South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-20
LET THE DIRT BE SEGREGATED.

To the credit of South Bend and St.
Joseph county-and may it be to our
everlasting credit-we can hold an
election here without going TO the
lengths that the dispatches tell us
are at times utilized in Indianapolis
and Terre Haute, and we refer TO
Terre Haute more in particular If
things are as the dispatches say they
are in Terre Haute. every man in
volved is-well, ne has very properly
fallen into the clutches of the federal
authorities, and here's hoping they
will do a better job at melting out
justice than some state authorities
have seemingly been doing.
There have been times in years
agone when the corruption of cleo
tions has been sort of pastime here,
but since the passage of the corrupt
practises act our elections have been
acceptably clean. 1t was not one
party affair in the days OF corruption
and il has not been a one party affair
in the days of the more recent clean
illness.
During the recent municipal cam
paigns there were charges and counter
charges OF corruption but none of
them ever got anywhere. and charges
made during a campaign that are not
pushed after the campaign is over,
can generally be passed up as political
claptrap.
Again during the campaign just
closed there were signs of weakening
on the subject of strict adherence to
the corrupt practises law, but the vio-
lations were kept within sufficient
bounds that. at least. no judge has had
occasion TO take a hand and by
championing the cause of the cor
ruptionists, render desirable that
much hated leverage known as the
judicial recall.
The democracy of IT. Joseph county
carried the recent election and car
ried il with clean hands,-in such
marked contrast with what certain
democrats of Nigo county are accused
it would be akin TO doing the local
democracy an injustice. 1t is deserv-
ing of mention for the specific reason
that Terre Haute. and Indianapolis
with her are casting a reflection up
on the democracy of the entire state.
and reflection that is not deserved.
Let the organizations of those cities
assume the responsibility themselves
Ii should be confined TO the people
who are To blame The democracy
eff st. Joseph county does not care TO
help bear the burden. ii has proven
that it does not approve OF that kind
Of program and it has right TO de-
cline 10 share the curse.
Ii may be that these reports Of
corruption from the sister cities are
exaggerated As they appear in re-
publican newspapers in particular,
they unquestionabN are. These pa
pers take seeming pride i'm blackening
the reports 90 the blacklist pitch. and
then with one fen svoop. apply the
same conditions to the entire state
wherever democracy was victor, inn
pressing their readers THAT the stu
alton is general
And lot OF people viii be inclined
10 take il SO il they are not cautioned.
IL is very much like judgins the entire
clergy by the fan of single minis
ter. The weakest spot in mans
character measures the man. II is
human nature. 4 little spot of dirt
is OF sufficient magnitude 10 the av-
erase human eye, 10 eclipse : whole
svorld OF cleanliness Give Us dirt.
seems 70 be the cry Of the age; dirt.
thu we may scatter it everywhere.
and make IL appear ge-.eTal." and