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Show MAYOR SHANK'S RESIGNATION. Moralists aro fond of philosophising over tho constant struggle between the powers of evil and of good for the control con-trol of man, and successful stories have been written and plays evolved that have for thoir central thought this contest con-test hotwoen ovil and good for supremacy suprem-acy over a man's sonl. Nono of us aro all good any more than wo aro all bad, but in the caso of tho majority of persons, whether classified as good or bad, their general tendency is almost invariably in ono of the two direc- j tions. This is strikingly true of public officials offi-cials who havo character enough to remove them from tho dead lovel of mediocrity. A quito marked instance of a public official who has done conspicuously con-spicuously good Borvlce to his constituents constitu-ents and followed It with equally aa conspicuous bad service, is afforded by the career of Samuol Lewis Shank, who has just resigned from the mayoralty of Indianapolis. Shank has ofton been charged with being a demagogue, but even tho persons making tho charge admitted the quality of tho sorvice ho was giving tho city of Indianapolis, and, in all probability, the accusation of domagoguery was duo in tho main to tho methods omployod by Shank, rather than to tho ends which ho sought to accomplish. In his capacity of mayor, Shank forcod tho saloon men of Indianapolis to oboy thb law. This he accomplished by a variation of method suited to each individual case; in some instances he would suspend licenses for different periods, and ono saloonkeeper had his license suspended until he was ablo to bring a certificate, Bignod by tho minister of a church, thnt the saloon sa-loon man had become a regular attendant attend-ant at his services. Facetious unbelievers unbe-lievers in Indianapolis insisted that compulsory attendance at church had as much to do with tho saloon men's observance of tho law as tho suspension suspen-sion of their licenses. Whatever tho controlling force, the saloon men certainly cer-tainly 'learned to oboy tho law and to heed Shank's admoultlona. Shank also broke a potato corner, engineered by Indianapolis retailors, by the importation of sixteen carloads of potatoes, which ho sold at about half tho retail market prico. In other foodstuffs similarly, ho mado tho city a competitor of tho retailers, with the result that the cost of living was ma terially reduced. Ho also forced concessions con-cessions by tho insuranco companies, which lessenod tho cost of insuranco to tho peoplo of Indianapolis by $200,-000 $200,-000 a year. These acts and others similar to them endeared Shank to tho groat body of Indianapolis citizenship, and, under inoro fortunate circumstances, he might havo finished his term and retired from office as famed and as much loved as Hazen S. Fingroo of Detroit, and "Golden Rule" Jones of Toledo. Unfortunate', Un-fortunate', however, a strike of etroot railway employees occurred in Indianapolis Indian-apolis somo time ago. Tho Btrikors bo-came bo-came riotous, and, in order to rnovo tho cars, details of polico wcro ordered to ride with the strike-breakers. About thirty policemen refused to oboy the order. Mayor Shank assembled tho men and complimented them upon their courso. Governor Ralston of Indiana, who had hitherto refused troops to protect the property of the 'street car company, thereupon sent militia into Indianapolis, and soon thereafter tho strike was ended. The business men of Indianapolis were much incousod bocauso of Shank's course In tho stroot railway strike, and, when another striko became imminent this week, thoy Berved a formal notioe upon him that, in tho event of a strike, Impeachment proceedings would immediately bo begun be-gun against him. With the evidenco conclusive, Shank was in tho dilemma of elthor facing proceedings that would result in his removal, or of resigning, lie chOBe the latter courso. Although Mayor Shank performod many excellent servicos for Indianapolis, Indianapo-lis, he failed in tho greatest of tho obligations ob-ligations ho had taken; that is, in hia oath to protect property and presorve ordor in tho city. No matter what tho merits of the contention that resulted in the street car men's striko, it was his duty to see that the property of tho company was protoctod, and his laudation of the policemen who refused to obey orders and to fulfill thoir duty, put him in tho same class with them. It is immaterial whero his sympathies lay; his duty under his oath was clear; ho violated this obligation, and his removal re-moval would havo boon amply justified. |
