The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-10
Discussing the Situation.

Hc uleCuS5lOH Oh ING Cn&rt6r revision
was the absorbing topic upon the streets
yesterday, but the feeling against the
Council was apparently not so strong
There is a general disposition to regard
the action of that body in passing upon
the proposed amendment as having
heen done in good faith and with honest
intention to remedy many things under
the existing state of affairs. Ii was the
general opinion that Council at least
should have suggested to the public that
an expr ssion of the opinions of
the citzsns would be received and con-
sdered by them, but Council claims that
as the matter of revision lad been under
thoughtiu consideration for the past
two months or moro and the discussions
OF the sections wore made in open meet
ings, that anyone who cared to make
suggestions could have done so and
have been given hearing at any time
during the debate. 1t has been sug-
gested that at the meeting called for
next Wednesday the best results can be
accomplished by placing the work in the
hands of a competent com mittee for such
action as they will deem most expedient
under the circumstances.
Citizen Answers Observers Letter.
THE TIMES has received the following
communication in reply to the one pub
lished Yesterday and signed by lob
server:'
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES: If
observer" had only adhered to the
text of his preface that it was not his
intention Ito defend the action of the
City Council" in preparing draft of
new charter for the city of Roanoke, he
might, at least, have been credited with
honesty of purpose and only charged
with ignorance of the premises. The
writer can undertake no responsibility
for either the Intellectual or moral
obtuseness of observer, but he will
venture to advise observer" not to
attemp pit in the future to paraphrase the
words of tho Inn mortal Band. Facetious-
ness does not seem TO be his forte, and
as TO the deadly fear he seems to enter
tain OF some one blowing upon him, if
he can protect himself from the ravages
OF the Musca Vomitoria he will be safe.
The extreme delicacy OF observer"
in refraining from impugning the
motives of the writer is very much ap-
preciated, and the writer only fears that
he will fail to impress upon that mirror
OF modesty the extent of his feelings on
this subject; but as observer" seems to
be in such an agnoslical state of mind
as to the identity of "Citzen," l will at
tempt to relieve the intensity OF his
vacuum by stating that "Citizen" is not,
has never been, nor ever expects TO be
in the employ Of the city or interested
in any of it's contracts. AS to being EN-
ployed TO ''gouge" for department of
the municipal government or any per-
sons interested therein, there is
principle to which observer" seems to
be stranger, which prompts many citi.
zens to view such matters from higher
plane than that OF pecuniary reward. II
observer" objects to the exercise of
the inalienable rights of American citi-
zens, why, the only remedy that l can
suggest Is to amend the constitution OF
the United States as we'll as the city
charter.
Now let us see what observer" has
to remark about city charters First of
all he says, mo charter granted to a
municipal corporation affe CTS or abridges
the liberties of it's people" That has
rather high sounding, serio- comical,
dogmatical air of assertion and / have
not the slightest doubt will be accepted
as piece OF news by such political
Bryce or D. A. Wells. But what is a
man without inventive genius, and why
should observer not invent a little
political economy of his own to suit the
case in hand? II observer" will note
what is happening every day in many
other cities he can easily convince him.
sell that charters do often times very
seriously affect and abridge the liberties
OF the people.
A little further on he speaks for the
people of Roanoke by saying That it is
evident that the people of Roanoke
want change in the municipal govern
ment, they do not care whether it is
brought about by new charter or not"
believe observer to be quite correct
in this observation, and further be.