Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-02-24

proposition, recommended to council
, that the contract be endorsed-but
after the committee had adjourned,
two of the members. acting under the
advice Of the political boss of this
baliwick, the defender of Steel Trust
and Senator Scott. the multimanager
of the Observation-Disclosures two.
one of whom had voted for the report
in. committee. fixed up a minority
report framed to delay the matter
still longer. And in spite of the fact
that this report was illegal. to many
parliamentary minds. the First
branch, led by that sterling defender
of the. common people. Charles H.
Watkins, accepted the minority re-
port and never took any action at
all on the regular report Of the regu-
lar committee. sending the contract
back to the Board of Control unen-
dorsed, and playing absolutely into
the hands of the Electric Light Goods
Trust and local political gaRgsteFS.
Losing $50 Per Day.
Thus the matter stands. The News
lencergraph shouts that - good th1ng
won't spoiI,n forgetting about eggs.
And while we are waiting for the
Trustte get ready to go through our
pockets, we are Continuing tof loss
$40 per- day by operating the present
out-of-date plant II we wait 30
months until the Trust can offer
something that viii ebe acceptable to
the local gangsters, the taxpayers
will by then have lost enough money
to have paid the entire cost OF an up
tc-date. electric street lighting sys-
TEN. But what care the gaugsters?
II has never been charged that they
are in politics for the good of the
public. n
The MOdus Operandi.
/ The people have ben kept in igno-
rance of the true facts by reason Of
the only avenues Of information be-
ing the daily press. and this is in the
hands of the Trust and ~Gangsters.
Day after day false and misleading
attacks were made in the Newse8cer-
graph upon the Warner proposal. and
when the Warner company attempted
to reply THE COMPANY WAS
CHARGED HIGH ADVERTISING
RATES. Think that over: One day
printing something that made reply
necessary, and then charging for a
reply! There is no sure-thing
gambling game that beats that! The
Majority has secured proof Of the
scheme in the form Of receipt. the
photograph Of which appears here
with. And papers are supposed to be
printed in the interests of the people!
~ Should Get Busy.
The Majority. believing that q
newspaper should have higher ideals
than advertising receipts, has at
tempted to bring the matter before
the people in the true light. and will
continue to print the truth, of the
matter until council awakes to its
duty and does something to justify
it's existence and the confidence Of
the people in electing it. If q man
Of the calibre of Charles H. Watkins,
who was foremost in the Traction
grab three years ago. by which the
city lost a half million dollars. can
keep the citizens of Wheeling from
the ordinary advantages which In
ventive science places within their
reach-then the; sooner the citizens
know 1t, the better.
The people should bestir them
selves. They should interview their
councilmen, particularly the members
Of the useless First branch. It might
not be amiss to have public mass
meeting to protest against the whole
high-handed mess. :.