good for Hastings or anyone
else from Lake county.
Marshall 10 Firm.
Governor Marshall still insists that
the authority to make the appointment
Of custodian of the state house rests
with the governor, and not with board
composed of the governor. the secreta-
~ of state and the auditor of state, as
is claimed by Sims and Billheimer.
The governor declares that the law TAX
ing the appointive power out of the
hands of the governor was not passed
regularly and that 1t had no right to
be placed in the statute books. For
this reason he has declined to meet
formerly with Sims and Billheimer for
the consideration Of the custodian
question, for the reason that he refus-
es to recognize the existence of such a
board. When ]. Frank Hanly was
governor he made the appointment of
the custodian and there was no inter-
ference from Sims and Billheimer. but
after Marshall was elected the point
was raised that there was board in
existence whose duty it was to make
such an appointment. If the appoint
ment is made by board, as proposed
by Sims and Billheimer. the custodian
will be a republican. If the appoint
ment is made by the governor he will
be a democrat.
The job of custodian is one of the
best appointive places in the state
house, and there is generally horde
of applicants. This time. however.
there are only few. and nearly all OF
them are Indianapolis men. A Gus
todian. can. by the proper use of the
"a jobs he has to give out. greatly help
his party, and incidentally fix up
pretty strong machine of his own.