Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-03-21

the New D0mini0n-Nhatt the New
Charter Really Means Objections are
Flinsy aud Without Real Foundation.
Col. r. E. Fast author of the char
ter for Greater Morgantown was seen
to day by a representative of the
New DOMINION and asked about it's
provisions. There have been sever
al objections raised to the instra
ment and he was asked to answer
them. He consented to an interview
and the following points were taken
up:
What about this charge of seere-
cy, aud that no one was allowed to
know what the charter was to be be
fore it had passed.
/ wrote the bill for the charter of
the City Of Morgantown because the
mayors of South Morgantown and
Morgantown, and the recorder Of
Seneca, claiming to represent their
several towns, came to me and re-
quested me to do So | know moth
ing OF any plan OF secrecy to keep
information of the character of the
charter from the people. | was busy
with other work and did not com
plete the charter until after the
meeting Of the Legislature, when |
mailed it to Delegate Grant No
men or body Of men conferred with
me and represented what they want
81 al I e.
citizens of all the towns what their
ideas were as to boundaries, charac-
ter of city government, etc. but no
one seemed to have definite idea.
So | was lett entirely to my own re
sources. II anyone wanted to see
the charter, he could have examined
it by promptly sending for a copy.
1t was well -known fact that the
bill was introduced. It was pub
lished in the newspapers. The leg
islatiye session is short. The bill
had to be pushed in order to get
through in the short session of for
ty-five days. If anyone remained in
ignorance Of the contents of the bill
he has no one to blame but himself;
for he could have got copy by tax
ing the trouble to send for it.
Then it is claimed that the people
living far out will derive no benefit
whatever and will in spite of this
fact have to bear the burdens?
Included in the original draft of
the bill all the territory embraced in
the Morgantown school district. 1t
was changed SO as to leave out the
West Side of the river after the bill
went to Charleston. | can see no
Justice in having one area for school
purposes and another for other OBJ
iects of city government. In nearly
all the Northern and Western States
the area for municipal government
is the area for school administra-
ton; and 1T is often given in charge
of municipal authorities. Is it fair
that the outlying people should have
the benefit of our schools and should
not bear the burdens of all local
government? They should be in for
all purposes or out for all purposes.
The legislature has often been on
the point of repeating all acts Great
ing independent school districts.
One of the strong arguments made
against them is that they include
country areas not within any incor-
porated town. To make the Nor
gantown school district coincide
with the corporate area OF Morgan
town will be an argument in favor
of maintaining the integrity OF the
school district, when it is recognized
that it is featuee of local govern
ment which the town should con
troll The argument that applies to
resident halt mile out applies in
pfoportionate degree to the resi-
dent on Prices hill. Does the resi-
dent on Prices hill derive as much
benefit from the town government as
he who lives near the court house
square? Then If not according to
the argument advanced the town
limits should be shrunk up so as to
include only so much as lies within
a stones throw of the court house.
There is some objection by the out
side towns that they will have to pay
Morgantown's debt. How about
this?
This certainly does not apply to
South Morgantown or Seneca, which
have issued or will issue bonds TO the
( five percent limit. They are bonded
TO the limit. Morgantown proper is
not Therefore the mathematical
truth is that Morgantown will pay a
greater proportion Of the debts of
those two areas than they will pay OF
the debt contracted in Morgantown's
area. If Morgantown is bonded fol
three per cent Of her valuation and
South Morgantown for five, 1T is plain
that South Morgantown has the ad.
vantage.
What do you think Of the claim
tAaf Morna NJ otgr will want tn lnp