Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-12-08
THE NEW CHARTER.



To the Editor of the Register.
Sir:-Councu Will meet in regular session
Tuesday evening. and the ordinance sub
hitting the proposed new charter TO u
vote of the people viii presumably be
taken up in the First Branch for action.
If the ordinance be passed. the election
will be held as therein provided. and it IS
because the matter may be thus summar-
lily decided that l wish TO offer few sus-
gcstions before il is ever astingly too late
These suggestions I make 40 the men,
bers of the First Brauch-nCt i'm cap
ti1us spirit of hostility 20 the charter. but
from that sense of caution and precaution
which should govern in an weishty mat
ters.
The present draft of the charter was
prepared 10y order of Council by Com
mission composed of Councilmen and cit
liens. i'm equal numbers. 1t Will be con-
coded that the paper thus prepared IS OF
the greatest possible Importance to the
people of this city. since, adopted, II
may be our governing law for half CEN
fury to come, as the present charter.
wiki its amendments has been for sixty
years.
This proposition being conceded. as I
take it will follow its reading, is it wise
plan to rush the measure before the peo-
pie in the manner proposed and partially
carried out?
When an ordinance. however incense
quential it may be is proposed i'm Coun-
eli. IL must De read I'm full twice and 10y
Sec .fr..fr i'm hf-
fore il can be voted on This is wise.
But here We have q fundamental law,
upon which an ordinances and the very
form and substance of the city govern
ment itself are based. vet not one section,
paragraph, sentence or syllable has ever
been read i'm either Branch of Council.
and there has been no word Of discussion
or debate upon any OF the provisions OF
The document
Is this the manner i'm which our pro-
posed new government is 10 be maugu-
rated?
Is matter Of this transcendent i'm
portance to be put through Council thus?
one of the alleged good things i'm the
new. charter is said 10 be a strict account
ability for action taken and requirements
that a majority of AN the members elect
ed must vote for a law before it is finally
passed Yet the charter itself is to be
put through Council and submitted To the
people without So much as one word Of
it being either read or published and
without either debate or explanation of
it's provisions. VIII the members Of the
First Branch follow the leaU of the Sec
oud in this matter? I most sincerely hope
not. Let there Dee fuI complete and
thorough understanding Of each and all Of
the provisions of this measure. Let each
section be weighed and considered. They
may be an well enough. but are the pro-
visions the best that can be devised? The
new scheme of government may be a
splendid thing but does il represent the
best we are capable of? our plans may
Doe all right but win the Legislature CO.
iucide with us and are they pres nted in
the best shape?
These and other similar questions should
be worked out TO satisfactory solution,
and it would be far better to wait two
years. if necessary. and at last 20 TO the
Legislature with a good thing well eX-
pressed. than to rush matters now, only
TO repent our haste 'H the future.
7 know il VIII be said that 5000 copies
Of the charter have been printed for the
use of the public but that in no wise
meets my objection Tens Of thousands
Of circulars hand-bius and pamphlets
are often distributed. to no purpose what
ever. and it is my matWod opinion that
at the moment I write there are five
thousand citizens OF Wheeling who have
.fr., q