The Indianapolis times., 1927-02-04
THE MACHINE CONFESSES

When the machine bosses or the RepupHcan
party applied the party lash to the members of the
lower house and voted to suppress investigation
Of the affairs of the State made the final confes
sion of series of confessions.
1t admitted by it's action that it did not dare
to lift the lid upon the recent events in Indiana and
permit the people to know the truth.
No innocent official, no faithful public servant
would object to any inquiry at any time of his Of
fciaI actions.
Only those who have something to hide object
to Investigations and inquiries.
Why did the Republican machine go to the des-
perate expedent of forcing party vote against the
resolution which would have laid open to the public
all the facts concerning very definite charges
that have been made.
That resolution proposed to inquire into the
truth fasty of the public charge made by former
Corporation Counsel Rucker of this city that part
OF the public service commission was named by the
public utilities as the result of huge campaign
fund.
What member of the Legislature will dare to go
home and tell his neighbors that he voted against
discovering the truth or falsty of this charge?
If it were true, the people have right to know
how and when they were betrayed
If that charge was false, the people have
right to have confidence in this most important
'DOuy auQ Cl6 members OF LldC commission nave q
right to vndication from the ugly inference that they
the secret agents of the utilities of the State.
That resolution openly called attention to the
report of the last Marion County grand jury and it's
own statement that unusual conditions prevailed
within that body which made it impossible to return
other than exoneration of State oficals-and no
indictments.
What member of the grand jury, what member
Of the prosecuting staff and there We're four legal
advisers of that body, would object to most thor
ough probe of the entire jury and to discover the
reason for it's remarkable statement.
1t is reced in that resolution that several thou
sand dollars were taken from the contingent fund
Of the Governor for payment of that investigation.
Would there be any objection on the part of
any one of inquiry into the transaction and the
propriety Of such a payment?
If the evidence that was brought before that
grand jury is vindicaton of all public officials of
every grade aside from the State officials which the
jury specifically mentioned, why should not the en-
tire proceedings be brought from the caverns where
1t was impounded by Judge Collins and be given to
the public to and re-estabsh confidence?
1t would seem that instead of a party caucus to
hide and smother and block, the members of the
Legislature who have confidence in the integrity of
the officials, would have welcomed the opportunity
dence before that jury
They will need to explain, now and for always
why they we're not eager to give the people that
evidence on which the State officials we're vindcated
so that the people we'll as grand jurors would
know the facts
Too many things have happened since the day
that D. c. Stephenson, once the law of Indiana and
now its perpetual guest declared that he could prove
widespread corruption.
There were those days of effort to prevent
State Senators from talking to him in his CELL
There was the hasty meeting of the prison board
to prevent newspaper men from seeing him.
There were the visits of lawyers to his cell and
the immediate disappearance of witnesses wanted
by the grand jury.
There have been incidents and circumstances
that in the minds of the people may have been in
terpreted as confessions.
1t is unfortunate that the majority party in the
lower house of the Legislature should act in man.
ner to add one more of these Incidents one more
OF these circumstances which may be so viewed.
Let it be hoped they will reconsider and act
wisely in order that the name and fame of the State
may not be clouded with the suggestion that there
are things to hide and events which do not bear
the light of open and public inquiry