South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-06
THE KELLER ADMINISTRATION AND US.

THE KELLER ADMINISTRATION AND US.
When Mayor Fred ". keller turns the gavel OF
executive authority 70 Mayor Franklin X Car
son tomorrow noon OF the most remarkable
administrations the history OF South Bend VIII nave
passed-no not oblivion. butthe hearts of think
ing people Of public spirit setting standard for
the conduct Of our municipal life.
We feel free to comment as we please upon the
administration of Mayor Keller. and that We can do
so with a degree OF pardonabe pride. He has not
been our mayor. did not support him in the cleo
ton and have regarded as the opposition organ
at the city hall. but not blind but that we could
see the good that going as well as the bad
and as we are glad to have the administration
Tess have in spite OF our opposition. been supporting
it the most OF the time.
we wish here too. exchange our compliments with
the outgoing mayor. the latters appear elsewhere
in this paper today; that grateful TO his ad-
mfnistration for fairness toward and for the
manner in which it has occasions responded to
things for which We have stood,-sometimes little
in advance the administration itself 1t merely
TO prove that healthy opposition. fairly critical. is
always good public life, If public officials have
TO- at times be made goats OF agitation while the
public being worked up to support them in the
wanted undertaking
Now that it is all over frankly confess TO having
treated the public psychology. occasions. after such
manner. and we might Mayor Keller. and DIT
housing campaign which. due the public opposition
at the time Of its inception and until recently could
never gotten the new ant-outhouse
ordinance but for the personal element that was i'm
Thriving It that much more effective
" into the minds Of the people.
Mayor Keller and DR.. Bosenbury, instance, when
they complained some tgo years ago that they need
ed a healthier public opinion to improve housing
conditions here as they should be improved uttered
truism but they themselves the goats of the
campaign to get that opinion; martyrs and we burn
ed them at stake were, loving them, il you
please compassonately as they burned. and tho
public breathed the smoke flames absorbing the
wanted line Of thought.
The same condition applies to extent with
reference to keeping the public mind to Mayor
Keer's law enforcement program. Doubtful il. but
for the healthy criticism the administration has
had with every breaking down Of his policy, he ever
could have held up throughout the four even
as well as ne has Criticism kept the admnistra-
ton on its metal the public mind expecting it to
continue on metal. and it kept the public to a
larger degree on its metal OF observance as we'll
Nfavor keller went into office with many outstand-
ing promises not OF political appointments, but of
reformative public services. Once installed he found
some OF his promises far in advance OF what tho
public was ready to stand for in actual execution.
lust as some of the who supported him in his
campaign wanted him o up forthwith the
enforcement OF the law He confronted with con-
ditons more difficult overcome than he had antic-
pated as candidate have appeared hypercritica
OF the mayor his failure keep such promises We
are glad to know that his letter he under
stood as not as doubling his motives for in fact we
were by indirection seeking pave the way for him
10 the fuIdllment OF such promises
However. quite finished. and the credit is all
his and that of his associates Whatever of service
nave been to them. whether praise criticism they
lave earned II. suffered enough. We shall take no
such interest Mayor Carson's administration we
have in Mayor Keller's for the very simple reason
that the former to mind enters Office with no
such high motives the latter did and the good
work is expected by the small majority
that gave him his official berth. To encourage Mayor
Carson in the fulfllment OF his major campaign
promises. would be merely encourage the building
up Of gigantic political machine and open town
that would shame little Laporte when he was
mayor there,-or South Bend in its pamiest days.
such liking
Exit Mayor Keller Exit your associates, We con-
graduate you. have done molly. despite the
hatred you have from declining to be bossed
by this interest that. your good live
and that is immortality!