The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-10-18

GOVERNMENT
ABLY DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT AT
BROAD OF TRADE
~ Mayor NUruoek. o. Psrsersbura-
Told OF Workings OF Plan In That
City,. z. Smith Talks.

To Veil attended meeting. in the.
board Of trade rooms last evening.
Mayor c. A. Murdoch. % Parkersburg.
outlined the commission form Of gov
eminent used IN that city. and told
In an enthusiastic manner OF its sue
cess.
Mayor Murdoch opened his address
oy stating that the success Of any
form OF government depends on the
Kind OF men e'ected TO office. AMI
be further stated that the commission
form OF government will not make dis
honest men honest. or lazy men indus
trious. but IL brings all the officials
into tho llmelight 80 that every act on
their part Is known 60 the public.
nlndering them from going crooked.
he stated that In 1903 Parkersburx
had government similar To the form
now In use In this city. having
mayor. council and board Of affairs.
the Two latter bodies to act concur
rently and all OF their actions being
subject to the veto Of the mayor. lie
stated that this form OF government
was entirely satisfactory lust AZ long
as all OF the ruling bodies agreed and
until n new water filtration system
was talked OF. Then. he stated. the
hitch In this form of government was
shown. as the mayor. board OF affairs
and council each had a plan for i'm.
proved filtration. while the citizens
formed a committee and came forward
win SIN another plan. The city
authorities were - greatly divided in
their IDEAS as 10 the system that the
cltlzens soon realized that tho form
OF government In use would not do
Commission Form.
They then secured the commission
form OF government. and now elect
hve commissioners. who act for the
people. and mayor. who is a member
OF the board OF city commissioners
All ward voting was done awav with
ana the mayor and commissioners are
nominated and elected bv the peon'e
OF the city, the mayor acting as chair
man or the board OF commissioners
ana having one vote. but no yetoing
powers. All are elected for a three
year term and go out OF Office al the
same time. but this feature. said the
speaker could be improved upon as
ne does not believe that a new board
OF city officials should be elected AZ
the same time
He stated that all OF the firemen
and policemen in the city are required
10 pass civil service examination
and that list of those that passed is
turned over 10 the board Of commits
sioners. who select from this list. All
Of these officials may be dismissed bv
the board of commissioners for cause
az any time
Summing M. Mr.. Murdoch said that
the commission form OF government
enables competent. honest men 10 nc.
compiish much more than would be
possible under the old foSm Of govern.
ment. and that the business OF Park.
ersburg is conducted just as is the
business OF some large corporation.
While. he stated. the commission form
OF government may not lead 10 a great
amount OF economy greater returns
VIII be received for the amount Of
money expended. and a great amount
o. the petty graft committed by city
onicials will be done away with
l. p. Smith. proprietor Of the IA
nawha hotel in Charleston. was next
Introduced. and spoke briefly ON GI.r..
ton. stating that the sand filtration
system now in use In Charleston is
giving general satisfaction 20 the chi.
zens ~ the city IN brief. DO stated
that The system could be- Installed
cheaply. that the water viii Boz made
softer than by any other method and
viii BE- made adaptable for any and
all ueea