Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-01
fOR TIE CITY'S GOOD
Meeting Of Clay Ward Branch Of lne
Good Government League.
,ryrnAL LOGICAL ADDRESSES
'ro,oncI Purcell and Mr.. NirEin'"s
Newton Give Some Figures '"""
A. Tint RIchmond's ENpcn"i-
s,rcs Exceed Her Receipts.


{<<S lures Exceed Her Receipts
Tho Clav.ward branch OF the Demo
Al ,r.t,c Ieae1,o FOR Good Government heia
go ,,,,,,,c ,,ocfiue AT lelvidcre Han last
,,,., ca number Of strong ana high
n interesting speeches were Hia1e Dy
Z I, s,ernbers OF the organization. Inc nan
VOL aued with league members ana
Is.,hors interested IN the moyemest ana
IN. c,osset attention was paid to the ut
krancas Of the speakers.
ss# ,r,.o meeting was called 10 order by Mt
7t T.. Jenkins, VINO. in the absence Of the
|4& rt president General a. H. Phillips.
"a r,..5 as chairman. lie referred. in his
<E marks of welcome TO the large number
mechanics present, and said he wanted
b. Mechanics to feel that the movement
81 for good government was as much In
+. ilelr interest as OF any citizens OF Rich
Fl mond
81 Mr.. Jenkins first introduced Colonel
II John B. Purcell. who made quite strong
address. Colonel Purcell spoke In the out
tat of the interest he felt in good gov
,fument and explained that the gentle
men who composed the Good Government
~ I.ctguo were In no sense oihce-seeke's.
IA iut their sole object was 10 secure tor
~ edmond a pure, economic government
"a lie then read the printed objects OF the
# LEAGUE. which are "to secure an econohI-
III raj administration OF the cty's AFFAIRS
"a t. interest and stimulate the people IN
81 their duties of citizenship; TO eject
81 larger number OF representative men 10
the legislative branch OF the city govern
ment, TO secure tho repeal OF snch Jaws
II or ordinances as are hurtful to the inte-
rests Of this community, TO secure me
passage Of such laws, either state or muni-
Cipal as viii best promote the prosperity
and happiness Of The people al large, 10
reduce taxation, which viii secure ialf
value TO real estate and which '"iil ihVl'e
hie money to builG up our borders - ae-
Wise the best methods whereby the com
mcrcial and manufacturing interests Oh
the city may Doe increased, ana DO such
& bther things as may appear from time 10
lime 10 be- Wise and 10 the greatest ad-
Vautarc to the greatest number Of our
UeOplc.'
COULD NOT OPPOSE THEM
n Continuing. Colonel Purcell said he did
4 not believe there was man within
The confines of this city who would an
h hounce himself as opposed TO those OBJ
I Sccts. lie asserted that the league pro-
a
4 lure kept within the limits Of its re-
rcipts or revenues. This was. he said,
simply an honest movement. and no man
DR. corporation could maintain honesty
and live beyond his or its means. The
speaker showed that the city had been
for years spending largely I'm excess Of
ia income. and last year increased It's
bonded and floating debt over $1,000,
and had only about Si0J.C)0 in assets to
show therefor. He said the only re-
quest of the league was that the city
should live within its income as men
were forced to do; and declared that
no member Of the league was, as had
been charged. trying TO iniure the Dem
pcratlc party. II any were striving
lo cause any such injury he said. II was
thc opponents OF the league. The
league did not object to the payment OF
good salaries 10y the city, bat IT want
cd good returns therefor. II It paid the
best salary FOR book-ketper, 1t ought
90 have the best hook-keeper.
OUR ASSESSMENT HIGH.
Discussing the question Of taxes. Col
pncl Purcell said that II was claimed
MAT the tax-rate was lower In Rich
mond than In most cities. That, he said.
was true: but the taxpayers were forced
10 pay more In Richmond than elsewhere,
because their property was assessed TO
It's very fullest valuation. while in many
Dther cities property was only assessed
At about one half it's value. Colonel
Purcell refuted the charge made that
The Chamber OF Commerce was un-
friendly to working people. and logically
brgued that. iuasmuch as the Chamber
Ras continually CXerting itself 10 in
sroase the trade OF the manufactures
of the city. IL vas thereby increasing
NE amount OF work 10 be given out, and
consequently helping the honest artisan
md mechanic. lie said. in calling at
Il tcutiOu TO the excessive expenditures Of
The city the Chamber lad only done its
duty, and had no apology 70 make He
& had been asked. he said, how the league
81 proposed TO economize. II II didn't have
81 Falalics cut down lie would answer
81 thst by saying the league proposed 10
81 put men in the Council who were sufil-
"a ceutly intelligent TO act for themselves
d and for the city's best Interest
MIR. ROSEWELL PAGE.
Mr. Roosevelt Page was the next speak
4 or lie said he had never had the honor
II a. working at an anvil. hut he had done
81 work equally a. hard. lie had thinncd
81 corn al of Juac day Referring to the
"A platform Of the league which was read
n BY Colonel Purcell. Mr. Page asked what
81 objections there could be 20 such a plat
81 form. II it wasn't Democratic, Re wanted
"a 70 know what 10 was. Al the objections
II 20 the league We're summed up In the
81 prime objection that the league was "A
q secret organization. lie said the League
# did not seek u cut down anyboiy's
q salary, but simply purposed placing men
4 I'm the Council who wouldn't spend more
money for the city than II received from
Is revenues. They say CerVantts
smiled Spsius chiy0lry away" ne con-
cluded. but they can't laugh. they can't
1erdc this movement away. II has
come to'tay. There is no selfish motive
actuating any man in il, 20 far as /
know"
SOME FIGURES GIVEN.
Mr. Virgnius Newton, chairman Of the
Committee on Statistics was the next
Speaker introduced. During his intr1duc-
toy remarks he assured his auditors that
lie waa not an odlce- holder OF an Jnice-
seeker. and that there W8S no Office in
Tie CITY or State that ne could accept
lie then dissectel the platform Of the
league. ANA showed that there was no
lhlng IN 10 about commissions and said
Inc league was not committed to COM
'"iss.oiS. Like those who had preceded
n MI Newton set forth that the sole |
"a blect Of The league was TO have the
O'N government conducted at N ,x-
pense not exceeding it's receipts
Mr Newton submitted a statement
"hlcn ne himself had compiled from the |
CN DOCKS, showing the rccelpts and |
Il disbursements OF the munlclpalitv Tor !
the SIX years from 1880 20 1895. ana de- |
mohsiIa'ed me necessity for conforming |
our appF"li'atlohs 10 the actual income |
OF tAe eiN' lie sMi he had as much |
hho"'e'ke OF lhe cily's financial ra.ters |
as any man, AMI ne also stated tbot tba
.aF lt lI - Of Il