The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-12

Besnffy Submitted 70 the penatty q
their error As Hls know whom
osbiame and they VII neyerb satts
lied Hand should not be sattsEded nntl
ifhelr VII is respected2
Parkersburg took the nonsparasaan
plan and & has proven satisfactory
20 tie people. Although Parkersburg
has a Republican majority the frst
mayor elected under its charter was a
Democrat, but he did not run. as q
Democrat. The ticket was made NJ
o n the short ballot plan without the
use Of party emblens and the voters
selected their officers as men and not
as politicians. The result was that
the first term was endorsed and the
most Of these men were returned &c
office. The mayor had the support
: both the Republican newspapers as
as the Democratic paper there for
reelection. That is conclusive proof
that partisan politics can be aban'
doned for the good of a city. The
mayor was reelected and all the com
m~issIoners who wanted a second term
were returned to power.
The following extracts from the
comment of the twoHuntington news
papers Of opposition politics should
have great weight with the eeople OF
Fairmont who are seeking to right
the great injustice that has been done
this city by the Democratic spoilsmen.
The Huntington Herald.D Dispatch
the Republican paper, in part says:
ut is not believed, however.
that Huntington will take any
backward step. IT IS TRUE
THAT FIVE YEARS OF TRIAL
HAVE PROVED THE PRESENT
CHARTER DEFECTIVE. But the
same conditions which have ex'
posed the defects have shown US
how to remedy them. In commits
sion government, as in every 9TH
or form of gov rnment, whether
State, National or Municipal, ad'
ministration is what counts. NO
system will prove satisfactory
that is not satisfactorily admins.
tered. and most any system wise
Is and tunstly administered would
give satisfaction"
Sc
"As TO THE FAULTS OF THE
PRESENT CHARTER, THEY
ARE NOT HARD TO DISCOVER,
NOR WILL THEY BE HARD TO
REMEDY. IF THE PEOPLE De
NAND THE REMEDY. A RIG
I'D PRIMARY LAW. AND A Sfs.
TEN OF NOMINATIONS RADl.
CALLY DIFFERENT FROM
THAT NOW IN EFFECT
SHOULD BE THE FIRST DE-
MAND. THE PRESENT CUT.
THROAT METHOD CoNDUCEs
TO THE VERY THING THE
COMMISSION CHARTER AIM
ED TO DESTRoY-RLNG POLL
TICS, INVOLVING. INSTEAD
OF ONE PARTY. TWO PAR
TIES. With the nomination sys-
tenn rectifed, the next move
should be this: make the big Of
fees, such as city clerk. city
treasurer, police Judge, etc, cleo
tive, instead OF appointive. This
would inject a new measure OF
nublic interest. and tend to de
stroy machine politics. Finally,
reduce the Citizens Board to
workable proportions"
"Tbe nroneness o fthe bipartisan
commission to disagree upon ques'
tions Affecting the public welfare
thus causing delay, has been n
source of much complaint, and mas
lone moret than any other cause TO
bring the commission form OF gov
eminent into %disfavor."
"But, we repeat, in whatever
shall be done, Huntington must
move forward, not backward"
This paper goes to the seat OF the
trouble when it alludes to the election
plan a 50 "cut.throat method" condu'
Give to ring politics involving instead
of one party two parties"
The HeraId-Dispatch cannot be &C
cused Of partisan bias in this matter
since the mayor is a Republican as
well os one OF the other four commits
sioners, giving the Republicans an even
division Of the offices. But there Is
a more lofty motive guiding the people
of Huntington and their newspapers
than the quest Of political power and
the acquisition OF the spoils OF office.
They want to see their city grow and
prosper and to have the community
satisfied with the city government, and
we believe they will succeed in theiE
good purposes.
The Huntington Advertiser, the Dem
ocratic paper, in discussing the pro
posed changes In the charter In par
says: