The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-14
Street Improvement.

To the Editor Of The Times.
"B. las not inadvertently committed
himself to the proposition" that one ward
can he equitably improved al the expense
OF other wards. On the contrary, he has
deliberately committed himself to IL as
the plain. business principle OF value re-
ceived, or that every one should receive
adequate return for his money, and one
ward does not ana cannot, as a rule,
receive adequate return for its money
spent in improving another ward 5 streets.
Improving streets is not matter OF
"sympathies, traditions" or even Of pa
triotism. but is a simple business matter
wherein some are benefited more than
others, and some not all; therefore, when
street or locality is improved the tax
should be proportionate TO benefit re-
ceived, which, Of course, must be deter
mined after careful consideration. Sym
pathies and traditions" are wretched bust
ness guides, and the man of affairs who
yields to their guidance is sure TO be
landed into a very deep ditch.
1t is time that every citizen Of Rich
mond is interested in the Improvement
and progress of every part of Richmond, -
but every citizen is not equally interested.
and therefore it is not fair to tax all
equally when the benefit is necessarily
local.
But why divide into six wards?' Be
cause the ward Is our smallest municipal
unit. If we had fifty such units 1t would
be preferable; indeed, the unit Of street
or locality Immediately benefited would
be best and should be adopted because
then every one would more surely receive
adequate return for his money.
What should be deemed locality?"
The portion directly benefited; sometimes
part of a street. sometimes parts Of sew
eral streets, and sometimes. when ter
ritory is rendered accessible by a street
improvement or by a cut or a fill, the
street and the territory opened up.
"B. does not perceive that If this prin-
ciple were carried out to it's logical end
it would result in each man improving
his own 'front.'" because logically, a
street is a unit and must be SO regarded
improving all within certain limits or
improving none. But granting each must
improve his own 'front.'" it does not follow
that we shall "have no paved streets,
but only mud roads, because street i'm
provement will continue, though sym
pathies traditions and patriotism perish
for the simple reason that such improve
ment pays. and people are willing TO
spend money for adequate return. Much
more likely shall we have mud roads II
we rely upon SyIhbdAillto, II vi
even patriotism TO give us good streets.
Patriotism is very nice when, like the
bishops who, according to Sydney Smith.
were paid Is, 900 year to be good, we are
paid to be patriotic. We can then hurrah
with the loudest for the "old flag and an
appropriation" but when we. and not
others must pay for our patriotism then
patriotism is not quite so nice. SO, when
Clay says TO other wards. BE patriotic
and spend your money on my streets"
that's patriotism; but when Jefferson says
to Clay, Spend your money in raising
my streets above floods and wall In
Shockoe creek" or when Marshall says
TO her, Spend your money on viaduct,"
or the Valley says to her. Spend your
money on a tunnel TO give me easy ac-
cess to upper Broad street. why that's
business, and Clay keeps her money, as
she should If there is not enough for all,
for herself. By all means improve the
streets, for no judicious expenditure can
be too great, but let each street, locality
or ward bear it's own burden. Then, JUS
tice being done to all, all are more likely
TO get what they need. This, however,
being forbidden by our court OF appeals,
nothing remains but TO distribute the
street fund according to wards and taxes
paid To liken this TO "safe-blowers d.
viding out their plumber" is so extreme,
not TO say violent, as 10 impair your argu-
ment TO such an extent as TO relieve "B.'
from all fear of being "triumphed over in
argument" but your editorials of De
cember 18th and January 10th both opened
with the comforting assurance that you
had mo desire to triumph over b In
argument" Is.