The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-09-12
R. GHKESOM,
cIothler and FurnlSher
to7 Main 81

IeleIeuSG " InS au'ASaOIIlty vi Sh
dorsing the commission form OF gov
eminent for the city Of Fairmont. We
have kept out of It because, while we
are convinced that 1t Is an expert
ment well worth trying, there has
been but little necessity for any argu-
ment from our point of view, as every
detail of the plan and its workings
has been ably and thoroughly coy
cred by the West Virginian in edi-
torials it has addressed to the voters
of Fairmont and vicinity. Mr.. Da-
Wis and the West Virginian have been
thoroughly consistent in their atti-
t.tude toward the adoption Of the COM
mission form of government for Fair
mont. They made the preliminary ar
gument in favor Of the plan, and
worked up so strong a sentiment for
its adoption that nearly a thousand
citizens of the city signed petitions
TO the Legislature calling upon it to
pass a bill giving the city an oppor-
tunity to approve and put into effect
such measure. The movement was APP
proved by the Chamber of Commerce
and the Business Mems Association
and the new charter was framed by d
legislative committee of leading citl-
7ens who had at heart the citys best
interests. or course in proposition
of this magnitude there were bound
10 he more or less differences of Opin-
ion as to some details. AS far rs pos
sible these were adjusted until prac-
tically the only question at issue was
whether the non-partisan plan or the
bipartisan plan should be given pref
erence. Mr.. Davis argued for what
was known as the nOn-partisan plan.
The Times then thought aid still
thinks that the bipartisan plan af-
fords greater guarantees against par
tlsan political control of municipal
affairs than what was known as the
non-partisan plan. The Times be-
ueycd il saw in the non-partican pian1
n chance for one party to seize hold
of the municipal government and run
1t in u political way. We have been
and are now opposed to political mon
agement of the affairs OF Fairmont.
We have always argued that Fair
mont Is too small and too poor to az
ford the luxury of political admins
tration. When the Republican par
ty was running the city in an eXtrav-
agant manner we protested against
that system. It doesn't alter our opln-
ion generally as to the deficiencies OF
such administration to change 1t owe:
to the Democratic party, though we
are frank to say if it is to be a politl-
cal administration we prefer Demo-
cratic one, and we honestly believe
that the city has been run very much
better, with greater economy, with
reduction of debts, and with much
more freedom from graft since the
change than before. But all this IS
neither here nor there. We wanted to-
safeguard Fairmont in the future
from what we believed to be the evils
of political administration. Mr.. Oa-
Wis, and those with him at Charles
ton urging the passage Of the meas
ure, professed to want the same
thing. MIR. Davis and some Of those
men are consistent. When they found
that they could not get everything
they wanted they compromised on
the bipartisan plan and are willing
TO accept that as reaching the result
for which they were struggling. 9th
crs declined to submit and because
they could not get through a meas
ure which would have made 1t posi-
BILE for one party to absolutely con-
troll the city, they are to-day fighting
the adoption of the charter, thus con-
nrming the belief at that time eX'
pressed that some of such advocates
of the new form of government as
these were influenced wholly by the
| hope that under it they would again
get charge of the City government
with such spoilatiOn Of its revenues
as might be possible under partisan
control. For these reasons, and be-
cause we believe that the commits
sion form of government promises
greater efficiency and economy than
any other, we heartily support the
West Virginian in the great fight 1t
is making for the adoption OF the new
charter. Fairmont cannot stand still.
We must either go forward or back
ward. There are betterments and i'm
provements that we must have TO ac-
commodate ourselves to conditions
that are fast coming to this commun-
ity. New railroads should bring new