The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-20
GENERAL CALDWELL
EXPLAINS CHARTER
ADVOCATES RATIFICATION OF
GREATER WHEELING.
MEASURE.
Spoke Nearly Two Hours at Meeting
on Island, Last Nlsht-Others
Also Speak.


A fair-sized audience heard General
Alfred Caldwell speak for an hour and
forty minutes at Settlers hall. No. AZ
Virginia avenue. last night. in telling
OF the great good to this city, the
Greater Wheeling charter will bring
TO the people and the reasons why
the amended City charter should be
voted against at the election TO be
held next Thursday. as he saw IL.
The general prefaced his remarks
by telling OF the many years in var
ious capacities he had filled Wheeling
municipal offices. starting at the age
lof 21 as clerk OF the First Branch
council which office he held for seven
years. He told OF the old political
days when king Caucus reigned SUI
preme. as he does today" declared
the general in telling ~ the two NUM-
cipal parties. Democratic and hepub-
lican- He closed this feature of MS
address by declaring that politics
would be eliminated IL the Greater
Wheeling charter is ratified.
He said that the charter which he
advocated was for the public good.
and that not a person who assisted
in drawing IL up and who are its chief
public advocates today, expect TO gain
anything should II be indorsed by the
was framed by the people and for the
people. while the other charter was
gotten up by and for the Office hold
ers. declared the General with much
emphasis. II do not blame those who
are In office for wanting TO retain
they would be fools not TO protect
their interests and positions. A char
ter Is only a legal granting power.
Ihls power Is to be used in robbery
pure and simple under the guise or
making municipal improvements in
the other charter"
Close 20 the People.
The general said that the Greater
Nneenng charter In its construction
gets down close 70 the people. and thai
tney do make mistakes that eventually
tney viii remedy their mistakes n they
are let alone by the gang of political
E1aIters. Our charter has made pro-
vision to. put the finger on the grafting
politicians We are for referendum am
recall that We can put the man out OF
does not conduct himself properly. He
then went into detail. telling OF the
manner In which the nine councilmeu
are elected under the charter advocated
/ by him: that politics cut no figure in the
erection or councilmen. that only good
men with clean reputation shall be Sc
| lected by the people. regardless OF their
: political affiliations. and there will bs
none mons Sc, 5teiected by e2gens. as heretofore.
luded 20 che chief Of police and other
officials being chosen on political tick.
He tlen took a fling at the Amended
the minimum and maximum. sayinG
| that the mayors would he from 81 5Of
20 $1,000 a year. You are wrong n you
| think he - going 60 take the $4,000 sal.
ary''. said the speaker.
Compared the Characters.
Our charter provides for two-yeat
20 six years, which means that part ~
the old office holders will be in
office a part OF the time when
remove any OF the Officials AZ Snv
time by the recall and none OF them
shall serve over two years. Under the
] less thar four years and will have 10
q 60 20 court y they wish certain Of
hcial removed we have seen that at
tempted IN the police department some
time ago smhsnsly remarked the gen
l After taking VI a large number Of
and telling Of the power vested In coun-
/ cil and tho city manager under To-,
harshly critiEzing the amended Chart.
Ier'a clause that voter would have Ia
h ~. i 5,sn, +, n fgl sefose he she
general declared that such Il law W.
conflicting with the constitution Of the
provision IN barring one from voting a.
| WaNed eloquent by saying that ~ was tiro
"God given rights ~ an American citf.
zen % vote whether his taxes were paid
Of not fe appealed 10 his audienre fo
vote Tor the Greater Wheeling frarfrr
"feT, their own sake. their wives ADD
- The meeting vas presided over bv SIR
It. \. Robinson. Mr.. Charles g. Hovera
spgsc briefly preccdI Ing General Caid-
I livered hy g. nurgesr Tafior. who s9id
that General Caldweti'a nodcstv would
VEN usu ib ,s" f 20 say ga, be caid,
4 wheeling charter.