The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-27
THE CHARTER ELECTION TO-DAY

The advocates of the Greater Wheeling Charter. which bould he how
ever. called the City Manager Charter. because the City Manager feature is
plan o government and to have conferred their efforts upon abuse OF the pres
snf city officials and insinuaions against their integrity.
IL h enough TO sy that such a campaign Is a indication o. weakness
The present city officials were the deliberate choice II h majority # the
voters OF the city. II in the case of any n OF them the voters made a mis-
lake II wal III kind o a mistake that they have made before; and will con
'"o :" MAKE IN yeafS o CON As to the large majority Of the pesent off,
Gals II Is sufficient to say that they compare In business experience. integrity
and capacity hayoraby with any equal number of lei In the city. No one
VIII be so rash as to claim that a higher degree o. integrity. efficiency and
the City Manager plan. Or in the person o. a City Manager. than is found in
Mayor Kirk n. Haskins. Mr. Brues. Mr.. Ahrens. Mr. McElroy. Sheriff
: q "noe' neg represent a fair average Of the electorate OF Wheeling. and
that is all any body of elective officials can be expected to be.
The essential euor o the Greater Wheeling Charter is that it provides
Or a iarge concentration OF power m responsibility in the hands OF one
man. without establishing any limitations upon his actions by law. and az
the same time studousy provides that a very large number OF IN best ct
zens OF he city shall be ineligible to appointment or election Ito the respon
safely by men O. special ability and special integrity. The Greater Wheeling
Charter. DR. City Manager Charter. cannot insure great ability DR. integrity in
selection is to b. made in such a manner that Il will be difficult tito ret the
best ability and the beste experience in the chys service
Other objections of a serious nature have been pointed u by General
Riley. Sheriff Sweeney City Solicitor Brennan and other citizens who have
considered the Greater Wheeling Charter.
On the other hand. the Amended Charter contains only two important
additions to the present city charter. 1t provides fol a reduction in the men,
bershp of Council, and gives the Mayor the power to suspend from office Off
cils who fail to perform their duty.
These arc the two important changes in the city charter. and which are
represented in the socaled Amended Charter. As Sheriff Sweeney has
pointed out there has been n o abuse o. authority in ur city government un.
der its present charter. There las been NJ waste of public funds. The ss
tenn of accounting is complete and accurate. The City Of Wheeling is to-day
run on a economical basis. and with as strict attention to business princt
Piles as any business house or manufacturing plant within the city. Certainly
no nal could have better opportunity to judge of this condition than Sheriff
sweeney. n las served man years in various public capacities and who
certainly has n o interest in defending any member of the city administration
yet his testimony to the efficiency of the city administration Is forceful and
comprehensive.
Under these conditions The IntelHgencer believes hat Tho people Of,
Wheeling. with n understanding of the " charters. will vote to-day TO stan
by the form of government which they have tried and tested. and to make
only those changes in it which experience las shown to b desirable.
That is, they will vOtef for the Amended Charter and not for the City
Manager onomanpOwer charter.