South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-05-05
MAY s. 1921
SEEBIRT AND BILINSKI.

10 question but that IL are TO continue the
sent system OF city governmen:-which is by nc
ans certain despite the opinion of Judge Harmon
the Hosinski mandamus proceedings-Mr. Eli
seebirt will be preferable to Mr.. Frank S. Bilin-
for mayor If an election contest between the
should ever come we shaTl-as an independent
[xspaper and for good government. regardless of
& n. parties or systems,-unquestionably have
j express our favoritsm for the republican NOM
s e. As between the two. whatever may have been
part Of Mr.. seebirt or his lieutenants. in
S nging about the bungled report Of Mr.. Bilinski,
city clerk on the city manager petitions the
ter could have. had he cared 10. blocked their
Sdgns and have filed certificate OF suticiency,
II not have prevaricated' a bit more than he did;
eed not at all
AIr BIInski knew that 1926. the number OF
ers certified to the council more than 20
rcent of the at the election four years
b. He didn't need the records to prove it to him.
was matter Of fact. and not of necessity on, OF
ord at all. and he knew the facts. II he wished
r ermit himself to be made the tool of anyone.
any aggregation, or even OF his own cussedness
administering his Office to crafty his personal
zds or the ends sought by anyone else he is well
me to the consequences. It dosn't exonorate the
ebirt forces such of them as cOndescended to
neuver suclr>an arrangement. but with them it
y IS only politics and even corrupt politics when
goes no farther than to make goat of some
else. isn't quite bad NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. o;
office that has already been acquired.
1 The answer to both these gentlemen is to dump
system We do not take it by any means that
\ nomination Of these men. despite their apparent
srsing together to thwart the city manager move
Mt was vote against the city manager plan.
4 e republicans. as we take it. due the votes
the women nominated Mr.. Seebirt as a precau-
n. and quite exclusively on the moral issue;
ne ground so deeply into their convictions that
{erything else was overlooked. Hundreds signed
i city manager petitions who were for Seebirt
the city manager plan could not be put through;
ewise hundreds who for Carson-but
ow OF none who were for Bilinski. That
We served too to make him easy prey to de-
! yning politicians Of the opposition school Anyhow
abused his ofice-and he is fit TO be
lRyor than he has been to be clerk incident to
IL affair. and more than he Is fit to be ex-
kcio member of the board of primary election
Emnnissioners. board OF registration. of the
3ection commission next fall while he is himself
candidate.
A specimen Of this unhtness is found in the
sal of the board of primary election commission
/ TO permit appeal from Judge Harmon's de-
3Bion in the HosinsHi mandamus suit With DIr.
linski on the board. supported by Daniel Schurtz.
w partner OF Mr.. Seebirt and Joseph w Nc
erny willing to go along. attorneys for the
ission- manager form were denied the privilege
fling an answer that might have withstood a
rnurrer oh no. they did not want the thing TO go
trial on the facts but preferred to hide behind
insuficency in LAWN consequence OF which
y 800 city manager petitioners judicially
|bbed OF their right to a vote the question
bless other mandamus proceedings are brought 10
|raighten the entanglements. Down Evans
Inc. superior court judge lacked a clerk of SINH
i "conscentiouc" mind that of Mr. BiEnskis.
b to where he has orders to get busy and do
hat the law requires OF him. Mr.. Bilinski should
i compelled to go and do likewise-and then what
|ould become of your primary?
OF course. that is a problem. perhaps rather for
y lawyers. rather than the newspapers; a problem
D. the lawyers and the courts--snd they are very
deserves especially so OF the litico-legaIists to
hom politics adjunct their profession.
|ecsuse they didn't draw the law. is no good and
Fcause a layman can understand it, of course they
|An't: 1t isn't like some other law, and the crime
being different, in profession where precedent
god." OF course, may be difficult to tolerate
|ut despite all this, we'll we shall see what we
ban see. Mr.. Bilinski should be made TO perform
Is duty and perform It right a warning to future
erks and politicians If nothing
Messrs. Seebirt and BiHnski are welcome to their
chieysment: that is. TO whatever it develops that
hey have really achieved
RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH INDICATED.
once in while indeed quite frequently the