Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1919 — LIEUT.-GOV. BUSH OPPOSED TO CENTRALIAZTION [ARTICLE]

LIEUT.-GOV. BUSH OPPOSED TO CENTRALIAZTION

Indianapolis, March 3.—Lieut.Gov. Bush’s opposition to the Goodrich centralization scheme ’ has taken concrete form in a bill introduced by Senator McCray and sponsored by Bush, seeking to bring about the appointment of a coni' mission to determine a, method for electing members of the state commissions. The scheme is the exact opposite of the Goodrich scheme which seeks to decrease the number of elective offices.

In his bill Bush provides that the commission shall be composed of the attorney general, the auditor of state and the secretary of state. The present attorney general is known to be openly opposed to the centralization scheme and the auditor agreed to certain centralization measures only when it was agreed that they should become effective at the end of his term. The committee, according to the provisions of the bill, is to be organized within thirty days after the passage of the measure. It is hardly probable that the measure will be passed, but it serves to indicate the direction in which the wind is blowing, liush has been doing everything in his power to block the Goodrich program. In a number of speeches he has expressed himself as strongly opposed to the plans of the chief executive. The new bill will simply serve to crystallize sentiment in favor of or against the Ckndrich program. Indianapolis papers have been carrying articles to the effect that former Senator Albert J. Beveridge has come out against President Wilson's- plan for a league of nations. Mr. Beveridge recently has been notorious for getting on the .wrong side of things. Since the publication of his book, "What Is Back of the War,” in which he spoke of ,-- ' ' .... 5 •

the kai&r as a man of peace and as a devoutly religious and sincere man, his writings have carried little weight. The book, which was written after the Germans had invaded Belgium, has been barred from the public libraries. It seems that Gov. Goodrich was in favor of abolishing the teaching of German in the public schools all the time, 'He said so at the Republican editors’ banquet. He was silent until public demand forced the legislature to pass the measure and immediately afterward ho made the statement in public that he was for it all tHe time, although he withstood the pressure on the part of loyal citizens to have him go before the assembly and ask the passage of the measure. In the list of accomplishments and near-accomplishments recited by the governor in his speech he failed to mention his pet measure to jnake the office of attorney general < appointive instead of, elective. This measure has not been referred out of committee in either house. All ‘Movements to make this office appoihtive were dropped wlfen it was revealed how Gov. Goodrich had already used the office to suit his own purposes.