Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-07
THE ALTERNATIVES.

The city election is but a little more
than two weeks off. Probably three
fourths of the voters have made up
their minds how they will vote. u
to those who have not yet decided the
question to their satisfaction and who
may hold the balance OF power,
the Register presents one or two i'm
portant facts which dominate the sit
uation.
The necessity for a better state of
affairs in the city government is not
disputed by any good citizen. The
extravaganza, incompetence and worse
N our municipal affairs under the
present regime have brought about
,uch a condition that a radical change
for the better is demanded by respect
able citizens of all classes and of both
parties. The repeated defeat of this de-
mand during the past six years has
naturally resulted in the Independent
move represented by the Committee OF
One Hundred.
That this citizens committee is not
popular is plain and anyone with half
an eye may see that it's interference,
though honestly meant for good, and
ever its endorsement, are generally
resented by candidates good, bad and
Indifferent, who dread being labelled
''reformers' as if the title were a stig-
ma. Yet, as we have said, everyone
recognizes the imperative necessity
for reform, though few want it
through the agency of a Committee
of One Hundred, which many good
people suspect of harboring puritani-
cal ideas. to which even the present
condition of things is preferable. To
the latter class the Register would con-
vey the timely warning that if a a
ical change of policy for the better is
not secured at the coming election
the eventual swing of the pendulum
under a revulsion of popular feeling
when the people are goaded beyond
endurance by present conditions may
result in the most radical kind of blue
law puritanism in%augurated not by a
Committee of One Hundred but by a
Committee of One Thousand, which is
already limited at.
r. The simple question is, how to Sc
cure proper and reasonable reform of
the city government without the aid
of any Independent committee?
The answer is equally simple: Turn
out those responsible for the eXtrava-
gance, mismanagement and general
looseness of the past six years and
put in their places new men not sub
so long dominated this r%ing-ridden
city.
The path to proper reform is plain.
It is the only route by which the OBJ
ject can be attained. 1t is the only
plan that is practicable and that has
the endorsement of common sense.
Turn out tie element which has prov
en- it's suDserl iency to the ring and
which n.s C.t seen weighed in the bal
ance and every time found wanting
more ana more, and put good citizens
not so domi-ated-in other words,
Democrat5-in their places. City gov-
eminent il the past under Democratic
auspices has been in every way inf
niteiy superior to that We have exper-
fenced since. The election of the
Democratic ticket, especially the
choice of a Democratic majority in
Council is the only way under heaven
to secure a reasonable and acceptable
change for the better. If this is not
done then prepare for the Committee
of One Thousand and a tidal wave of
blue law reform in which moderation
will be swamped and the community
landed high and dry on the bleak
shores of puritanism where the inno-
cent will suffer with the guilty in the
curtailment of personal liberty.
These are alternative propositions
the citizens Of each party would do