The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-08

great deal OF adverse criticism has
been heard upon the action OF the Coun-
Gil in revising the city charter, and in
'railroading," as it is called, the
different changes through without sub
hitting them to the consideration of
the people. THE TIMES has received
the following communication, which
gives expression to some of the views
which those outside the Council hold
upon the matter:
To THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES: The
spirit of the City Council, as evinced in
their proposed amendment to our present
words OF the immortal hard in LAS
You Like IT.:
II must have liberty
Withall as large charter as the wind
To blow OH whom please"
The charter OF city stands in much
the same relation to a city as the con-
stitution to State, and is not thing
to be changed at tine will OF commit
tee Of the Council. We should at least
make haste slowly in this direction.
Are we to understand that the proposed
amendment has already been hastily
mailed to our repre- sentatives in Rich
mond with the request that it be made
q law? II this is SO. we trust that our
representatives in the Legislature will
understand that there is wide differ
ence between the sentiment of the City
Council and tho sentiment OF the citi-
zens OF Roanoke.
This is ono of the boldcst and most
barefaced attempts to usurp the rights
and privileges granted TO munich.
pality by the direct Capitalization OF
all power in the City Council itself
This Legislative body becomes at once
Legislative and executive; ali checks
and barriers contained in the present
charter are ruthlessly swept away, and
there is no will but the will of the City
Council.
With power as autocratc as that of
the czar OF Russia, to whom are they
responsible? With all of the increase
of power which they propose to aggre-
gate to themselves, they have not once
suggested that the public should at
least have the safeguard OF bond with
sureties, a matter they have always
been careful to look after with other
officials of the city. In matters OF
finance, in matters of public improve
ments, they would be absolute; the veto
innocuous. Contracts could be awarded
regardless of the rights of the lowest
bidder.
Let us analyze carefully few sections
Of this wonderful instrument which we
are told is good medicine for US, and
under which we are asked to exist for
the next two years. Having defined the
veto rights Of the mayor under section
SO, they proceeded under section SO to
wipe out that section and the mayor
along with it by inserting, For any
misconduct, malfeasance or misfeasance
in office the mayor may be removed by
Council" Malfeasance and misfeasance
is good, but misconduct With Council
sitting as the judge of what constitutes
misconduct" then God save the mark
and the devil take the ayor.
A veto administered at an inopportune
moment could easily be construed as
misconduct" and thus a mayor who
would refuse to obey the behest of
Council could easily be replaced with
one who would. They have thrown out
another tentacle in the direction
the mayors salary which could be in
creased or diminished at the will of
Council during his ter of office, which
would virtually give them the power
to abolish the Office and create it again
at pleasure.
Having thus disposed of tho chief OK.
ecutive OF the city Council proceeds at
once to invest itself with powers extra
ordinary and plenipotentiary Under
section 10S Council may award contracts
for public improvement without any re.
Straint whatever 1t is not necessary
that the person to whom the award is
made should even be bidder at all,
but Council would have full power to
disregard all bids and award a contract
at figures fixed by themselves if mis-
taken judgment or prejudice should so
suggest; and further, Council would
have the sole direction Of the execution
of the work and the purchase of m aterial,
and finally Council would order the pay
ment of all bills without any check
whatever
Then follows section 104, which pro-
vides that Council may create an off,
cial to be known as the superintendent
OF public improvements He must be
particularly and siDgularly creature
OF their own, inasmuch as they may
prescribe his duties and grant him such
power and authority over all work
under construction for the city as said
Council may deem proper, and shall
have power at any time to suspend or
abolish the same" Having thus for
feited themselves, they proceed with a
modest section, No. lit, 10 annihilate
the board of public works in ten days
after the passage of the act.
The board has ever been a stumbling
block in the path of Council as they
were intended 10 stand between Council
and the people in the administration of
public improvements and the payment
OF money therefor. They were provided
for by the present charter to be ap-
pointed by the mayor to serve for his
term OF office and no hill for nuhlic