The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-05
new CHARTER Will Save THE SO, 1000 SALARY GRAB

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4 disapp ointment and to the absolute
detriment Of the city.
The present form Of bipartisan rule
practically disfranchises the MAORI.
fly Of the people, makes arbitrary gov.
eminent possible by absolutely ignor
ling the petitions Of the people in a
sort Of public be damned fashion,
but that Is not all-it has set up a
salary grabbing system more reckless
and daring than that Of even the old
councilmanic system, which was prop.
erly done to its everlasting death by
turning the spotlight of publicity on
the Government at Random" The
new tangled bipartisan farce has
outdone the Government at Ran.
dom" by increasing the salary grab
Ito the tune OF twenty thousand dol.
lars during the first year Of its exist.
ence.
It Is the aim and purpose OF the
proposed new charter to meet oil
these conditions and 1t will be non.
partisan not only In name, but In
fact. 1t will seek to establish an ef
ficient city government. but at the
same time reduce the salaries and
provide economical safeguards that
will make salary grabbing imposst.
BILE. 1t will seek to do away with
party lines and to give all the peo.
pie representation. To make these
things possible II seeks to make fair
elections absolutely certain, without
which no city administration will ever
have the cooperation Of all our peo-
pie.
The taxpayers and voters We be.
llieve will almost unanimously approve
such a plan.
The author Of the new charter does
not claim to be the originator of all
the good provisions it contains.
but there are many provisions in
1t that are made and fitted to local
conditions and designed to correct the
i abuaGo VI sWhlSh LttC iGOpiV heNS kpt
SO many years complained.
The new plan Is very largely pattern.
led after the city manager plan OF
Dayton, many of the best provisions OF
the present charter are retained and
1.-The provisions that are suitable and
adaptable to the city Of Fairmont are
taken from a close study Of many
other charters that have been sue.
tcessfully tried. The general plan and
outline is that of charters that have
proven successful.
Since the commission plan OF gov.
eminent was first inaugurated at Gal,
weston In 1900 many improvements
have been made uponIthe form Of gov.
eminent coming from actual applica'
Ition of the principles involved and the
Experiences Of hundreds Of cities
which have long since departed from
1.-THE old time WORKOUT councilmanlc
failure.
The bureau of municipal research,
an organization OF national scope, has
made an exhaustive study Of city char
tiers and the results obtained by the
various plans and that organization
in speaking Of the Dayton plan says:
4 "This charter has been reprinted by
the bureau Of municipal research for
public distribution, because It is be
lieved to represent the most advanc'
ed position in American local govern
ment. The document Is notable in pro
4 viding a non.partisan. short ballot;
the execution Of law by professional
administrators; the use Of the initia
tive, referendum and recall, and even
more exceptional In Its detail OF ad
ministrative procedure. *
A'few OF the features frequently ne
elected by charter commissions, but
provided here are:
A continuous audit Of city accounts
with a general balance sheet exhibit
ing assets and liabilities Of the city,
The requirement Of summaries Of
city income and expenditure rather
than of receipts and expense.
Accounting procedure adequate to
record in detail all transactions az
fecting the acquisition, custodianship
and disposition Of values.
A scientific budget classified uni
formly for the main functional diyi
sions of all departments.
Standardization and centralized
purchasing OF all supplies.
Time sheets and certiflcation Of al!
payrolls.
Current financial and operating
statements exhibiting each transac.
Ition and the cost thereof.
Adequate franchise control.
Citizen. boards to consult and ad.
wise with the various departments.
Standardization Of service and com.
Epensation, insuring equal pay for
tequal work in every branch Of the
lefty government.
While all government is dependent
flor its character on the quality OF
chosen officials and the extent of cit
izen interest, 1t is believed that these
foregoing provisions will tend to In
sure desirable minimum Of eff
cheney in city government, whether
1.-THE voter cares or not
Bureau OF Municipal Research,
D. f. GARLAND, President.
MISS A. l. DILKS, Secretary,
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