The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-09

The communication signed Citizen"
published in THE TINES yesterday
morning, created no little amount of COM
ment upon the matter he had discussed
relative to the Councils action in re-
vising the city charter. The following
is another communication bearing upon
the same important matter:
To THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES: do
not propose to defend the action of the
City Council in preparing the draft of a
NO" charter for the city of Roanoke. l
merely desire to reply to the communi-
cation in your issue OF this morning,
signed Citizen" who attempts to make
it appear that he is speaking for the
people OF Roanoke
He first quotes from the Immortal
Bard to show his appreciation of liberty,
wants charter as large as the wind,
and not being satisfied with this, desires
to blow on whom he pleases. Just what
connection this has with q charter for
the city of Roanoke, fail to see. No
charter granted to municipal corpora
tion affects or abridges the liberties Of
it's people, nor does 1t prevent man
from blowing as much as he pleases.
But as to blowing on WHOM he pleases,
that ia a personal matter, and is usually
personally resented.
will not impugn the motives of the
writer. l do not know whether or not
he will be affected by any of the pro.
posed changes, or whether he has any
interest in contracts awarded by the
city, or whether he Is one of the Off .
Gals whose position will be at an end
when the proposed charter is adopted,
or whether ne is employed by any OF the
aforc mentioned to gouge for them Re
this as it may, the Council certainly has
as much right to prepare the draft for q
new charter, and claim that it is the will
of the people OF Roanoke, as "Citizen"
has to say tina. the Council ought to
have n check; that the board of public
works should do the checking, and that
that is the will of the people of Roa-
noke.
1t is evident that the citizens Of Roa-
noke want change in the municipal
govern ment. They do not care whether
it is brought about by new charter or
not. They look to Council as their
direct representatives to make the
change. All thinking men will under
stand that, in order to make those
changes reforming the municipal gov
eminent, for the retrenchment of eI.
penditures and to correct the present
defects, the fundamental law must be
changed.
believe that Council has the right to
suggest changes in the charter. 1t is
the duty of that body to make laws
for the best interests of the people, and
to maintain the integrity of the cor
poration. Certain laws are demanded
which are necessary. but Council must
conform to the old charter of 1892.
Then must it sit supinely by while
the people and the interests of the
city demand certain reforms, and say
that it can do nothing because the
charter will not allow it? Will not the
body say to them: "Whv do you not
suggest changes and urge their Fas ,age
before tho legislature? That Is what
we have elected you for"
II Council would wait for "Citizen, -
the people, or any organized body in
the city to prepare new charter we
would still continue going on spending
$4,000 year for street improvements
and SIS, 1000 year to see the work we'll
done.
Now as to the formation of the charter
of 1892 1t was suggested by Council
early in 1891 that the charter Of the
city should be amended and the presi-
dent appointed committee to prepare
draft. The committee got to work
and did som thing in connection with
the city solicitor, toward the compila-
ton of a charter. Then it was that
the much vaunted Commercial Asso-
citation stepped in and claimed to
represent. not only the commercial and
industrial interests of the city, but all
the people. 1t desired to have hand
in the proposed suggestions. This was
just what Council wanted. 1t was not very
fond OF work in those days and the
offer of the association was accepted
with thanks. in due time charter
was prepared, presented to Council and
passed-passed as smoothly as If it had
been creased.
We're the people heard then? The
only representatives the people had was
its Council. The memb ers Of that body
trusted SO implicitly in the good judg-
ment of the Commercial Association
that they became confused-confused
by the arrogance and impudence of that
association in presenting to speak for
the people on the enc hand, and, ON the
other hand, by its power to utilize the
vacant ground OF land companies, to
bring to the city the hum of cotton
mills, the clang of FORCES and twenty
thousand real estate Offices between
Tinker creek and the West End.
So the charter Of 1892 was formed
Mr.. Edmund G. Pechin, O candidate for
the Office OF mayor, furnished a great
deal of the brains on that occasion, and
Mr.. Herbert j. Browne had the task OF
letting the public know what was going
on.
Yet. Citizen" says it was discussed
by the people, was food for reflection in
the homes, and was the subject of dis