The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-05

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registration Law being framed 10 in,
sure that this will be done by adding
many improvements to our present
state law which is found to be sadly
defective In Its protection OF the PEG:
pies rights. After the registration a
primary election will be held in the
city, under an election law provided
lin the charter which will insure fair
election and all political parties will
be represented on the election board
Ito prevent fraud and bribery. At the
primary election any freebooter may
become candidate for the board OF
directors who presents a petition
signed by as many as % voters. This
primary ticket will be made up with
the names arranged alphabetically on
the ballot and no party emblems will
fbe used.
Every registered voter will be per-
mitted to vote for one candidate In
This ward and one at large and the two
men receiving the highest number
of votes in each ward will become the
ward candidates and the two receiv.
L ing the highest number Of votes a.
large will become the candidates at
large. Following the nominations at
the primary election, the nominees
Of the primary will have their names
placed on the ballot in alphabetical
order and be voted for at the regu.
liar municipal election. the one can.
didate from each ward and the can.
didate at large receiving the highest
number of votes will be elected as
members OF the Citizens Board of
Directors for a term Of two years.
In the primary the ward candt.
dates are nominated by the voters Of
their respective wards, but will be
voted for in the municipal election at
large, giving the voters Of the entire
city an opportunity to say who will
have thesreins of government and as.
sess their taxes This idea Is pro.
vided In most every commission char.
ter as the board members pass upon
matters that affect the entire city.
Dayton has nor ward representation,
the commission all being elected at
large, the same as the present com.
missioners of Falrmont were elected.
Wheeling and Charleston have estab
lished ward representation and there
is very strong sentiment for such
representation in Fairmont, especially
in wards like GAINESVILLE, East Park
and the First ward, which are separ.
ated from the city proper by natural
barriers. 1t is believed that better
state Of feeling will prevail in such
wards toward the city government IL
all the wards are insured representa-
ton in Its councils.
After the election Of the Board of
Directors. who will be given the duty
OF handling the business of the city,
lust as the Board of Directors of any
big corporation would do;tthey will
choose city manager, whose duty It
will be to look after all the business
affairs OF the city. ThisEman will be
selected for his qualifications and
will be subject to dismissal by the
board at any time his services ore not
efficient. He and the board will be
subjected to the provisions Of the re.
call Just as the city of Dayton pro:
yides, and no recall has ever been
breathed in that city since the adop.
A ton of the plan. The recall bugaboo
has been very largely. exploded by &C
tual practice and although the city
Of Parkersburg was the first city in
West Virginia to place the provisions
Of the initiative, referendum and re-
call In their charter, no recall petition
has ever been circulated there 1t is
a safeguard that all progressive cities
are adopting, but seldom use. AS. Pres
Iident Wilson has SO well said 1t Is
"the shotgun behind the door" In
Fairmont It has proven a farce, sipce
there have been no safeguards thrown
around petitions and the city admin.
istration has sent its agents out to
bIackmail and threaten people for
signing petitions until they have made
the provision practically null and void.
1.-THE new charter protects all petitions
Just as the laws of Ohio and other
states do, and makes 1t a crime to al
low any employee of the city or any
one else to interfere with the circu-
Ilation or signing Of any petition.
The city manager will be the only
high priced man in the employ of the
city and he will be held personally
responsible for the efficiency Of tho
whole system Of government. He will
do the work that the four commission
ers now do except the police court
work. The director receiving the
highest vote in the city will become
the mayor, and he will be given an
additional salary Of $500 or 5000 for
this work, in addition to the salary
he will receive as president Of the
board Of directors, whose meetings he
will be required to attend and pre-.
side overA
Each director will be paid IS for
each meeting he attends and the d.
rectors will be required to meet twice
each month. II a director is absent
from any meeting, nothing will be al;