The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-07-04
Official Looseness.


tion Of the statute law governing the &C
tion Of Council partakes Of that looseuess
which characterizes the general manage.
ment Of city affairs. In speaking Of the
Municipal budget, he says the estimates
were submitted within the time fixed by
law, and that the Council chose to take
time 10 discuss and consider the ordinance
submitted, as 1t had always done. II the
acting Mayor means by the latter clause
OF his statement TO convey the idea that
the recent action OF the Second Branch
was in consonance with the usual scustom
OF Council he altogether misstates
the facts, for the Council has not
heretofore been guilty Of allowing a lapse
Of the time for making the appropriations
as provided by law. II Mr.. Handlan
knows anything about the law he
knows that it requires not only that
estimates shall be made, but that the
funds shall be distributed in accordance
Herewith, at meeting Of the Council
either in the month Of May or June. The
law is positive on this point, and admits
Of no doubtful Interpretation. It would
probably be much better for the interest
Of the tax payers il the Council would
commence earlier and look good deal
farther ahead in the consideration OF
financial matters, but there ia no escap-
ing from the fact that to comply with the
law tie final result must be consummated
in the month OF May or June. If the
acting Mayor does not know this, he is
doing injustice to the position to which
he aspires by election. When the First
Branch, knowing the law and the
necessity Of complying with It, notified
the acting Mayor that it had adjourned
to meet on Friday evening, it was his
duty to have notified the Branch over
which he presided to take corresponding
action.
Notwithstanding his declaration that
he called meeting Of that Branch, when
requested to, the failure to secure proper
compliance with the law rests upon him
and the body over which he presides, and
they cannot shirk the responsibility. We
sympathizs with the righteous few in
that body who have persistently opposed
themselves to the vicious legislation
which characterizes it. There were not
ten righteous in sodom and that city had
10 take the fire.
As to the pop.gun permit granted by
the acting Mayor to the gentleman who
holds his seances on the corner Of 10th
and Market streets, Of which he makes
light, it ia simply another specimen OF
the light regard in which the city ordi-
nances are held by those whose duty tits
to see them properly administered.
The acting Mayor is not the authorized
ceraSr Of the acts Of Council. He had
no Hsht to assume that the First Branch
inexperienced the nature Of the appli-
cation to keep shooting gallery at the
designated place. II that body had even
misunderstood the application, which
they did not, Mr.. Handlan had no right
to rectify the mistake. He cannot point
to a single shred Of authority vesting
him with the right to grant permit to
do anything which requires the consent
Of Council, and his granting such permit
in the face Of tho adverse action Of the
First Branch was simply high.handed
piece Of arrogant presumption, inex-
cusable from any standpoint. II
he had been as we'll posted as the Pres.
ident Of the Second Branch ought to be, he
would have known that something over
year ago Mayor Sweeney was severely
reprimanded by the First Branch for as
suming to grant permits TO certain 81.
loon keepers to keep open their places oil
business during the dead lock in the
Council on the license question.
It time that such unwarranted in.
tervention Of officials should stop, and
Council should see that II does atop,
before the creature becomes greater than
the creator.