South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-27
PEANUT POLITICS.


Referring to the, arbitrary ruling of
Pres. Lang of the common council. de-
nying the l.sht of that body Of request.
Re commend or dictate TO other de-
partments OF the city government a
further analysis OF what it was all
about, is interesting
Councilman Hagerty was asking TO
have some evidence Of peanut poll
tics" eliminated from the records Of
tie board Of public works-a record
IEu of falseEood. disp;ayed unques-
tioaably for political effect and TO
furnish an excuse for an unwarranted
proceeding fnaugurated beyond doubt,
more to favor a political friend than
10 punish a derelict.
Here is the story as it appears in
the council proceedings of May II:
Motion by Councilman Hager-
ty CerbaD:
Il move that the city clerk re-
quest the board Of public works to
instruct the janitors TO keep the
city hall free from rubbish. etc.
Motion carried"
The above is what actually happen
ed. Compare it now with what ap-
pears in the records Of the board of
works:
THE board unanimously con
curing in the following resolu-
ton:
"Owing To the notice ordered
by Councilman ] Hagerty and
adopted by the common council
May IL 1914, regarding the inef-
ficiency of the present night jani-
tor. Michael Thomaska.
Resolved by the board of pub
lie works now in session that said
night janitor, Michael Thomaska
be discharged and Andrew Price
be appointed 10 fill said vancancy.
same To commence May Is, 1914.
Adopted May y. 1914"
Pray tell US where in the council
PROCEEDINGS there is any reference to a
might janitor." or TO Michael Tho
maska?" ON the contrary, Council
/ man Hagertys motion refers to two
! janitors apparently. the term JAM
tors" being plural for 'janitor," but
only one janitor lost his job. III would
seem that any considerable sincerity
back of the sudden decapitation for
-inefficiency If based upon the
councilman's motion, would have dis
posed of the day janitor. and the real
boss of the job, as we'll.
But Councilman Hagerty's motion
served only as an excuse. 1t was not
a reason. The administration had
moved along four months and moth
ing had been done To reward the col
ored people Cor their vote-as "citi-
zens." Here was a chance Thomas
k had not been for Mayor Keller and
the city hall clique i'm the election.
The board could Kill two birds with
one stone. They could punish Hager-
~, they thought for being critical,
and at the same time open the way
for rawarding the coiored folk.
Hence the appointment of Andrew
Price-an of which is by the way ex-
&cept to show the kind of peanut poll
tics" the board OF works is capable of
playing. and the Misrepresentation
they have proven themselves capable
of Incorporating into their records in
the hope of covering it up.
Henceforth the board Of works rec
brides may be accepted as of authority
Or they may not; as evidence of truth
pr falsehood, according as YOU happen
TO be able 10 discover from other
Sources. You viii never Doe able To
bel, again whether the records are of
Eor ething that happened. or merely
Of what the board wants TO appear to
have happened.
Councilman Hagerty's motion of
Monday night. if passed and had the
Fequest Peen fulfilled. would have re-
moved the Flemish. even though the
chicanery back of it could not be re-
moved. 1t is not q question of Tho
masko's OF OF Prices jobs. but of the
. process of the trade. and the untruth-
ful record of it. casting doubt upon
the truth of the board of works rec
ords for all time
And Councilman G.ang OF 'presiden-
iaI' fame says the common council
has no right 10 crtcise or recon-
mend correction of such records
thus arbitrarily condoning them