The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-24

cd tho agitation OF the new charter
| project The forces that are arraycd,
one against the other, should be work.
| lhs together for the common good OF
| all the people, fd5 an
Mr.. Baer. spoke OF a conversation
With the mayor OF Evansville, Ind.
while attending the recent Pittsburgh
meeting OF the river improvement u.s.
ISOLATION. That city has a system OF
municipal government possessing many
sooo features. He called on Mr.. Hart
10 give particulars Of the Evansville
system. FT755 4 m n, . n, -.
Mr.. Hart said Evansville is governed
under a charter that possesses the fea-j
| lures or the American federal system.
inc three departments, executive, leg
islative and judicial. are divorced from
one another. or course II is absurd to
combine these departments; the police
judge Is not the mayor. Evansville
has a small city council; there are
seven wards, one councilman from
each. and four councilman at large. II
Affairs so well with Evansville, tho
mayor Is continued In ofilce-the pres-
ent mayor IS In his second term--and
II not, the mayor goes out and with
him 80 all the executive officials of the
municipality. Council has nothing to do
with the selection OF heads OF depart
ments: the mayor has the veto power
on ordinances. The speaker had Just
received copy OF the Evansville or :
dinance. but had not had time to go
over 1t thoroughly; for that reason he
was not prepared to say all that could <
be said on the subject. To chdnge the
Wheeling city charter is important; the
present charter Is 4 thing OF patches;
IT has been said X Is OF growth. parts
are OF fungus growth, He could see
very little advantage to be gained by
the adoption OF the new charter II the
chief OF police Is TO be elected as he is
now. He was aware that feature
change Of method In selection of this
oiflcial-was considered an lnsurmount-
able objection to the new charter by
men who are arrayed In opposition. II
In adopting the charter the people run
the risk of continuing the present
method Of selecting the head OF the po-
lice department, It Is hardly worth the
trouble to adopt the charter.
DR.. Hazlett spoke Mt length on the
subject, his remarks being listened to
with attention. The doctor is thorough
ly acquainted with the charter situa-
tion, being the president of the charter
commission. .- sf
Mr.. Cummins then introduced the fol-
lowing resolution:
1NcsOlNcu, ludl tUe appoint q
committee OF eight to devise q plan
to inform the public OF the benefits nc
cruing from the new charter, and that
this committee be authorized to expend
not to exceed 5000 to this end, and, also,
that. this body use It's efforts to the
passage Of the new charter.
The resolution was adopted with two
dissenting votes, Mr.. Hart's and Mr..
Baer's.
President Quarter announced the
appointment OF the following commit
tee: William ErskIne. James Cummns,
c. w. Franzhcim, Henry Baer, Alfred
PAUL. l.. E. Sands, N e. Whitaker,
John c. Riheldaffer.
Senator Whitaker did not care to
serve, as he will be called Upon this
winter to act on the charter in the leg
islature. Mr.. Baer would be out OF the
city soon, and for that reason desired
to be excused.
Senator Whitaker thought the news
papers should prlnt the charter In full,
and support 1t editoriauy.
Mr.. George J. Nathis0n was ;appaint-.-
ed IN Senator Whltakers stead on the
committee r.
Senator Whitaker feared that unless
the newspapers actively support tho
charter, there will be an apathy on the
part OF those who would be expected to
support 1t, that will doom it to defeat