Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-24
pouCEANp r1REBoAKD oRDISAsCE

In which the New Board, the Intelligen-
GER and Other Matters bearing Thereon
are Handled With Decided YigoT.
To ne E4isg Of me Register:
Sla.-"It appears that the petitioners to
annul the Police and Fire Board Ordnance
belong to one party,"-inteibgsncer Of
Tuesday morning.
1t appeared, at the time Of the
passage of this same ordinance,
that the Father Of it and all the members
of Council who voted for it were Of one
party, the Republican, with the exception
of four Democrats who have Republican
annex to their politics; that the scheme
for rushing i through Council at a meet
ing called for another purpose was
hstched at the Republican club
room, and the runners who
privately notified members Of Council Of
the plan, we're Republican politicians
This was not partisan in the Intelhgencer s
eyes although that paper announced the
passage of tbs ordinance as q
FAMOUS REPUBLICAN gIGToRY"
but the asking the Judge Of our Circuit
Court to pass on the legality of this ia
nous victory" is nov branded ss an act OF
extremists who prefer party success to the
good OF the city. There is not fair
minded man in the city who will not say
that the p. & F. Board ordinance was
sneaked through Council by the Repubi
can members and their friends for the
purpose of beue6tting that party. The re-
tanning OF o bitter Republican partisan at
the head Of the Fire Department ss prom
ised By csadidstes for places on the Board
each Vtsasga ID tie to GsG9Es headquarters IN
for the Republicans 10 carry on their par
~ schemes. The iorbidding OF deputy
sergesnts taking part in elections was in,
tended to secure the defeat of Porter Smith
at the next election and secure Repubh
can in the Sergesut's office The attempt
made last winter to drive Smith into offer,
ing his resignation having ended in tail
ure, this tying up ordinance was passed
to assist in making his reelection an i'm,
possibility.
The legality of the ordinance will be
discussed before the Judge of the court. -
intelhgencRr of same dsy-Tuesdsy. II
is well COR the good ZANE of our city that
it will be. The Judge will decide whether
our city government is to be maintained
By taxes levied on all our citizens for the
advancement Of the Republican party or
for the good of sll classes of citizens He
will decide whether Republican councilmt n
can disfrsnchise Germans who cannot read
and write English, or whether they, after
granting q liquor license to a par
" and receiving heavy tax
for it, can decree that this same
party and his family shall not be permitted
TO hll one of our city Offices By reason OF
being engaged in this business He will
also decide whether Council can over
ride the Constitution of the United States
the State of West Virginia and the acts of
our State Legislature, and whether duties
imposed on members of Council by the
charter OF the city can be shifted by them
over on the shoulders Of the members OF q
board and they BE- released from their re.
sponsibility to the citizens who sent them
to Council.
This Police and Fire Bosrd Ordinance
is but few weeks old and already some
Of the beautiful effects of its passage are
beginning to appear. In the Rules which
Council is asked to pass for the govern.
ment Of the Board there is one on page {.
numbered 20, which for pure cheek is a
daisy" 1t reads, No member of Couu-
Gil shall be eligible TO the Office of sergeant
or deputy sergeant" The Republicars in
Council said that Germans and liquor
dealers shall not be deputy sergeant, and
this two by two" Board decrees that there
shall be another class disqualified from
holding office and that class composed OF
the very men who placed the members OF
the Board in their positions. The State
constitution, city charter and ordinances
Of Council are small matters to those chaps
en- the Board who seem in their own eyes
to discount the fellow who was a bigger
man than old GRAFT" If the Board hal
said that no member Of Council shall fill
the position Of clerk Of the Board it would
have been within its power to do so; but
for this Board to have done so would have
been an act of base ingrstiiude. Had there