Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-05
Chamber of Commerce and Anne&a-

ton.
Tho next OF the series OF business-mens
| meetings to be held under the auspices Vi
the Richmond Chamber OF Commerce WIN
tate Mace on Tuesday evening next III
the Chambers assemby-room. The SUD-
,oct for discussion is the advantages ana
disadvantages OF the annexation OF Man
chester. There Will be two speakers on
each side OF the question, and the I'M
variance of the matter justifies our beiief
that the attendance OF businessmen VIII
be very large
These meetings Of the Chamber are
doing a great deal OF good. The COM
mittee that has the arranging OF them
(and OF which Mr. l.. Il. Morris Is chair
mani has done the public notable ser
vice. One Of the practical benefits OF
the meetings is that our businessmen
thus come TO know one another better.
A spirit Of fraternity is established, and
public spirit is cultivated.
We want more metropolitanism here.
The ward spirit ought to be put down
and the city spirit put up. Richmond
can never prosper as she ought to prosper
until we develop that sort of pride when
looks first to the good of the whole COM
munity rather than 10 the good or this'
that. or the other ward.
1t now seems that we are making pro-
gress in the right direction. The pro-
posed system of distributing our street
funds is In the line OF progress. SO are
these business-men's meetings.
Don't say, II can't see anything that
these meetings can accomplish" Why'
IL they make our businessmen better
acquainted with one another they VIII be
worth all the money and trouble that they
cost That one thing effected many other
benefits VIII surely follow.
Our views on the subject OF annexation
are well known. Nothing that we have
heard in opposition TO the scheme from
either side Of the river has changed our
opinion. We think that the acquisition
OF Manchester would be valuable to Rich
mond. We think that Manchester would
thrive better as a part of Richmond than
as an Independent corporation. unrea-
sonable demands. either from Richmond
or Manchester. may defeat the pending
negotiations. but still we shall continue 10
hope TO see the day when our corporate
limits shall embrace Manchester.
In Richmond the strongest opponents
of the scheme are those who fear that
In the event of annexation. the council
men from Manchester VIII join hands
with those from the lower wards or TINS
city. and thus control appropriations OF
money and appointments TO office. we
think that this fear IS exaggerated; but
whether.it is or not, II we can break Up
the equal division" of street funds here
there will be little other money that could
be apportioned by combination. AS to
appointments TO Office. we have no ap-
prehension that an infusion of Manchester
POLITICS will be hurtiul TO our affairs
| Manchester is wel-goyerned city. In
this respect the Manchesterians are our
equals. and we have had occasion to
notice how small is the percentage OF
! serious crimes in our sister city.
| Besides. If the spirit OF metropo!tanlsm
is properly developed here, in the course
| OF few years Bigger Richmond" Will
| have new division of Its territory into
| wards. All of our wards are too large.
| 1t will not be so very difficult 70 make
progress in this direction after the street
fund question is satisfactorily disposed
| OF. In our judgment, the city Council
| will yield to the wishes of the people in
the matter OF adopting a new ward sys-
| TEN; but II 1t does not there Is always
| the Legislature TO appeal 10.
Let the annexation question be con-
| sidered from the Richmond standpoint,
not from the ward standpoint. Let us
counsel together for the advancement Of
our city. II we are content to stand s,ill
while so many other cities are extending
| their limits we shall cut but a sorry
| figure IN the census Of 1900 We cannot
but insist that our prosperity will be I'D
vanced by securing our true rank among
| the great cities Of this country. Other
cities have found the annexation Of urban
and suburban territory advantageous. and
| why should the rule fail In our case?
/