The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-17


per thousand feet: whilst In 1926 the
pcnses are sisl $685. With. receipts esti-
mated at only sl5s.6oo. with gas at 81 per
thousand feet. and the committee IL now
asking for an additional appropriation OF
SS.315 TO deffay the current expenses 10
the end OF the fiscal year. The gas plant
Is valued In tho city's assets at sl.0O0oO0.
and. with that department properly adj
sninistered. should be a source Of con-
cradle revenue 10 the city. The above
partial exhibit shows two thngs-first,
that the Light Committee has not so ad~
mlnistered It as TO make that department
self-sustaining; and. secondly. that tne
Finance Committee seems not TO nave
shown 70 the Council. az II could nave
done by the foregoing figures. that IL
was not only unwisc. but impracucaoi''
to reduce the price Of gas at the same
time that the expenditures Of the depart
menf OF light were being increased say
the Finance Committee appears not 10
have shown these facts TO the council
because il seems almost incredible that
the Council would have reduced the price
OF gas IN the face of such an eAnlpi'' an"
certainly the public would not nave ne
manded II under such circumstances -
commission in charge OF either or no'l'
of these departments, with tern, Vi siN
years before IT, would, in my judgment
have mastered and explained the whoie
situation and have prevented such
condition of things. ! wish ] couid stop
with this. to my mind. Just but knuiy-
intended criticism OF what appears 10 -"
unv,ise administration on the part on the
Committee on Light and the Commlttee on
Finance. but | must so on, not 10 k''c
the details. because ! don't know tneii'
but If the recent Developments WHY"
have been published about the admins
I fe,bf IDGH1rfmQ
(ond none of them have been denied, as
far as have seen) then indeed is that
donartment one OF darkness instead OF
Iighf The city, it is said rs known 10
have lost by peculation and maladmlils-
tration together at least one huhureo
thousand dollars, and how much more
will probably never be known ana THESE
things seem to have been goinS OH ioi
wears without the knowledge OF 'he com.
mittee or anything having been sa'u aoo"'
theA -, ..
noes any one believe this could ever
hove occurred with a commission Sc
lected as the two we have are selected
with the public eye centered on II from
the beginning to the end OF It's aoHii,H
tration and with no pledges maze 10 'no
"beelers' TO be redeemed. For one 40
not. And remember too, my iriehus' III
this connection, that the Gas DepaIthlc"
Is the only one that has yet peen i've
,,,,ated Whilst don't know. and there
fore don't pretend TO charge, that there
&c ANYTHING wrong in any OF the otner
denartments. / don't think it reasohaole
IN conclude that all the 'looseness' 10
1T 1, mildly is confined 10 one depart
ment but that where there is 50 hiuCn
that has already come TO nsht III ono
,t,oro is ant TO be found that there Is
"sometbing rotten in some OF the DINERS
I can't prolong this part OF the uiS0"S-
sion. ,,.,,oo Won
If this exhibit will not convince you
,hat tho committee government Is
snt,,,re then nothing will 1t is condemn
ed by nearly all the recent WRITERS y" '"0
subject of municipal government
THE CITY HALL.
,o,,or illustration could be given
,oth Of the responsibility ana ihconl-
49, of the committee system than
not Afforded by our experience ID ouAu
tns tho CITY Hall Here the amount vi
,,,7rey IN he expended for this purpose
uas limited by vote of the peopic "
,hree hundred thousand dollars, ana yet
without asking the authority OF the Peo
rle TO spend more, or how much iiloIs,
succoesive committees OF the 'ou"Oii
snent more than four times the aiho""'
authorize for this one building. ,
A hoard of finance composed OF inon
ealectod with special reference 10 lhei
oxnericnce and fitness for the "oiN'
would he simply invaluable, in my opii'-
| ion. I'm the administration OF ihat me-.
| ,mnortant of all the branches OF the cry
| government Without disparasenlent w.
or criticism of. the work oil the liaHOo
S,omroitteer | think il is reasonable 10
| slppose that the work OF coihiliisS'oi'
would be far more efficient not OILY
ON account OF the composition OF the COM
| mission. the fact that 1t would nave OH!
the financial and other kindred depart
ments of the city to consider an"
,nnch Longer term within which to master
| The details of these, but also on ACCOUNT
! of the changed relation IL Wouiu Su9'''..
| 10 the Council, the public, ana me o,nc'
! eroot denartments of the city. The very
! fact that the commission was composer
| of such men as | have indicated, would
when IL had made up the yearly budget
| and divided the revenues OF the CITY
| among the several departments, carry
| with il TO the heads of those departments
| The conviction that the whole nnahclai
| situation had been considered by men
| capable of doing so. and without preJu-
| dice for or against any other department
| and thus each department would pe
| satisfied that the amount given 1t was
| the hest that could be done, and make IT'S
| expenditures accordingly throughout the
| fiscal year What Is the practical work
| ing in this respect with the commit
tee? In the first place. the members oil
| this committee. are ON the other com
! mittees. who control several departments.
| and thus each member of the Finance
| Committee strives to get all he can for
| the other department represented by him,
| and he often persists I'm this course, with
| ont reference TO the condition OF the
| finances of the city. or the needs OF
| other departments. And the amount ne
thus obtains is more frequently mea-
| sured by his influence on the committee
| than by the needs OF his department. or
| the ability of the Finance Committee 10
| supply rrrgm Then, again. the members
| Of the committee, being elected by me
| people can't be as Independent OF pollu-
| cal influences as those of the commits
! sion" would he. and the necessary effect
| of this IS. that the department which
| can WELD the greatest political influence,
will. almost necessarily. fare better with
the committee than those which cannot
/ command this influence, but which are
/ equally. essential factors in the govern
J ment Of the city. / could elaborate the
| Importance of having this commission
at great length. hut / forbear
| MORE POWER FOR THE MAYOR.
And now. Mr.. Chairman, am going TO
advance q step further in this discussion
| and say that not only Is the commit
4 tee" government. in my opinion. botn
| vicious in principle and bad in practice.
and condemned. rs have said, by every