Richmond planet., 1895-02-16
THE CITY COUNCIL.
1t Controls Absolutely an
Municipal affairs.
JACKSON WARD AND ITS STRUG.
GILES.
It's presentation and What They
Have Attained-The New city hall
How Republicans Win.

The City Council is divided into two
branches; the upper, known as the
Board of Aldermen, the members of
which are elected for four years and
the lower, known as the Common COun
ell, the members of which are elected
for two years. The former branch is
composed of eighteen members.-three
from each of the six wards, and the lat
ter is composed of thirty members
five from each ward, thus making an
entire membership of forty-eight.
OF this number, only eight are Re-
publicans, being from Jackson Ward,
the "shOe-string district which has an
overwhelming cOlored Republican
vote.
OF these members Tsix are colored
and two white,-Alderman JAS. Bahen
being the white representative in the
upper branch, and Councilman NJ. T.
Page in the lower.
The attempt to wrench jackson
Ward from Republican control if fully
written would fill book
The liberal Democratic elements of
the city have always frowned upon
such an attempt although the other
classes have made desperate attempts
despite their protests.
In the Spring elections of 1892, the
0sillot-bOx in the First Precinct was
stuffed, and representation on the part
of the Mitchell ticket denied. Fraud
has been practiced in the Second and
Fourth Precincts.
The challenging of the voters and
other methods of delay have been
shamefully resorted to. This is one of
the most dangerous localities in the
state during congressional and presi-
Dental elections.
1t has been the practice of the Dem
Ocratic managers to send arr ed, ire
spOnsible young men out there TO ov-
crave and intimidate the colored vo-
ters, and during one of the elections
state troops were assembled In the
armory TO march into the ward upon
moments notice should the Repubh-
can voters show signs of an uprising
against the white men practicing the
outrages.
The elimination Of s1clf-u diff
Guilty would have meant the loss of
much life Throughout all these
scenes Aldermen James Bahen and
John Mitchell, Jr. could be seen going
from one point TO the other rallying
and encouraging the voters TO stand
firm.
Despite all this, the Jackson Ward
Republican delegation has been re-
peatedly elected, and enjoys the con-
tidence of even their Democratic an
tagOnists.
Under their administration the city
has given a new school-hOuse, appro-
priated $4,000 for the erection of a
new armory building for the colored
troops, given from $4,000 to 5000 for
the purchase of coal for the colored
poor, improved the streets of the ward
given additional light, and defeated
the proposition for day-labor, which
was intended to keep colored men from
having any work upon city contracts.
The new City Hall building, which
was erected at a cost of nearly mil
lion and a half dollars including the
furniture and fittings, is where the
City Council meets. In this magnii-
\ cent edifice is situated all Of the city
offices.
1t would be well to state that there
aaaNRa, colored councilmen anywhere
state of Virginia save in thi.
The Democratic Party has wipeC
lout, and it has been by the mos
ul management on the part of the
leaders, and outspoken protests
e Democratic right-thinking white
themselves that the cOlOred peo-
n this citadel of Republicanisn
been allowed to say who SHOULD
ssent them. Moreover, there are n,
men in the ward willing to serve
if put on a Democratic council
lie ticket that could merit the re
1t even of those who aided in count
them in.