The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-11-02
THE WAR GOES ON


continue the war against dishonesty, corruption and
supergovernment until the last politician who has
been tempted to yield his conscience to these inu-
ences has been driven from power and once again
the people regain their own government
1t has been unfortunate that election came so
soon upon the first exposures of these influences,
for The Times has political friends to favor and
no political enemies to punish
The Times would have much preferred that the
issue we're removed from the heat of political con-
tests that the hideousness of the thing it fought
could have been presented when the fortunes of
no and party were at stake.
But it is here. Today may or may not gain
victory in the first sector. The will finally be
Something very wrong came into public life when
the man who is convict under life sentence
organized the hatreds preudces of this State
and made himself all powerful.
Something very hideous into public life
when men sought public office by bartering with
this thing and this
For if government is to continue it must
be removed from these evil influences.
But the explosion came when out of prison cell
came letter declaring that convict had documents
which would prove huge and grave corruption in
public life.
The convict is being punished, for his po
litical crimes, which great, but for crime
which had nothing at all to do with his political
power and his political influence
But the State startled because every one,
without exception, readily believed that he could, if
he chose, prove those very things.
1t was The Times, when all other agencies OF
publicity in this city silent that demanded
that the charges be proved or disproved
1t made that demand because Of the general be-
lief that the charges were true. They may have
been false But it did no good to Indiana to let
them pass unchallenged.
1t was The Times, that day after day, demanded
Investigation and saw the people shocked and
dismayed by the evident purpose of every official of
the State administration to keep this convict silent
and sequestered in his cell.
Most of all, it shocked when the attorney
general of the State made the open charge that this
convict trying to blackmail his to freedom
for in that statement most sinister conclusion
and suspicion. 1t proposes to find what weapon this
convict held that he would dare to attempt to
blackmail his way freedom and it will not be salts
fed until the people know and understand
In this city, The Times has taken up the cause
Of decent government free from secret bargains and
oaths.
The Times was shocked as the people were
shocked when the mayor of this city swore that he
had travelled to the national capital money fur
nished him to visit imperial wizard and did not
know for what purpose he had, been called
The Times believes that this city deserves
mayor who obeys such calls and orders from any
power except the people who give him power.
1t was more shocked when he revealed that when
he arrived there man who is not citizen Of this
State, who has interest in this city, attempted to
dictate to him the appointments he should make.
That does not make for good government. 1t
does not make for government by the people and
for the people, 1t Is abhorrent to every principle Of
our nation and our Government.
These are some of the reasons that The Times
aments that these things have been brought to
public attention just in advance of an election
1t would have preferred that they be viewed with
the passion and the heat of campaigns in which
the fortunes of parties of men might be influenced
by these exposures.
1t would have preferred that the people have a
longer opportunity to digest their meaning and
feet upon their significance.
And it is because of that fact that The Times
pledges itself to go forward with it's crusade for
good government until the people their own
officials.
1t believes in public ownership of public offices.
1t believes that the people have the intelligence
to rule themselves when they know the facts. II
will give them the facts.
1t believes, too, that those who have betrayed
the people must be exposed and driven from power
and to that purpose, it also pledges itself and it's
influence.
The Times has unlimited faith in the people of
this city and of this State.
1t believes that the State which has college
students for every thousand population should have
the most intelligent of government.
1t believes that the State which has more church
members in proportion to it's population than any
other State has a right to more of honesty and de-
cency than other States
1t believes that the State chosen by the who
fought and the their permanent home
has right to of unsefsh patriotism than other
States.
And to that intelligence that decency and honesty,
that patriotism, The Times again pledges it's efforts,
not for political contest but to holy crusade until
these triumph and Indiana stands redeemed