South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-02
MAYOR MAY GET
STATE POSITION
Keller Being Doomed for Place
on Public Utilities
Commission.

That Mayor Fred w Keller is the
indianapolis News candidate for
member Of the Indiana public ser
vice commission 10y appointment Of
Gov" James =. Goodrich. when
the time is ripe, thus TO form a new
connecting link between the stand
pat" and bull moose" republicans,
is a rumor current at the state cap
ital and reaching South Bend last
night. That the News is to have
considerable voice in Gov Good
rich's appointments. in return for
its support: that it is making an in
vestigation of Mayor Keller's career,
particularly along the line of his at
titude toward public utilities and
knowledge of civil engineering, and
that it is woefully anxious to have
something done 10 mOllycOddle the
bull moosers back into the z. o. p,
is certain. Mayor Keller was in In
dianapolis Wednesday. while a rep
resentative Of the News was in South
Bend looking him up, but the mayor
denies that there was any connec-
ton between his visit and such an
appointment, although he met Good
rich.
The mayor and Indiana's new gov
ernor met, quite by accident. of
course, i'm the lobby of the Wash
ington hotel indianapolis politicians
who heard the rumor and found out
that the meeting place of the two
men was at the Washington rather
than at the SEVERN hotel, the usual
scene of republican political confer
ences, were of the belief that there
might have been more than accident
in their session. There were some
things discussed by Keller and Good
rich. but none Of the talk had any
thing TO do with a possible place on
the utilities mission for South
Bends mayor. says the latter.
Some place between here and In
dianapolis. there were crossed wires.
for while the mayor was meeting
the governor at the state capital,
staff correspondent of the News was
in South Bend TO see Keller. He
came here TO talk over the matter
with the city's executive and 70 find
out what his qualifications for
handling the position are. H was
able to learn a few things about
Keller's stand on the utilities, but
Mr.. Goodrich's personal talk with
him. although it was not I'm regard
to an appointment, the mayor says.
may have done more to show his
attitude.
Doesn't See II.
Mr.. Keller says he fails to see how
the indianapolis News could be in
terested in bringing about his ap-
pointment as a member of the COM
mission. The News interest in the
matter possibly arises from its de-
sire 10 see the Indiana bull moosers
back under the wing of James Eli
Watson. Keller's prominence as a
member Of the party back in the
days of 1912 and his subsequent
election as mayor of South Bend
may have brought the News to the
belief that his appointment on the
commission might attract consider
able attention among the moosters
over the state.
Locally. Mayor Keller's attitude
toward the public utilities. with the
exception Of the street railway COM
pany. is known TO have been at
least apparently antagonistic, al
though the gas company was able 70
reach an agreement that was not
entirely satisfactory to the people
Whether Goodrich would be willing
10 put the local man on this com
mission in the face Of this apparent
antagonism. merely to repay the
News for its support during the
campaign is a question that may 20
unsolved until the time comes for
the appointment 10 be made.
The News. however, was never
failing in its support Of Gov. Good
rich and its strong desire 10 see a
reunited party. might carry it so far
as 20 demand the appointment OF
Mayor Keller. as the most likely bull
mOoser in the state, as payment
for its services whether some Of the
corporations liked il or not. In this
event. politicians are expecting 20
see a merry little battle 20 decide
who shall tell Gov. Goodrich whom
he shall appoint