The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-01-01
Wednesday. January 1, 1913.
PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE CITY
GOVERNMENT.

The Intelligencer has no partic-
ular quarrel with the gentlemen who
have been busily engaged for the past
several weeks In preparing a new
charter for the City of Wheeling.
Considered in the abstract, Il sees no
great reason for finding fault with the
results of their labors II the city
government of Wheeling were as IL
was six years ago. the proposed new
charter would doubtless be welcomed
as a source OF relief. but the city
government OF Wheeling is not as II
was six years ago. AS matter of
TACT, we have a city government at
present that makes possible every
benefit that the proposed new charter
will insure. and which can. by very
Few changes. be made satisfactory
of every reasonable demand OF or Cit
liens. The gravest fault of our present
city government seems TO be that the
words commission form" were not
used by those framing and planning il.
The trainers OF the proposed new
charter have been trading upon the
popularity of the supposed commits
sion form of government. and by in.
ference seeking to create the impress
sion that We have something vastly
inferior there to and different there
from. Instead. we have substantially
a commission form of government in
Wheeling now. We have a commits
sion form. with. wise checks. with
wise balances and with wise distribu-
ton OF authority. that has on more
than one occasion operated to the
benefit of the city. by few amend
ments 10 the present charter We can
secure everything that the proposed
new charter gives.
II our citizens want the initiative.
referendum and recall. the same can
b. written into our present charter
by an amendment OF one hundred
words
II our citizens want 10 make the
Chief Of Police an apointive officer.
instead Of an elective officer. the
same can be written into our present
charter by an amendment OF loss
than one hundred words.
These are the two most important
changes proposed In the new charter
To secure these changes 10 is Ger.
tainly not necessary TO wipe out the
present entire city government. 10
destroy the complete and thorough
organization which the Board OF Con.
troll has created Curing the past four
years. and 10 break up the well %.
tablished and smoothly working sys.
tenn which has been perfected with
great care and detail by the Board.
The Intellieencer doubts n the two
propositions stated above. which are
the principal changes made in the new
charter would Il pa, before the peo.
pie of Wheeling win on their merits.
There are arguments Tor and against
. both ~ them The Initiative. the
referendum and tho recall a. checks
upon legislation. or executive action.
an only he resorted 20 in cmergen
They would not prevent anv
- abuses and onenses. They
NOT prevent tho preparation
ross frauds and graft.
10 tho Chief ~ Police. there
II -oe~h and there BEL stu among A
great number ~ our citizens we'll
defined sentiment favorable ~ efoc
ton by the people Whether ma.
4 continent ~ just M unrst. 30 exists.
AZ 10 the organization o. Council.
II may be freely admitted that forty.
-four members make an unp ieIfy and
burdensome counciimanic body fr
our Council f. reduced 10 eleven NJ
fifteen in number and C0unciInrn arc
paid moderate ompensation for a.
tending counciimanic meetings and
committee meetings. rho character
Hnd tone n Council will DO larreIv