Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-12-16
no rHE PEopLK,

known to be before now.
1t is a bad thing, very bad thing,
when politicians get the upper hand Of the
people. 1t may be said that this ia the
peoples own fault, because they elect such
men to Office. Surely. The people are
sovereign. They have the power in their
own hands. All they have to do is use it.
The trouble is that those citizens who
have everything at stake do not take q
large enough part in politics. They leave
it all to the ''heelers' and FOUNDERS"
and, con sequently we have a municipal
government that is run in the interest OF a
political party, and not in the interest Of
the people.
| Take as an example the present City
Council. It's proceedings are VIGOROUSLY
subversive Of the best interests Of the citi-
zens and taxpayers. Take the purchase
with the tax payers money, Of picture,
which we all have heard Of, for $500.
There is no Feed to go into the merits OF
the picture-most Of Us obably have seen
it. The uncailsd for and unnecessar
multiplication of ofi:es, under the city
government and ths accompanying increase
/ in the salaries attached to them-is another
instance. 1t took in every branch OF the
city government and every office occupied
by member Of the party in possession OF
council. In other words the machinery
and funds of the city were used to
strengthen the party machine and to
reward ard strengthen and increase party
workers. This outrageous extravaganza
has resulted in waste and inefficiency such
as has never baen paralleled in
the city's history. We might fill
our columns with instances Of no
torious incompetercy, extravaganza and
corrnrtion. The last and most
glaring fraud on tie PEOPLE and on
popular government is the ordinance to
so redistrict' the city. There IS even no
p,etense that the thing Is ia the interest OF
the people On tls contrary, By 1t the
popular majority will be disfcsnchised
The politicians co1tr ling the machinery
Of the government have done the "redis-
tricting" solely, and almost coa:essedly,
in the interest OF their party. They &C.
prive their opponents Of three votes IN
Council, thOagh they have to decrease from
the last census the recorded population OF
our fast growing city to accomplish their
purpose. They confess their intent by
refusing to show thar fg1res or reveal
anything to the people. These politicians
have grown so arrogant in power that they
override law and o7der in carrying cut
their will ana gag all who ask questions.
/ That is the situation in Council at pres
eut, a situation that is rapidly growing
worse and becoming serious menace to
/ the welfare of the city.
There are good mea in Council; hon.
eat men, wfo nave solely at heart the
interest o" the people, but their voices
cannot be heard above the party clamor,
and the corrupt, political hOcus p.cas goes
Oh.
Aud it will 90 on unless the people, who
desire the government to be conducted IN
their interest and not in the interest o.
any party, assert themselves.
Will the readers of the REGISTER, good
citizens of all parties, read some plain
truths bluntly told?
You are manufacturers, merchants, pro-
fessional men, mechanics; yo1 pay TIM
bulk of the taxes; you are interested II
good government. That our laws are il
many respects ill-advised and our munich
pal affairs conducted in a manner dsstruc'
tive of your best interests none but cor
ruptionists will deny. That we are suffer
ing from the lack of wholesome Legislation
is YOUR fault. That politicians, who have
no OTHER end in view than the advance
ment Of selfish or partisan ends, Contro
the affairs of the city is a sin which lies a
your doors.
How is this? By your negleCting tt
take an interest in making the laws. By
your negecting to elect good men tC
office By your reglecting to take part il
municipal politics.
There is too much partisauisn in the
conduct of cur local affairs. Politics she ld
be divorced from the city government
Why should it not be? Wherein il
the difference in principle between the
community's business and the business
CT any of you? Not one would allow
partisan considerations to interfere in thu
least with the management of his privs' {
business. Why should you as body
allow politicians, with nothing but persona
or party advantage in view, to mapag;
your city afairs?
Let Us put few plain questions. Dc
you believe this government, based OIL
free suffrage, can last if political
trickstsrs, for selfish ends, conduct
and control il? Is it rot reasonable to
say that peoples government demands
of each citizen that he vote for honest
efficient men unbiased by psrt:sanism,
who will conduct the affairs OF the people
! in the interest of the psCnl5?
1t is high time that the management
of our city were revolutionized.
No citizen should vote for a candidate
under the strain Of party obligation. Let
the rnoliticisns once get their grin on the