Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-06-17
ACTION Of
THE CITY
COUNCIL
HAS ACTED WITHIN LAW AND
ACCORDING TO THE WISHES
OF THE PEOPLE WHO ELECT
ED 1T.
Editor Daily Leader:

Editor Daily Leader:
The Telegraph seems greatly con-
cerned over the action OF the city
council in excluding two members
or that body because they refused
to take the oath of office prescribed
by law, n law made by the very peo-
pie who are now bowling because
Democratic officials enforce II. Sec
tion ten OF the city charter provides:
They (members of the council)
shall each respectively be the own
er of a freehold in said city for at
least one year prior to their said
el nction. such ownership to be evil
denced by proper deeds OF record in
the county court clerks office OF
Mercer county, West Virginia. Re-
fore entering upon the duties of
their respective offices, they shall
scverally take an oath that they pos
scss the above qualifications and are
not subject To any of the disquaIi-
fiCations prescribed I'm this act"
Messrs. Schoew and Kahle were
asked before entering upon their
duties TO take thA oath prescribed
above, as the law requires. and they
refused to do so. claiming that it
was unconstitutional; but as the
council cannot pass upon constitu-
tional questions, they have to take
the law as it appears upon the
books, and leave the constitutional
questions to the courts. Mr.. Schoew
now, and If elected by the council at
this time. could take the oath of
office required by law, but he re-
fuses TO accept the election at the
hands OF the council. though they
stand ready to elect him at any
time, and thus permit him to hold
according to law the office which
he cannot hold under his election
on the 5th OF May because he can
not take the oath OF office required
by law. At first Mr. Schoew agreed
to accept the election at the hands
OF the council. but after advising
with members OF the gang" he
changed his mind. and is now pos
ing as a martyr The council stands
ready to aid him to serve out his
term, but insists that he must com
ply with the law first. Mr.. Kahle
cannot yet take the oath and will
not be able to do so for many
months, and the council cannot aid
him 10 a seat in it's body for some
time.
Now as to the new police ordi-
nance. The campaign OF the Good
Government Club last spring was
made largely upon the iniquitous
administration OF the gang" and
one OF the worst features OF that
administration was the police force
It met with almost universal CON
demnation. Scores Of Republicans
who supported the regular ticket at
the election were outspoken against
the police. which as force had ut
Iterly lost the respect and confidence
OF the public. and with It their abil-
ity TO serve the people efficiently.
II seems to have been the policy OF
the gang" acting through their
board Of supervisors. TO appoint on
the police force not men fitted for
the place and those having the re-
spect and confidence Of the public.
whose servants they are, but men
who were loyal 10 the gang" and
who would take an active part in all
elections while in the employ Of the
city and do any work for the
gang" worthy or unworthy, "a
help keep them IN power The re-
suit OF this policy has been that the
police force has lost its power "a
serve the city. and the people de.
mand a change. and we believe we
state the truth when We say that
more than three-fourths Of the cit
izens favor reorganization OF the
police force.
Knowing the wishes Of the people
the new administration sent a com
mittec to the board Of supervisors
, asking them 10 make changes in the
force by discharging Objectionable
men. and putting others in their
places who would be satisfactory To
the people at large The committee
did not ask that Democrats be put
on The force, but that unobiection-
able men be put on The board
frankly admitted that the people
had just cause OF complaint and
that many changes ought to be
made In tho force. and personally
the supervisors were anxious 10
make The changes. but the gang"
interfcrred and demanded that IT'S
. tools be left alone In fact an
agreement was reached az one time
/ whereby all but four OF the present