South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-25
APRIL Is. 1921
UP TO THE CLERK AND COUNCIL TO
SERVE PEOPL E-NOT POLITICIANS.

Tomorrow should be able to announce when
the referendum election the city manager plan
q government is be held will be If the city clerk
and common council function as they should, OBJ
serving their duties as prescribed by law Their
course is plain. Every honest citizen had hoped
that despite personal dislike OF the proposed new
system officer would Try to den the rights Of the
IeoEle. or the laws Of the state. plainly outlining
their proper
From current appearances. in fact despite curb
stone to the contrary, members of the council
have never intended otherwise once their duties
under the law made them Indica-
tions that the gossip has been the gossip Of
politicians with "the wish the father Of the
thought" wanting TO make a goat" of the coun-
ell and the clerk and seeking mislead them in
what the H. 10 induce them TO go wrong if they
could
Indications yesterday were that perhaps they had
located such goat" perhaps a more or less
willing one in Clerk Bilinski And he refused to
either deny confirm the rumor. He prevaricates
knows must prevaricate IL he asserts it
a physical impossbility ascertain whether
1000 Of the 400 signers Of the city
ager petitions are voters and ne knows that IL he
takes the position that he forbidden to employ
than five days in the investigation. does It
for violating the law and not for COM
plying with Quite as Mr.. w. W. Ridenour. one
inadon, states in an interview published today il
would be almost impossible to pick s,7OO grown
people in South Bend at random. 1000 of whom
would be legal voters.
StiH there the registration lists OF last year
that might have been resorted to. at least until
those had been picked OF that 800 names who
are on that list. II they then they prob
ably That would leave him only a balance
20 be investigated by personal call. or inquiry. II
there were any balance to make up the 1000, but
there would be none-but then. perhaps. that would
be too much expect of Mr.. Biinski looking as he
appears to have been, all along. find a way
10 certify the list rather than to ascertain the num-
Der OF voters listed Likewise when he told City
Atty. Slick, as Mr.. BinsH himself admits that ne
and his deputy could not work the petition at
the same time. because the sheets were bound to-
gether. merely indicates subnormal functioning
cf the brain. He could easily scratch of a few
names and addresses Of signers and hand them o
his deputy to ascertain II they were voters if he
wanted to- That the way the petition committee
has been investigating them. making a list before
the petitions were filed.
All this gossip amounts TO. and all Clerk BiInskrs
conduct viii amount to, if it confirms the GOSSIP
when he comes to file his report viii be 10
demons. ate how crooked the opposition TO the
commission manager plan OF city government
pollucians and their henChmen-will be if they
in their efforts to keep the people from pass
ing on the subject. They have said the people do
not krow enough about the system 70 vote on st.
and have hcped that something might turn up to
keep them from becoming informed There vii
be plenty OF time for the people to become edu-
Gated on the subject the campaign that will fol-
low tho selection OF election date, but the duties
80 tho clerk and council are plain and the poll
r.cisns likely TO have their run-in with the
people II announced subterfuges are resorted
prevent the law taking its legitimate course
But the clerk and the council may be wiser than
the politicians thought them; least we so be
Isvo. Some OF them candidates for office TOO:
SOHO for mayor some want reelection to the coun-
iii. IL would be a splendid recommendation TO their
fitness wouldn't Il. for them resort such meth
DDS. dchant OF tho legal petitions OF 800 South
Bend voters-snd several hundred Surely
these petitioners have much right to the
sidersion the law requires FOR them. they would
nave. il they wero petitloning for water main
for Il is just part Of the Official business,
that Il all The clerk realizes we hope.
that they are only ministerial and legislative in
stfaeons; not judicial bodies are they superior
20 monarchs.