Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 1 April 1921 — Page 1

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THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER IN DELAWARE COUNTY THE MUNCIE POST-DEMOCRAT

VOL. 1. NUMBER 12

THE MUNCIE POST-DEMOCRAT, FRIDAY, APRIL 1,. 1921

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE

Colored Physician Advises Race To Accept Hidebound Policies Of Republicanism

■ A local daily recently canned a communication written by a Muncie colored physician, who, for some reason or other, objected to an editorial in the Post-Democrat which took the republicans to task for promising everything under the shining sun to the colored folks, with no. idea on earth of fulfilling their promises. Among other things the doctor pledged that in case of republican victory the color line will be removed at McCullough park and both black and white races will commingle in

all portions of the park.

We do not believe that the writer is qualified to speak for the republican candidates for mayor. Thqy should speak for themselves. Undoubtedly the republican party here owes its political life to the colored voters, who went to the polls last November in mass formation and

voted the republican ticket.

Just why they did so is more than we can tell, for our experience has been that the republican party has been long on promises to the colored people and short on fulfillment. We would suggest that the good doctor go to his good political friends of the republican party and get the direct pledge from them that they will do as he says they will do. His article was interesting, but the trouble with it was that it was tinged with the predjudice. He knows as well as anyone else that when Abraham died the only republican who ever did anything for the colored people went to his final reward and since that time republican politicians have promised and promised and promised but never made good. We will bet the doctor a good eight cent cigar that if he will prepare a written instrument pledging abrogation of the colored line at McCullough park that he will be unable to induce a single republican candidate for mayor to sign it. If he will do this, of cause some other colored man to do

best, kn#wn to every citizen of

Muncie.

The colored people of Muncie have not forgotten how he protected colored workmen at a local factory who went on strike for more money and better working conditions. When the factory management imported two carloads of southern colored men to break the strike, former mayor Bunch deported them and compelled the factory management to pay their way back to Tennessee. Notice was served that strike breakers would be shipped out of Muncie as fast as they arrived. After making one more effort to break the strike, and failing through prompt action on the part of the mayor, the factory management desisted in its efforts and took back the striking workmen, acceding to their demands and thus settling a matter which might have resulted as disastrously as the East St. Louis massacre if the mayor had failed to act promptly and decisively. We are under the impression that the colored voters of Muncie are not wholly in sympathy with the sentiments expressed by the doctor. Promises are cheap, and the colored voters should consider well before they allow the Gand Old Party of special privilege and exploitation of labor to bunko them into voting the republican ticket next fall. The colored workmen who voted for Harding last November under the impression that the factories would start up and prosperity become general, ought to see their mistake by

this time.

For eight years the colored workmen, under a democratic administration, have made more money than they ever made before in their lives. Many of them own their own homes, owing to good times under democratic rule. They are now getting a touch of real Republican nox-malcy. If the colored people of Muncie listen to the

it, he can discover for himself wheth- J sort of bunk handed to them by the er or not the party he has espoused is | colored doctor they will make- the .misas friehcTTy'-fo^nn? race as he cbnfi- I take of tFelr TTves. The republican

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dently asserts.

His complaint that a democratic mayor two years ago refused to act when asked to remove the division line, was an unkind cut at a mayor who has done more for the colored people of Muncie than all the repub-

licans in Delaware County.

At that time Rollin H. Bunch was mayor of Muncie. and his uniform kindness and consideration for a race which has an uphill road to climb at

party is not their friend. It simply seeks their votes and nothing more.

PENCIL COSTS FOUR LIVES

Calcutta—Four Gurkha policemen were killed in a quarrel which arose with a Mohammedan hawker over the price of a pencil. Two thousand mill hands joined in the affair, the Gurkhas being badly beaten.

Green, From Dayton, Defender Of Patterson, Cash Register Millionaire, Speaks In Muncie

A man named Green, from Dayton, holding the imposing title of Director of Public Research, spoke in the court room Monday night in behalf of the city Manager plan. Like most everybody else in Dayton, the Green person takes off his hat, bends his supple knees and breathes a prayer of holy adoration when the name of the mighty Patterson, czar of Dayton, is mentioned. During his speech he received great applause from the sissies who swallowed his bunk, by denying the PostDemocrat story that Patterson had dictated the dismissal of James E. Barlow, city manager of Dayton the past three years. He said Patterson was in Europe at the time Barlow “resigned.” We beg the pardon of the puissant Patterson. We thought he was in jail. The last we heard of him he was un-

der suspended, or some other kind of sentence, to serve a year in the Troy, Ohio, jail, having been convicted in federal court for violation of the antitrust ac.t. If the city manager supporters here expect to get anywhere they should keep the Patterson administration society out of the city. It might be interesting for the people to know here that in the last election for city commissioners at Dayton it took a combination of all the political leaders in the city to put over the Patterson slate, which was opposed by the socialists, who felt that the entire outfit was unfriendly to labor. And at that, the socialists came within a hairsbreadth of skinning the politicians. And thus do the altruistic supporters of city management “keep out of politics.”

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WHY IS A CONSTABLE? The two constables' who plead guilty two or three weeks ago before Judge^ Anderson, in the federal court, to a charge of taking money from law breakers in return for protection, are still on the job in Muncie, arresting people right and left and raking in considerable money in the way of fees. It seems strange that men who made the admissions they did before Judge Anderson should be permitted to wear badges, carry guns and clubs and stalk at large in Muncie serving as peace officers and arresting citizens for trivial offenses. The constables broke out in a new place Saturday night. They have secured a motorcycle with a side car and working in teams, have started a program of arresting automobile drivers who happen to violate technical provisions of the traffic laws. Muncie has a police force which is always on the job, and whose members can be relied upon to make such arrests as are necessary. Any sort of a constable is an unnecessary evil, but constables who admit they have taken graft money should not be tolerated for an instant. They are simply working for the money there is in it, pot with any idea of doing away wit hlawless .conditions. In Indianapolis a bunch of constables so systematically harassed automobile owners that the last legislature enacted a law making it impossible for them to keep up their contemptible practices in the capital city. A law should be enacted at the earliest possible moment doing away with constables and so called “justice” courts. Justice is about the last thing on eai'th that can be secured in their pestiferous fine factories.

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BIG MONEY SEEKS CONTROL The evidence is accumulating that the so called city manager plan, which was set in motion here two weeks ago, is the result of a carefully conceived and thoroughly organized plan to rush it to a successful conclusion. It is a well known fact that the United States Chamber of Commerce, of which the local commercial club is a member, is strongly in favor of the city manager form # of municipal government. As a rule, commercial clubs are dominated and controlled by the big money interests of the various communities boasting of such institutions. . Big money, which is always a law unto itself, professes to despise politicians and office holders. Big money does not hesitate to use politicians and office holders where they are usable, and big money frequently spends large sums of money corruptly to influence office holders who will do their bidding. This does not mean, however, that big interests are fond of the men they buy, nor that they would not like to escape from a system which makes it imperative that they spend good money to secure legislation that will make them more money. They would much prefer to get rid of the office holder altogether and get their finger directly on the government of the cities in which they operate. Such a system would be cheaper and they would not have to soil their iily white fingers in corrupting, or attempting to corrupt, public officials in order to obtain special privileges. Big money is generally very virtuous. Beang a law unto itself it easily finds excuses for its own venality while holding up its hands in holy horror at the wickedness of those politicians who accept cash favors from big corporate interests. In making this statement the Post-Democrat does not attempt to insinuate that the big interests of Muncie have sought to corrupt public officials, but the methods of corporate wealth in securing legislation and special privileges the world over are too well known to require especial mention at this time. The commercial club of Muncie has vainly sought during the time the democrats have been in control here, to become the controlling influence in municipal matters. Feeling that the commercial club does not represent the best interests of the majority of the people of Muncie," the democrats ha/e refused to take orders from that organization. The city manager plan did not emanate directly from the commercial club, but it has all the earmarks of commercial club paternity. The people of Muncie have sworn the kid on the commercial club and it would be hard to make anvbody believe in its innocence. _ The people here especially resent the attempt to force a referendum on the city manager plan, instead of giving them an opportunity to decide which of the two plans contemplated by the Knapp law should be voted on. • |* The Muncie Star has been selects as the official mouthpiece of the city manager crowd. Three representatives of the Sti attended the secret meeting at which the plan vyas hatched out. There w&s not a man present at the meeting, which was later described, by the Star as being a meeting of “men in all walks of life.” \ As a matter of fact the meeting was composed of bankers, manufacturers, a few lawyers and business men. Almost without exception they were men of large affairs. These men discarded the commission form of government by a unanimous vote and declared that the people would be required to vote on the manager form. By what right did this self appointed committee of twenty assume to meet in secret and serve notice on the other forty thousand inhabitants of Muncie what they would be required to do? They undoubtedly feared to invite a general discussion of the Knapp law, open to all voters and tax payers, fearing that their plans would be sadly disarranged. ( The Knapp law provides that a city may vote either on the manager plan or the commission plan. The commission plan is democratic and is real home rule, inasmuch as it provides that the affairs of the city shall be looked after by residents of the city. The commission plan provides for non-partisan election of commissioners and the commission is safeguarded by the same restrions that surround the manager plan. This plan, however, was too democratic for those who have been plotting to put over the manager scheme. Big money is ever in favor of centralization of government. As an example, it might be stated that every big corporate interest in the state of - Indiana stepped out in defense of the public service commission when the legislature sought to kill the commission. Representative Miltenbefger was. defeated for speaker of the house of representatives by the public service corporations because he had expressed himself as being in favor of abolishing the public service commission. The big corporate interests of Indiana find it much more convenient to do business with a public service commission, appointed by a governor who was elected by the big money crowd, than to test their chances before city councils elected directly by the people. Thus it is with the city manager plan. If big money in Muncie should succeed in electing a majority of the commission, a manager would be employed who would be presented with the alternative of choosing between the interests of the common people or the big interests. The Star Sunday had a very interesting story concerning the success of the city manager plan at Dayton. The article was written by Edward Sears, an editorial writer employed on the Dayton Journal. Mr. Sears told the truth when he said the plan had proved successful at Dayton, but he covered up one very important fact, and that was that James Barlow, the best city manager Dayton ever had, did not resign on the first of January, but was fired, bodily. Patterson, the cash register multi-millionaire controlled the commission. Barlow refused to be dictated by ‘Patterson and so he lost his job and another man took his place. In speaking of Barlow, Mr. Spears said he was a success as a manager, but failed, in some respects, in executive ability. Mr. Barlow served three years as city manager of Dayton and it was during this three years that the things of importance were done that were cited by the Star article as evidence of the success of the city manager system. And at the end of three years of brilliant service, during which time he made Dayton famous as the most striking example of the commission-manager form of government in the United States, he was summarily fired by the millionaire boss of Dayton, because of his refusal to deviate from what be considered to be his line of duty! The citizens of Muncie know what wnuld happen here if big money obtained control of the commission. The manager would either play ball with big money or off would go his head. No matter how muchfie did for the people at large, if he refused to take orders from big money he would-be replaced by somebody who would, and city management would be a dismal failure. The commission form of government, which is non-partisan and contemplates real home rule, is favored by a great majority of those who seek a change from the partisan system, and if either plan is adopted, the commission plan will receive popular support.

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Hospital Investigation May Bring Out Startling Facts Concerning It’s Management

JOHN BURKHOLDER QUITS RACE AND FAVORS STEELE

John Burkholder this week quit the race for the republican nomination for mayor and in a public announcement asked his supporters to hop to Steele. Two of them have agreed to do so but the other one has not made up his mind.

NO CITY MANAGER FOR US

By W. J. D.

The Commercial Club has formed a plan, all the mayors to quickly can,, and a city manager to pick, who they can get to turn the trick, of giving big business the right-of-way, to pick the citizens every day, of the extra change they would lay away, for-the proverbibal rainy day. But this plan of their is sure to fail, for all working voters, female and male, a great surprise on them will spring, when they thirik they’ll rule them with a king. For a king the manager would surely be, and we have no use for such as he, as we all want democratic rule, and a worker would be some darn big fool, to give his right to choose away, the one who would the big stick sway; and guide our city’s ship of state, along its destined course of fate. So speed your course, you big business clan, we workers are against you to a man, and our women too, will help us out, your manager plan to put to rout; No one man rule will do for us, we had it once, and oh how we cuss, when we think of the tribute we had to pay, when from the path of democracy we »j* did stray. For good government we

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4;a hand; and if you think you can <f blind our eyes, with your campaign of big business lies; You have got another think coming to you, and you’ll find your scheme gone up the flue; for we want a mayor and council too, and these we’ll have in spite of you, we will deal your plan a death dealing blow, for when we vote on it

we’ll all vote no

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If one half of the stories afloat about the Muncie hospital are true, the investigation to be'^made by city council will produce something of a sensation. One thing stands out clearly, and that is that Miss Smith, the superintendent, has either been woefully misrepresented or is utterly unfit to hold the position with which she has been entrusted. The investigation should be made by council with the thought in mind thAt the inquiry be made in a spirit of fairness, and that justice be rendered to all. If patients are mistreated a* the hospital, and if men at its head have used their positions to their own advantage, and to the prejudice of those whom they wish to punish, nothing should remain undone in the matter of securing evidence and presenting it to the public. Several days ago a man died in the hospital, after a most distressing experience. He was picked up unconscious by the police and taken to the hospital. The management declared he was intoxicated and sent him to the county jail. His condition did not improve and he was later taken to his home. Later he was returned to the hospital, over the protest, it is said, of the hospital superintendent. She still insisted, it is claimed, that the man was suffering from the effects of liquor. Shortly after being returned to the hospital, the poor fellow died. From the fact that the man was practically in a dying condition whett the police first took him to the hospital, it is strange that he lasted as long as he did, after being dragged from his hospital bed and transferred to the cold hospitality of the county jail, then taken home, and finally back to the hospital. It is declared that the physicians who attended him, say he was not drunk, but was suffeiing from an apoleptic stroke. The charge that certain specialists bought the privilege to practice at aito utai wk ooara tTV governors discriminated against cetr tain practitioners, allowing some t6 practice at the hospital while bthers were excluded, should also be investigated. In justice to everybody, the investigation should be thorough and if the facts brought out warrant it, there should be sweeping changes in the management and conduct of the affairs of the hospital.«

Democrats Launch Movement ! To five Voters A Chance To Express A Real Choice

The democratic city central committee Tuesday night at a meeting in the city court room, presided over by City Chairman Ray Andrews, declared in favor of giving the voters of Muncie an opportunity to sign petitions for a commission form of government. This movement was started because of the fact that a select few, representing the commercial club and the big interests generally, had secretly met in a local law office and launched a movement for a commissionmanager form of government, without giving the voters of the city an opportunity to decide which, if either of the new plans are to be voted on here, is the one to be selected. Petitions were prepared and are now being circulated over the city.

The petitions are being generously signed and no difficulty will be experienced in securing sufficient names. Both petitions, the commission ai\d the manager plans, will be presented to council and at the regular monthly meeting Monday night the adherents of both sides will have an opportunity to argue the matter before the legislative body whose duty it is to call the special election. The democrats, by their prompt action, have given the people of Muncie an opportunity to ask for either plan, while the proponents of the manager plan were seeking, through publicity and otherwise, to conceal from the voters the tact that the Knapp law provided for two forms of procedure.

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One of the tragedies of politics took place in Muncie this week. * Robe Carl White, well known Muncie lawyer, former postmaster here, ❖ and leader in the movement to inaugurate a city manager fonm of

FORMER BULL MOOSE LANDS JOB

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municipal government, received a Washington appointment in the of fice of a member of President Harding’s cabinet, James Davis, sec-

retary of labor.

Of course it was not a tragedy for Robe Carl, for the office is an important one and carries with it a fat salary. The tragedy lies in the fact that Mr. White was formerly one of the most prominent Bull Moose leaders in the Eighth district. To the faithful and elect, who refused to Armageddonize with the late Theodore Roosevelt, but who on the contrary chose to stand pat with the very much defeated Judge Taft, the very name Bull Moose is anathema, and the thought that a former progressive was the first republican to be recognized by Normalcy, is extremely repugnant, not to say nauseating and damned objectionable, to the organization faithful. v ✓ ; It was naturally supposed that the new president and his close advisers would follow organization methods in the matter of important federal appointments, but the appointment of Robe Carl White seems to have been secured through the efforts of another objectionable Bull Moose, Ed Toner, of Anderson, who battled for the Lord under the deceased Roosevelt and was one of the very elect in the very innermost circles of Hoosier Bullmoosedom. ❖ It is said that White was not endorsed by the organization. He worked independently and before the dazed machine knew what was £ happening Mr. White had his job and was saying good bye, good luck ♦> and God bless you, and was on his way to Washington to mingle £ with the mighty. 4 ❖ % ^*♦, ,j. .j.^ .y * ^ • * % ►;* * -J* -J* * ►> * »}• ❖ * * ❖ *{♦ *