The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-24
Supreme Brazenness

Driven from the first campaign strategy
of attempting to get back into office by
raising the cry of Help Hoover" state off,
Gals seeking reelection, and especially de-
sirous of avoiding what to them would be
the calamity of legislative inquiry, now have
the supreme brazenness to assert that their
records entitle them to public confidence.
Some weeks ago the Governor Of the
tate, to whom the thought of Democratic
majority in the house of representatives IS
a nightmare tried to delude the voters by
declaring that the tax rates under Ralston
we're higher than under his administration.
When the truth was told that the total
state taxes are four times today what they
we're under Ralston, Leslie tried to placate
the voters with the statement that the people
receive more Of government and more bene
fits.
This is true, but the changed positions
should cause the voters to scrutinize care
fully any statement he may make in the fu-
ture for the hidden misrepresentation
through half-statements or misstatements.
Administration of the office Of secretary
of state by Otto Fifeld has been so far from
ideal as to cause disgust and open denuncia-
ton by leading members Of his own party.
His handling of auto drivers licenses,
with the payment of thousands of dollars for
a copyright on an official form which it was
the duty of Fifeld to prepare, with the dis
tribution of these licenses by favored poll
ticians, who mulcted every driver of the
state of a 25-cent notary fee, indicates his
viewpoint on public office.
His blue-sky department leaves much to
be desired.
His state police had been politicians first
and policemen when the political interests Of
Fifeld did not demand their time. The
higher paid jobs have been given not to men
of experience in any form of police work
but to machine politicians.
From the day Fiield was swept into Of
flee by the Hoover landslide he has had the
illusion that his large patronage and political
machine would make him Governor in 1882.
This of course, is not an impossible pros
poet if the people Of Indiana are so blind to
their own interests as to re-elect him this
fall.
AS for State Auditor Bobbitt, his asser-
ton that his office had detected and exposed
s gasoline bootlegging does not coincide with
the facts.
The truth is that complaint was made to
Bobbitt by Lem j. Dare, former judge, and
leading attorney of st. Joseph county, Re-
publican never known to desert under any
circumstances, on behalf Of client who OBJ
iected to the unfair competition with a con-
Germ which had established string of fill
ing stations and was underselling him be-
cause it paid no tax to the state.
The further fact is that it took two weeks
to get any action whatever. When a final
settlement with the bootlegger was made, on
a basis which certainly was not advantageous
to the state the more valuable filling stations
of this tax dodger were owned and operated
by the son of Otto Fifeld's chief assistant
and campaign manager.
The truth is that newspapers and inter
ested competitors have furnished Bobbitt
with information on which he has collected
any tax from the bootleggers.
With Bobbitt and Fifeld asking re-elec-
ton on such records and with Governor
Leslie frantically attempting to avoid Dem
ocratic legislature which might examine his
huge emergency fund, and his highway COM
mission, the citizens of Indiana should have
little difficulty in deciding how to vote.