The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-10-03

L
this institution l have found the i'm
preston that he is a thoroughly hon
est and conscientious man, and that he
would have vigorously opposed Talk
ington's appointment if he had been
an incompetent and INSCRIPTIONS pol
itician," said Mr.. Seidel.
Make Long Search.
"In our search for a competent man
to place in charge of the penal farm,
we failed to find one man who had
had previous experience in the man
agement of such ar institution. AS a
matter of fact | did not, in consider
ing applications for appointment by
candidates, emphasize the importance
of previous experience. | placed
stress upon the applicants ability as
business man and farmer, and the
governor shared my views. This was
the standard used in the selection of
Mr. Talkington, whom, l believe, will
make an ideal man for this important
place. We did not know Mr.. Talking
tons politics until after his appoint
ment.
The attention of the trustees was
brought to Mr.. Talkington's qualifica-
We had been told that Mr.. Fitzgib-
bons, superintendent of the Columbus,
Ind, schools would make good super
intendent for the penal farm and we
asked him If he would consider the ap-
pointment. He said he would not.
Wanted Fitzgibbons.
This fact we told the governor and
he said it was unfortunate because he
II n in Of Oil nd
thought he would make a satisfactory
official. The governor then asked Mr..
Fitzgibbons to meet him and at this
meeting he urged the Columbus man
to accept the appointment. When he
again refused, Gov. Ralston asked him
if he knew of anyone who would be
qualified for the office. and Fitzgib-
bons strongly recommended Mr.. Talk
ington.
The governor then told us of Fitz-
gibbons recommendation and we ar
ranged a meeting with darlington. We
learned he had been superintendent of
the Bartholomew schools for eight
years, had been principal of the Co
lumbus high school and was a practi-
cal and scientific farmer. We also
learned that he was thoroughly de-
pendab BILE man and stood high in the
community where he resided. Then
we notified the governor of his ap-
pointment
Gov. RalstOn was never once guilty
of attempting to influence the trustees
to have Talkington appointed and l
was impressed with the fac. that the
governors sole ambition was to Sc
cure the best qualified man for super.
htendent."
Blodgetts dispatch n part follows:
"One of the most solemn pledges
that Samuel NJ. Ralston made before
he was nominated for Governor was
that he would not permit the dirty
hand of politics to be laid on any Of
the state charitable and penal institu-
lions. re repeated that pledge after
he was nominated for Governor and
reiterated it when he became Govern
or. And yet he has placed in charge
Of the state penal farm not only a
politician, but a machine politician, a
ward of the Crawford Fairbanks-Tom
Taggart machine, a friend, supporter
and associate Of Homer L. Cook and
a man who has acted as stall for the
machine. And the penal farm is a
state institution. The man at the
head of it has every chance to play
politics. And the man at the head of
It should be a man who understands
at least the rudiments Of penal work.