Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-02-04
"AsaIths' Best Wsy--Eat Apples
Every Day."
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE CHARTER

full, talr and free discussion OF
all the issues involved. the citizens
of Charles Town, at as represent
tative gathering as ever assem-.
bled in the Court House, decided
that the best interests of the town
demanded a revision and ampl1fi-
cation of the Charter, it was pre-
sumed that nothing more was to
be done than to have our repre-
sentatives at Charleston secure
its enactment by the Legislature.
From recent developments.
however, it would appear that
those who expected to control the
mass meeting-but. didn't-l1ave
for obvious motives determined to
repudiate their past actions and
ignore the will of their fellow
citizens in the hope of preventing
the passage of the new Charter
Bill, that the present control of
town government may be con-.
tinued.
Let us briefly review the facts.
That new Charter is needed
in view of the growth and expan-
sion of the town has been mani
fest for some years and conceded
by all thoughtful citizens.
At a regular. meeting of the
Town Council it was resolved
that the amendments proposed
should be submitted to tie citi-
zenS of the town before the Char
ter was drafted, and this was
done.
The Mayor Of the town pre-
sided at the mass meeting and all
sides were heard in frank discus
sion of the question.
Thereupon the same Committee
that had been appointed by the
Council in obedience to the reso-
luton and to the mandate of their
fellow citizens, and under resolu-
tions adopted at the mass meeting
prepared the Charter and for
warded it to Charleston for enact
ment.
A few days afterwards meet
ing Of the Council was called for
the afternoon Of that day, with
out adequate notice, some of the
Councilmen being out of town,
and at that meeting resolutions
we're adopted repudiating the
amended Charter, ostensib1y on
the specious plea that when Y it
was agreed to submit the Charter
to citizens mass meeting it was
understood that it should there
after be referred again to the
Council.
For the sake of argument let
us concede that OF be true.
But if these Councilmen did
not intend to abide by the deci-
sioe Of the townspeople why did
they call the mass meeting.
And after the peoples verdict
had been rendered, what moral
right have the representatives of
the people to ignore their de-
mands ?
Is the creature greater than its
creator 70
Upon what meat doth this our
Caesar feed z"
That the Council in regul ar
meeting. this week, by vote of
those who were present at the
special" meeting should have
reiterated their reputation of
the mass meeting, but emphasizes
their resentment towards those
who are without other object than
the promotion of the public well
tare, are striving to see Charles
Town advance under a new and
better Charter.
A petition has been circulated
by the opponents to the Charter
which has received signatures
galore. Its publication would
prove interesting and edifying as
would a recountal of the methods
employed to obtain these sigma
lures.
No one has the right to impute
improper motives to others nor
least of all through the presto
advance charges that cannot be
sustained. The cold facts are,
however, that many of those who
signed the petition did so under
misapprehenson" that they would
have their taxes raised and uu-