Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-03
THE RECORD AS 1T STANDS.

THE RECORD AS 1T STANDS.
AN hope that the Richmond delegation
IN the Legislature would unite ana ask
the passage of the charter bills proposed
NV the Chamber of Commerce has no"
rome. Only three out of our seven Sena-
tors and Delegates were prepared 10 adVo-
cate the passage of these measures
which are so near and dear TO the hearts Oh
che businessmen of Richmond. How the
others OF our delegation stood on TINS
question is set forth by tho Legislative
Committee of the Chamber OF Commerce
in a paper which We printed In sunnay 5
Issue.
ca this 'dncident" Is "closed" In the
1.agislature hut II is not CLOSED in the
public mind nor will 1t be for long
time to come 1t will rise to the surface
every time the term charter amend
ment' is used; every time that commits
sions are mentioned in comparison win
Council committees every time the right
of the people to pass upon local legisia-
ton is discussed.
II is therefore we'll 20 see how the re-
cord stands: The Chamber OF COM
merce. the Grain and Cotton Exchange
and the Tobacco Trade, representing
some seven or eight hundred business
houses of Richmond. having come to the
concIuslon that certain changes in our
municipal system were desirable went u
the LEGISLATURE with a request. Wha'
was this request? Was 1t that their biiis
ho,,d no nassed into laws forthwith?
oNo. On the contrary, the business-iheh
uen, 10 the Legislature asking that the
LEGISLATURE would pass the bills In ques-
ton so that they should be submitted 10
our voters, and that the changes
should not become operative until the
srerdments were ratified by the voters
So II will be seen that our business
man made no attempt to take power out
~ the hands of the people. but tired
Che people In a manner never before at
tsmnted. inasmuch as no amendment 10
che charter has heretofore been submit l.
"a - thu neople of Richmond for ratif-
cation or rejection.
On this question Of permitting the
-,o On vote as to charter changes
the businessmen thought they woulu
have the delegations approval or ac-
m,,escence; but 1t turned out that out
three of the seven members were willing
20 champion the passage Of the DIS Ana
uo the movement came TO halt The
country members were all. or nearly ALL
.,,,,ng 10 push the bills through, pro-
v,ded that their passage was asked Tor
nv the united Richmond delegation; but,
"a We have said, the help needed and eX-
pected could not be obtained and the
country members are in nowise to blame.
Now. whether the changes recommend
ed by the Chamber of Commerce suit
ed this, that, OF the other man, was
not the question. Some who favored
rubuission would have voted AYE" on
an the bills; some would have voted
,.Aye" only on one or two of the changes
proposed. The question was as to the
rsvht of the people to legislate for them
selves.
This Is the right our businessmen
sought in behalf OF all OF our people,
and this Is the right that has been fool
ishly and recklessiy denied them. Where
are all OF our fine theories about
home rule and self-government. when
organizations representing seven or
eight hundred euslness-houses cannot OBJ
tain the privilege OF voting upon three
or four charter amendments.
II cannot bat be that this action will long
stand as a rcproach to our party here
Nor can II be said that there was appre-
hs.-oion lest the amendments should
be adopted by the negro vote. This
objection was met early In the contest
! by the offer OF men as well entitled
as any men in this clty-city committee.
nrcn only excepted-so speak for tho Dem
oersts VI Richmond. Far better that the
changes should have thus been passed
upon Democratic primary than that the
1<xirlatlon asked for should have hcen
refused. and the right OF our voters to
vote ON this question repudiated.
s Another thing: ~ has been repeatedly
eajd that the men prominent In ask
1n6 for these amendments are. az a rule.
political Affairs. A more 5aseless