The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-04-07
personalities We think

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contained personalities We think
iFrevelant to the matters under dis
eussion.
II the general policy should bel
adopted by both newspapers OF start
ling rival ediums every time a news
paper discussion become heated we,
believe there VIII be a newspaper on
every corner In Fairmont and. several
In the middle Of each block before
the fall campaign ends.
So much for that.
Now to the allegations of the
Times.
We do not care to- discuss the
Clarksburg city government but we
do know that some people, Republi-
cans too, who are said to be respon-
ssible for the kind OF government;
Clarksburg, has, Joined hands with.
some Democratic politicians of Fair
mont at charlestonttod defeat tn nom
partisan charter bill that the West
Yirginian favored.
We did believe. and still believe;
in the commission form Of govern.
ment. We have seen nothing to.
change our opinion oft. We do not,
however, believe and have never be-
lieved, in the so-called bipartisan
plan and the files of the West Wiz
ginian will.bear us cut IN, that state
ment, but this was only submitted 10
by the West Virginian as matter
of compromise believing that the
spirit of the charter would at least
be lived up to by those who favored
this bi-furcated monstrocity. as we
have often called it and shall con-
tinue to call It until'its provisions are
changed or are strictly lived up to.
The charter the West Virginian be-
came so excited" about, to use the
expression Of our neighbor, was not
the bipartisan plan but the Simon
pure commission government as
adopted at Des ,Moines, noni-partisan,
with elections provided for. upder;na,
party emblem, This charter, ,provil5r
ed that there ,be. only three CON mis-
sionffrs and that they devote THEIR;
wien elected. go ~ - II,
The compromise was so adroitly
worded that the commissioners may
devote part of their time to other en-
ployment and some of them are now
holding as many as three positions
and drawing three salaries, SO we
ore informed, and this has never
been denied
We confronted situation in Fair
mont that needed a remedy, like the
Times claims exists at Clarksburs
now.
The West virginian over the pro-
test of a good many people who al
ways cry hush, made these conditions
known to the public by the publica-
ton OF series Of articles under title
OF Government at Random and
proved It by the undeniable figures
from the city records and public
audits. No one disputed the figures
but they did question the. wisdom of,
making them public. So will It ala
ways be. We believed then. and
stu believe, that we needed a change.
We went on the theory in aceeptingl
a compromise charter, that 'Whenl
conditions are SO bad they can be mol
worse, change can do no harm" tol
use well known phrase of a local.
attorney. Il
> And for the benefit of the Times
and all other of our critics then. now,l
and henceforthlto arise, to smite ISL
we say we.still believe that the presgl
ent charter and the present form oil
so ternment, aside from its bifurcat-l
cd election plan, is mucl, better tianl
the old form and will prove TO be !
more satisfactory and that we do not
think that the city or any other city
VIII so back to the old form after
trying the commission plan. None
have done II yet. There may follow'l
some evolution to city manager
plan or return to the pure form Of |
commission government, but the old
plan cannot ever be anything but a
haphazard government at random.
|, To refresh the memory of the peo-
ple Of Fairmont, 1t Will be remcdni
lSssed that ftS 6h.partisar plsiSl
WEI three commissioners, reouirt5l
y, devote -tlieir entire time 10 dill
isity's agat1sr was passed through tke1
1oflse or Delesstes sIntroduced bgj
Mr Ice and would have been tffd1
iedsernmept of Fatrmopt ,nd@ had not!l
g well known Democratic attorney
aafl some other Democratic friends!
gone to Charleston with the present
charter in his grip and blocked the
passage Of the non-partisan plan.
This forced the compromise ana il
would have not been agreed to then
had not they rather reluctantly per-
mitted the initiative, referendum ana,
recall to be Incorporated in 1t which
Is all that saved us from an unreasonz
ableHwater tax. !.