South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-07
CONVICTION OF THE TERRE
HAUTE CORRUPTIONISTS.

Conviction OF Dom Roberts. OF
Terre Haute. mayor. etc. along with
twenty-six INSTRUMENTATION for
violation OF the corrupt practices act
OF Indiana as appropriated by the fed
eral government, ought 10 be a splen-
did lesson in future elections in the
state-and especially in the home city
Of the cOnvicts where political cor
ruptiOn appears TO have been daIlying
at its zenith for a considerable time.
All Indiana should extend it's con-
gratulations 10 L. S. Dist Atty.
Frank Daley, and we repeat what has
been said in this column before, that
the democratic party might do worse
than recognize in him fit guberna-
torial timber in 1915. There is no
question as 20 the enormous in
fuence brought TO bear upon the dis
trict attorney, calculated 10 induce
him TO lay down on the cases, but he
has been obdurate in his stand for the
right, and has won. Appeal TO a high
or court may or may not serve TO re-
lease the men on some technicality.
but the verdict Of the federal jury,
fully one-half OF which was demo-
cratic. will relieve the public OF any
doubt as 10 the quit Of the culprits-
which we feel perfectly justified in
calling them
And that along with Roberts should
especially be counted Sheriff Dennis
Shea and Judge Eli Redman, adds TO
the significance of the victory. Ii is
particularly tough when members of
the bench, supposed to be men of the
highest character. are forced TO rec
ognize blisters of the Redman type as
being possible of enlistment. In a
sense, il is even more culpable of him
than OF Roberts. or Shea, or these
with all the others combined. When
political cOrruptionists ascend the
bench there is small hope for anyone.
Litigants have no excuse in the world
for depending upon them for justice.
The sense of the Ballou bill before the
recent state assembly, designed TO
make the judiciary non-partisan, was
never more partisan.
And one point more. 1t is re-
always be attained in the state courts
as in the federal courts. In the courts
OF Vigo county, these defendants, or
at least the big three had already
been once acquitted of these offenses.
The jury could not believe in the facts
presented and the Judge helped out
with such technical reasons as made
hon ~ M me- a
and nothing else; case OF carrying
the fight for political supremacy, even
by corrupt methods, if necessary, into
the courts where only the right and
wrong Of things are supposed TO rule.
e was almost pitiful to hear pOliti-
SLAMS. even as late as the beginning of
che trial just ended, hoping against
hope. and declaring as of a certainty
that Roberts and his crowd would
win. IL was a case OF a wish that
was father OF the thought, but the
wish has not come true, and the rea-
son is that in the federal courts, with
the power OF the nation at their back.
rather than being under the influence
OF local surroundings. jurors feel their
responsibility uloAVf anu JNN6N9 60
rot worried over a reelection.
Guilty as they appear 10 be, we re-
Pc snat all Indiana will be thankful
for the outcome of this trial, and let
il be hoped that other sections Of the
state will profit by the example TO an
extent. that everywhere elections may |
henseforth be sufficiently clean that
the will of the people. rather than of
the "foaters' and "repeaters' and re-
turns manipulators. will have some /
voice i'm the outcome.