Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-16
The Interviews Win she Couneiimen.

10 tnt ElNOk ti tue Rl-lii'hs
one cannot but admire the great interest
which YOU are e, ,iuciog Of late In the wei
fare Of our city. II II shall grow and pros
per. will it not be oFins IN greatest part 10
the /, ad OF as ambitious pubic pressy
Having served 10 our municipal legisla.
ture, perused with relish the airing which
you gave on sunday morning TO the sentI-
ment. OF each Of our clty fathers. The con.
ssnsps OF oplnlon whlch Is obtained by your
reporter in that way Is Of ali the incIc value
because II H. The result OF independent
thought, without sny comparison or inter.
change OF views In body.
Tbs views OF The cOuncilmen Indicate
with greatest unshlgIity that they think
first, an increased Appropriation Tor streets;
second. the establishment of a bOuse oi cor
rection; and, third, tue establishment OF an
emergency hospital are the three things that
for the lmmediate future will do most good
for the city. some think, perhaps very sa-
gaclOuslY, too, that the exemption from taxa.
lion oi all manufacturing enterprises will
do The most good. This cannot be done be-
cause Of constitutional igpediments.
But Mr.. Editor, do Bot oil these recon-
mendatiOns have a tendency 20 produce
what Nr. Rowland Hill declares h evidently
near a. hand increase IN the rate OF
assessment"t | don't suppose there u q
councilman who In fixing the budget next
month would dere TO put himself on re-
cord 10 favor OF raising the city tax above
S1.40; aud yet 10 Increase sppreciably the
appropriation to streets, 10 build the house
Of correction, or tue emergency hospital, IA
addition TO providing for those ab'olntc
necessities witch are always present,
will require that TO be done. or other-
wise pile up bsBned and floating
debt upon tue city. The appropriation
for streets for 1888, 90 all accounts, was
about Sl55,0 900. Il thst amount 10 iudiciou'y
expended each year u csa hardly be said tbat
the city IL lacking IN public spirit In that di-
rectiOn. Much OF the real estate In the city
Is assessed too high; hundreds Of lots were
corrected and reduced 10 the courts after the
last reassessment, and wDiie the rea'ses-ment
next year will probably show al advance IN
some localities, iJ should show reduction In
many instances TO something like fair cssb
selling values.
The tendency Of this Council, like some
that have preceded II, appears to he 10 make
A liberal use of The pespie's money. TIE
published proceedings show that an Increase
OF wages Is still going on and salaries
raised The inevitable result will be what
Mr.. HUI says is evidently near al hand"
increase In taxation either IN rate or In tue
assessment OF properly.
by the way. you will render service 10
me, and dOubtBot 70 many others, By pub
lshing whether TIE clty's income for the eur.
rent year met all the appropriations made by
the Council for that year. II II did meet
them-as OF course knog that oil liabilities
are paid-whether or not II was done by
borrowing money. ask purely for inioI-
nation.
Mr.. John Mann makes suggestion which
Is probably best for the perDetuity OF good
government In the cjiy-distnish the num-
Der OF councilmen and pay them 10 attend 70
the duties Of their Office. ! am disposed 20
think that most people have very limited
idea OF the duties Of csuncilmsD. it is an
Office that requires long sxperssnee In public
affairs aud conscientious haeiitv IN the dis
charge OF It's dutiss 10 insure ope's being Of
much xaiuS N he, pe0ffa IVfQ.- f.