The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-03-05

The people of Wheeling are face TO face with a proposition to
make a complete change in the form of their city government. In
the place of a government with systematic. we'll organized and we'll
regulated checks and balances they IT asked to accept a centralized
form OF government placed in the hands of FIVE men, three of whom
would have the power TO carry through any measure or proposition
that might come before the body. The Inteligencer is interested
only in securing for the city the very best and safest government
that it is possible to get.
The people should study this matter carefully and should ask
the advocates of the new proposed government to explain its salient
features. What check is there upon the official acts of the FIVE COM
mssi'ners; Absolutely none that is practical or efficient. -AdvO-
Gates OF the new system point 10 the recall as sufficient check but
they do not tell us that the recall is invoked only after the damage
IS one ta II IS a slow and cumbersome process and thar it would
be utterly impossible to invoke il every time a commissioner made a
mistake or committed a wrong. This is the most serious defect in
.e proposed system. 1t places the appointment and control of hun
dreds of employees and the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of
collars annually in the hands of five men with no proper " efficient
check upon their acts.
But these people saw that only good lei will n, efac,ed com
mssioners. What guarantee can they give IS to what class OF men
the electorate of Wheeling will choose for these important nositions9
A new charter will not change the nature or desires of the voters
OF the city. Consider the class and character of men who have been
CHOSEN for important positions in the city in the past. and you have
q sure indication a S TO what class of men VINO. with the inducement
. We IA saary 10 D e pa'd commissioners will use their political
sagaety and pull with renewed vigor under this lev charter.
The opportunity for building up a compact. effective, powerful
IN POSSIBLY corrupt machine will be such as the most greedy city
political heeler never dreamed of before. These five commissioners
will have absolute control of about five hundred men who derend
upon mem for Their places. These five hundred. through relation.
snip and otherwise. would control a tleast five hundred more. end in
this way one-tenth of the voters of the city would be under direct
ooIgations TO the commission. A splendid and dangerous nucleus
for a machine such as never existed in Wheeling before w;,bi, ,h.
last Few months we have had a practical and startling ;uustrstio, os
to ire class of men who are able TO ecur noniro,;ons f- .ama
Offices in primaries in Wheeling. All realize how easy II would he
fo7 five practical politicians, ever of a dangerous tyne n conb;ro
n goooIe the city government under this new proposed centralized
proPosinon. DO or people desire to experiment with such a danger.
Gus proposition?
Our present system has been harshly criticized. but nobody can
point TO any serious mistakes that have been made in late wears On
the other hand, it is a fact that council has been able to prevent mis-.
takes that otherwise would have been made and caused serios rosy
TO the city. Checks and balances are absolutely necessary -, ,u
governments Experience has taught US that unbHded license. IN
limited power. IS dangerous thing even when placed in the hands
OF men Of the very highest character.
The Intelligence believes that a CRY go,crnment comrosed of
a board OF control Such IS We now have and a ourc,fr-,; b.t.
composed of fifteen members one TO be c,e,ted from each vs-d
seven al large. woulj constitute a safe. well balanced CITY ,o,.-r
ment. In this va; the interests of tine PEOPLE would he safequa-sc,
and not left az the mercy Of FIVE. or possibly three Ter II 81 -,
might be elected from the same ctv block