The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-25
acknowledgements.
WHEELING, NOVEMBER %, 1896.
The Government or Wheeling.

The 1~ntelllgencer has indicated what
It takes to be a radical defect in the pro-
posed new city charter. There Is eXecu-
tive responsibility without power; n dis
semination OF power and responsibility
through sundry channels: a failure to
draw the line sharply as between the
executive and the legislative branches
on the one hand. and between the execu-
tive and the judicial IN the other.
The defects in this regard Will appear
more clearly If we contrast that which Is
proposed for Wheeling with that which
is in operation in Evansville. Indiana,
under a charter now about three years
old. In respect OF the points under on
sideration the Evansville charter may
BIO taken as a model. 1t follows as near
ly as possible the federal plan OF gov
eminent.
Evansville centers executive power
and responsibility In the mayor. who
does not sit In the city council and does
not exercise judicial functions. With
the sole excep tion OF the mayor, Evans
Vile elects 10 executive officer and none
Is chosen by the council. Among other
things the mayor of Evansville is re-
Quired ito cause the ordinances Of the
city and the laws of the state to be exc
cuted and enforced" and he is given
the power to discharge this rcspon-
slbil!ty.
It is proposed to make 1t the duty of
the mayor of Wheeling ito cause all the
laws and ordinances Of the city to be en-
forced" and the charter gives him no
power to discharge this responsibility.
True. It Is provided that lin order to en-
able him TO do so he may. in emergen-
cies, temporarily suspend any officer in
default or falling to perform his duty"
This Is a recognition OF the ACCESSIBILITY
Of placing in the hands of the mayor the
supreme executive power, but 1t is an
impotent way to get ut It.
Who is to determine when an emcr-
gency has arisen TO warrant this eXer-
else of executive power? Presumably
the mayor. The officer charged with the
delinquency would be certain to deny
The charge and to resist suspension; for
ne "oulo DC 'he c!'oice ol inc people Vi oL
oodro MOI appo'htcu oS inc mayor anu
ieei.ns hl'tse'l 10 ina extent
ent Of the mayor. Or. he may AVE gone
INTO d aeat iiciuuihS hirlseii anu .''e
N-I a. -l.t 80 thN 1,.on,ttttvn
mayor ana ehe rest OF the executive
onlcers.
In fact, uhder the proposed charter
the mayor OF "heeiins would De ABOUT
as powerless 10 discharge the duty I'M
posed upon MIN as. Inc mayor ~ now
inc present mayor OF Wheeiins' LOT eN-
ample, Is good mar ana disposed 10 40
MS duty, u as an executive oiAcer ne IS
Without the power 10 execute.
In Evansville the people looK 10 tle
mayor Tor Inc administrator OF tneir
city soVerfment-thcy can Ia; thelr
hands on a single head. II they see III
TO take OF that head all other admins
trative headS go OIL with II. In Wheel-
Ing. under the proposed charter, the peo-
pie Will look for the administration OF
their city government TO the mayor the
assessor. the treasurer, the auditor, tne
board OF control chosen by popular elec-
ton, the board OF public safety chosen
by council. and the chief OF police elected
by the people IL the people prefer that
way OF filling this Important office. The