Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-14
THE oITY COUNCIL.

In view of the fact that during the
session OF Tuesday night the First
Branch remained fully three-Quarters OF
an hour longer than the Second, and
transacted less than half OF their amount
of business, II seems, certainly, that IN
their mode OF conducting affairs there Is
room for radical improvement, and this'
TOO, in the face Of the axiom Large bod
les move slowly"
At this rate the upper branch, win
less than hall the members OF the lower
one moves four times as slowly, and a
stranger happening in during their de-
alterations would no surprised to find
them carried on by an average OF only
ten members,
II must he said on their behalf that
they are oittimes. compelled to remain
idle, while waiting TOR matter
from below, but making prop
ar allowance for this, there Is
still much time which must necessarily
h. consumed in useless alteration.
And again, in their behalf is used the
argument that they form tho conserV'
alive body which countoracls the too
often layishness OF the other" That
they form the prudent body may per
hans be true, but there Is a limit To
which conservatism can he carried, anu
In this Branch prudence is often confined
TO sectional expenditures. The patriot
ism Of many members is hcmmed IN by
ward lines, until il sometimes seems rs
ii each lcgislatcs Tor his own constltu-
ents AGAINST the rest, instead oi all
uniting Tor the hos, interests Ut tho city
at large.
4 striking illustration OF this feeling
WAS shown on Tuesday evening, during
the discussion on the report al the C"n-
mittcc on Streets Alleys aud Grades,
which lcnthoncd out nearly two hours,
Amended to this report were some res
olu,ions, among which were several AT
vocating various improvements about
tho city aud in different wards. rs the
first oi these came up, the member from
that ward rose aud warmly set forth the
necessity Of its passage, Others Thought
il would require an outlay OF money
which might he much better expended
ON moro needy portions, in has ward,
SAY. Finally the uninterostod majority
prevailed and the resolution WAS RECON-
mittcl. Then came another ot sinillar
imporl improving another section, sup
portcd by the member representing
TINT district, hut the agSrieved
one, unwilling that hc should he put
back, w. u matter oi course opposed II
and il met the fate oi It's predecessor
Al other times, members indulge In
lengthy discpursos in opposition to
certain propositions and then sit down
rcmarking that il is all right aud to do
as they please. All this occupies vaIu-
MIL, time and il il not surprising that
the other branch declares its intention
Of adiourning. And IN connection
with that there il another point.
Among the written ordinances il one
prohibiting one Branch from adjourning
without the knowledge and permission
Of the other. Ict this is continually
violated While the upper Branch Is
in the midst oi its session, word comes
from the lower that il is ready to al
iuurn. and before the sense at the up
urr can he taken, the other adjourns.
In defense, n member ot the second
Urauch remarked that "thcy couldn't
wait there Ia have the first Branch talk
all night" And il Is hardly 10 hc ex-
portcd.
Asa result, the First Branch adjourns
before il has hall finished and anothcrall-
night session il before it for tonight,
and meanwhile joint business Is at II
standStill, aud city bills must wait This
could certainly bc rcmcdica. Let some
plan hc established by which these rep
,litions shall cease. lat our Council
men he men, city fathers, and not u
hnys' debating SUriptN.