The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-08

storm of popular protest broke
Saturday night over some of the ap-
pointments of Mayor-elect W. J. Rob
bins. Progressives being especially bit
ter in what they termed y betrayal Of
their confidence" II is understood,
however. that the mayor elect will ie-
more public opinion and stand pat OH
all his appointments.
Howard Brooks, Progressive city
chairman, who had charge of the Rob
bins campaign, emphatically denied to-
day that he had any hand in making
the appointments.
II knew no more than the average
citizen about the men MIR. flobbins had
decided on for his cabinet untiI he an
nounced his slate" said SIR Brooks
He consulted me regarding the ap
pointment of Mr.. KnoIlcIberg for
street commissioner and Mr.. Ford for
park superintendent, out that was all.
Mr.. Brooks said that several days
ago he heard that DR.. Smelser was to
be appointed health officer and he
questioned Mr. Robbins concerning
this appointment, but vas led to ne.
! lieye that DR.. Smelser was not the Sc
lection.
Protest Against Or. SmeIser.
| No charges of incompet tency nave
| been preferred against DR.. Smelser
who has a large practice and is pep
ular young physician, but the oppos:-
! tion against his appointment is due 10
two facts; he is in the bad graces CT
the Wayne County Medical society.
consequently it is feared tnat the nee,
essary cooperation between the health
department and the physicians during
the next administration will be lack
| election positively stated that DIR.
Smelser would not be appointed
| health officer
But the opposition 20 the Smelser ap-
pointment fades into significance in
comparison with the general criticism
of the appointments of Clarence Klein
knecht as superintendent OF the muni-
cipal lighting plant and Harry Good
win as chief of police
Over two hundred men questioned
as to their views ON these appoint
ments expressed the opinion that they
were merely rewards for political SER
vices. consequently tlagraut violations
of Mr. Robbins prediction promises
of appointing only efficient men as the
| heads of the various city departments.
Support Nmrod Johnson.
Mr. Kleinknecht may make a sue
it is a poor time TO make such an ex-
! pertinent" declared 4 we'll known pro-
f; fessional man today. "Mr. Johnson. in
my estimation. and, | believe, in that
of the majority of citizens, gave an ex-
cellent administration of the lignt
plants affairs. So why was it neces.
sary to remove him."
''Mr Robbins, judging from his ap-
pointments. especially that of sVperin-
tendent of the municipal plant. mas
certainly misinterpreta the causes en-
tering into his overwhelming election
as mayor of Richmond" stated Main
street business man. 81 voted for him,
as did hundreds Of other citizens. not
because he was the Progressive candi,
date but because he had PROMISED to
devote all his time and attention to mis-
official duties and 10 appoint to his
cabinet only efficient men. I now re-
gard his efficiency promise broken He
has turned out to be only politician
who masqueraded in The guise of civ
ic reformer
! Does not Mr.. Robbins realize that
at the present time the supplanting Of
( Superintendent Johnson Of the ligh.
plant with a man of less experience is
as unwise a move as il would be for
the management of any one of our
large factories to remove its superin,
I tendent and put in his place an ap-
prentice machinist? At he present
time the municipal plant is installing
! a most complex bookkeeping system:
/ it is engaged in campaign 10 increase
its business, made possible 10y the al
dition of a new unit: plans are being
/ worked out for the reduction of the
/ lighting rates so that the plant can
still show an annual profit of six per
cent. as required by the state public
utilities commission: a complete in
ventory of the plant must ne made for
presentation to the state commission,
and the new superintendent must take
up the work. begun by Mr.. Johnson.
! of installing new street lighting sys-
/ TEN. Perhaps Mr.. KIeinknccht can do
all this, but why take the needless
risk that he will be unable to-"
/ Adds To Political Pie
! Criticism of many other citizens. in
| all walks of life and for the most par:
/ members OF the Progressive party.
was along the same lines as the two
men quoted. with the adIed protest vi
| Mayor-elect Robbins action in placing
! two more municipal offices into poll
tics. which had hitherto been under the
! civil service. These offices are, chic.
/ engineer of the light plant and CHIEF
clerk of the light plant II has always
been the rule for the superintendent
/ TO fill these offices because he has had
/ the authority to employ and discharge
all the employees OF the plant
( A newspaper man Who heard a citi-
+ zen remark on election lay that if Mr..
Robbins was elected mayer the next
light plant superintendent would De
MI Kleinknecht. asked him today the
source OF his information and was
told that close friend of hleinknecnt
+ had volunteered the information short
u bGfnra slAntjnn s6ont th.a time Ar