South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-28
COUNCIL PROBE
NOT IN EARNEST

Personally 1 do not care what
party or combination Of parties is or
may come to be in municipal control.
1 do not care who is mayor or chief
OF police. I am not a candidate nor
have I any candidatG to promote
but I arm nightly interested in hav-
ing a city administration in Mishawa-
fear or favor. that does not wait for
orders from brewers, manufacturer,
banker. business mems associations.
labOrers or churches-but will adopt
a contructive policy of city better
ment, enforce the liquor. gambling
and other statutes, scorn graft and
bribery and give TO this city "A reputa-
ton which will commend it TO capital
seeking Investment, to labor seeking
employment, 20 families seeking
homes and to anyone seeking a clean.
cultured, law-abiding city in which to
live and rear and educate family"
Thus spoke DR.. Loren NJ. Edwards.
pastor Of the First Methodist church,
Sunday morning. stating his attitude
in regard to the alleged liquor law
evasion. the discussion OF which is
stirring the city.
DIR. Edwards has been conducting
Investigations OF saloon co ,ditions for
some time and ii was he no stirred
up the agitation which resu.~ 1 in the
cOuncilmanic investigation heio in the
city hall last week.
To discuss the matter Sunday. the
minister used as the subject of his
address. The Pilot Flame" This is
the title of a book which the minister
was reading when the investigation
started and the title and contents
seemed aprOpOs to the present move
ment. The pilot flame is the small
flame in a gas heater or gas arc light,
the story shows how small things,
pilot flames, may set great things
moving. The theme of the sermon
applied to civic conditions. was that
the Investigations of the minister and
others might be the pilot flame that
would later create a change in the
city for civic betterment
Criticises COunCilmen.
Continuing with his address, DR..
Edwards questioned the sincerity of
the recent councilmanic investigation.
He said: The common council had
a chance this week to end this fight
abruptly the chance to silence all
further pulpit criticisms and to make
impossible any political revolution in
the autumn. An investigation of mall
conduct on the part of city officials
was ordered, legal counsel secured
and witnesses summoned. Now I
make the deliberate statement that if
that Investigation had been under
taken from genuine motives to know
the facts and if the attorney had tried
as laborously to ferret out real con-
ditiOns as they have been existing as
he tried TO embarrass. fiuster, ridicule,
discredit and impugn the witnesses
that he examined. and if the public
could feel that when the decision of
this cOuncilmaniC committee is given
out it would meet out their just dues
to the mayor and chief Of police, then
further criticism would be offensive
and further agitation would be gratui-
tOus. The council had the chance of
its career to spike the guns of the re-
form movement and failed"
The speaker took exceptions TO the
press report that the mayor closed
the conditions after he was told of
the conditions on July 8. DR.. Ed
wards said the mayor was told condi-
tons as early as last fall and that the
saloons were not closed then.
Mr.. Edwards then said that the
closing was the result of a stirred up
public conscience and of aroused pub
lie indignation.
Closing his address. DR.. Edwards
said: furthermore. the soft words
and fiattering phrases of reports and
verdicts will deceive no one. The
mayors official record during these
three years and more is public prop
erty. It must stand upon its own foun-
dation. IL has been characterized by
gracious words and spineless deeds,
il has allowed open and shameless
lawlessness by saloons IL has defied
the deCency Of the city's citizenship
and it cannot be changed from black
TO white by the vote of sympathetic
cOuncilmen. But the end is not yet
for little fire may kindle and de-
stroy a mighty forest"
Church Was Packed.
The Methodist church was crowded
10 the doors to hear the sermon as IL
had been announced before that the
pastor would speak on the city'S con-
dion and the recent Investigation
Rev. John +. Edwards. a brother OF
the pastor Of the local church, occu-
pied the pulpit here Sunday evening.
DR.. Edwards is recovering from a re-
cent operation on his throat and was
unable 10 withstand the strain two
sermons would have made on him.
BOYS SUNDAY SCHOOL.
II was Boys Sunday School" at