The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-03-15
CHARTER ADVOCATES GET woeeLv.

In the effort to bolster up a losing aus and secure at least enough
voca'es Of hat instrument cen to think that more is to be gained by as
sailing D lnteihgencer and its MANAGEMENT than by preaching he merits
Of their plan. For the patt two days they hate used SOM OF the more or
less valuable space of the Wheeling Register in efforts to show inconsistent.
Insenisencer. commenting o the election in Parkersburg was prominently
disDazyed. In this quotation The rnterngencer said:
our cities and towns have tried large government bodies, boards of
eHsT operations eo, tsn sS by many boards Almost invariably the result has been
fused r'poasibnity in municipal management sa s%s :" 0'oe' auh0F"' NJ dN
This Is IN exact statement OF The Inteuicencers general ori,,on 40 ~
municipal government, md M which it holds today. 1t has advocated the
reduction Of membership in the City Council. and still believes that that Is
through the files of The intelligence. preceding the adoption of our present
Lief in reasonable centranzation Of ~rsct,vo"n o~er ~ -" u Uom"Ul nn the Dc
does lot necessarily carry with it a belief N HI creation of a single central
pody, cNoahe with Ill powers and operating without an check upon its pro
ceedings The difficulty with the trainers Of the PaurIaF1am charter is
hat they have assumed a theory and have attempted tt carry It beyond
every reasonable and safe Limitation To follow their argument o a just
~ C We ~ouu ave a commission Of one man to conduct the affairs
OF the City Of Wheeling. to control all its employees. and to spend all its
in city government IS the ncentraion of ex.rTryo 49, - "a" as "" No~H
of a small and reasonable effective body like III present Board of Control
te reduction Of corncIHantc membership TO a smaller number. The election
of Council from a wider electorate, a portion from the city at large. and The
development Of a councimanc power and influence along more effective
lines. instead IF IN" entire destruction Of that BODY.
Entirely aside. however. from the main question Of governmental form.
the PaullIaFam charter abounds IN so many subsidiary evils that no man
~"o Understands L thoroughly and understands the conditions that prevail
1t creates unlimited power IN a small commission and hon ,nnosc.
restrictions that mako it impossible to secure for the commission any man
OF extended and successful business experience. Under those restrictions
the City Of Wheeling would select tho commission from un,rted and inorpe
rfence1 men. n from tho ranks OF uen who have been failures in other oc
cuPauons It denies the right OF franchise to many taxpayers who happen 10
He OUTSIDE mo Guy units ahd hus depnves a large number % citizens
whose business interest arc within the CITY. and who contribute largely 20
-" CIV p p"speHI wr oppo7uniy to IKE part in III" ctys municipal AZ
fairs ~" votes % such men are almost Invariably asst with some ,rt.ut
gence and with some regard for public interest. and TIE city will b. the
loser by their Acknowledgement.
Protesting to popuarzc city government. It takes from Tho people m.
night To vote directly upon a sngt" M Of tho candidates for important o.
fees Under tho form q. ballot prescribed M man can toll Tor whom he IL
voting for commissioner ~ T'bNc safety q department which co-fol4t ro
police and fro department 40 man can Toll 'r whom ha s votir, for com
missioner Of finance. a commissions who controls Tho crarctal Affairs n
the city. and no nan. in TACT can tell for whom Do Sc voting for ms p,1tcu
lar position.
II this city ~cro confronted By a crisis which required some immediate
action: ~ we zero suffering from gross financial abuses. r public ro-.y
had been stolen right aud left. u corruption rign"l throughout tho cy Gas,
eminent a. In emergency measure either ID" PAUL TaI7am charter or .,
other that promIs"d "a chang. might be- accepted. bf no such srrtr., az
aSairs eHTs Tho cty government ~ Wheeling e Horc.u. and o.or,r,.
ally Administered Tho people are ruTcrinr from M abuses tho, f.oy r.,
not easily correct and fh'ro 70 no occasion f- uruuunr upon Thorn n row.,
iutonay MEASURE that destroys an honest. elective municipal government
and which is 10 itself so fI ~ dangers md uu'-frI cyprimarns