The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-03
GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY.
Admirable Address Delivered by Mr..
YlrginiuS Newton on The Subject
BEFORE GOOD GOVERNMENT LEAGUE.
The Functions of tho Council Should Be
Purely Legislative and the Mayor
should Have More Power-Messrs.
Guy and Catlin Also speak,

extremely interesting, although the pro-
ceedings were OF "a nature purely prlimi-
nary TO future work Mr. Virginius New
ton read a carofuDy-prepared paper,
showing deep study and reseatch, ana
dealing largely with the question Of muni-
cipal government. He took the ground
that the functions OF the City Council $
should be purely legislative thAt the
Mayor should be given more power, and
sbould appolnt heads OF departments, sub
fcct 10 the approval Of the COuhcn ana
Board of Aldermen.
The League met shortly after o'clock
with President j.. A. Catlin IN the chair,
and q number Of prominent citizens pres
ont
MIR. Jackson Guy, chairman OF the Ex-
ocutve Board, stated that he had no re-
port to make at this timo, except that
permanent headquarters had been secured
over the Office Of the London, Liverpool
and Globe Insurance Company, on Main
street.
Mr.. Catlin said that during the next
week f. was proposed 10 send out one
thousand circulars. drawing especial at
tentlon 10 the clause in the constitution
which requires that every member OF the
League shall support the Candidates ior
Office endorsed by the League.
"We had rather" said 1lr. Catlln, have
, one thousand members that we can oe-
/ mend upon than four thousand that We
| cannot count on. Every member VINO can
not endorse the section requiring MIN 10
support the candidates endorsed Dy the
/ League should make tho fact known so
that his name may be stricken from inc
rolls" ..-.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Upon request OF the president the secre-
/ +arv Mr. Caznsau Mcleod. then read the
! list OF standing committees that nave beeH
appointed. es follows;
Finance Comnnittee-Messrs Frank II.
/ Beyeridge (chairnon). william r. Price.
! Robert G. Rennolds. ID. O. Davis, ana
/ Julian Bryant.
Judiciary Committee-Messrs Jackson
/ Cuv (chasrman). George L. Christian. John
/ A. Coke. ]. r. v. Daniel, and Julian
/ Bryant.
Membership Committec-Messrs. Luther
y. Jenkins chairman. W. II. Graham,
! Maxwell r. Clark, George a. Brown ana
/ w. n Snellings
Committee on Branches-MessIs' 'un'
p Wood (chairmam, w. j. kimhrougn'
James Lewis Anderson. Edgar Fergusson'
Luther c. Camp. and IL. j.. Beck.
Committee on Municipal Government
Alessrs. Virgnius Newton (chalrmah)'
roosevelt Page. John B. Minor George 4.
Ainslie. and George Wayne Anderson
pr Wood. chairman Of tho Commiitf.
on Trenches. reported that every ward
wac now thoroughly organized, ana tnal
the city wold be found In good shape lor
effeetive work az the next municipal
| election. .
MR.. NEWTONS ADDRESS.
Mr. Virginius Newton then addressed tho
r.eaguc and after few preliminary re-
marks. read the following highly interest
/ ing and instructive paper: ,-
TT 8 OF profit at times for men In their
/ re-ationg TO associate work 20 pause anu
/ survey and readiust themselves as 10 thal
/ ,york-to ascertain whether the present
/ ,noveuent and purpose is in .lne Win lNe
undertaking they set out TO accompHN"'
"Our first effort was 90 secure auch Il
| renresentsti0n in our Councils as "'uiN
insure closer attention To corporate ln-
/ teroets and a better apprehension OF our
material welfare.
.sT,be Retrenchmont and Reform Com
! rrittee of the Council, whose "olA N.7
| already secured your commentator -
| obviously the result or your olHaHI@' .loi''
/ ,1r tbe active participants in the labois
OF that committee are ihe c'l lI''1' '. 'o-
/ ,,oreonaliv endorsed and elected lh your
i.st municipal campaign. What material
/ ,oerlts they may secure In economic dl-
/ ,,fnfstration lis question not YET solFeu'
/ rrbotr rrooederce has not been one OF uh-
cba,ked harmony. and they nave D'eh
euhfect 10 some malvertence or ctiliDl'Hl'
sT,iscornt their results as much as you
/ .laoeo the residuum stands unquesloHeu'
and tho first inning Of the movement ls d
! ,,ore earnest. more heallhlul a i"'l'
| economic tone in Cits affairs th-n mas 'N-
| listed in twenty years. You may '-Ne ".e'-
! crodit The general tone, the apreclallIe
| interest Of citizenship az large lh l,ell
| material interests. is certainly hisNe1
- Intelligent. moro astute, more per-
,,,ai and II this be not the ieslllnaie
/ oe.ct 81 your eudclvors. then we nave
an eject without an apparent cause
,rbicb some one more skilled tnan we
NAV undertake to explain VI @ nave o'
io,et tbe prima facid claim when puts
,he onus profund elsewhere
ONE THING ACHIEVED.
.you have achieved one step Included
in Article j. Of your princip.es-Flz' d
more active interest; you have yel 10 Ae'
cure the due service or cltll-i-a '-'' 'o'i'-
piement OF the interest.
.grbe 0ttest 10 survive IS the inueNib-e
ruie undcr which we live I'm alb things. IL
a. the old principle Of the school-room-
ev uible. nihn ht-from nothing, nothing
coroes and its application TO this assocla-
,ion is that your reward-your succe,s-is
cornrensurate now, and will continue
co,nr,ensurate. ony with your labors-
,.o,,r deserts. You arc not born 10 great
ness. nor are you 70 have 1t thrust upon
,,o,, Won are 10 achieve it when you
deserve il.
"rf we are not to continue the serious
,ahors We have undertaken, and press
+bero under wise direction ia the lines ln-
dicated in your principles; II We are 10
ieclr the interest and cOrdial support from
his membership which we have right
20 look for-an interest and support which
may. al least. be given IN regular attend
ance upon its sessiOns-.nt us az once
reach that conclusion. that some. at least
who give time and attention 70 IL may JIG
absolved from labors which they give 70
the detriment Of their personal interest
Your principles commit YOU 10 the as
cusslon Of the science OF city government
and the advocacy OF such approved me-
thods as experience I'm other places may
Justify you I'm urging upon pubic al'eh'
tIou. the collection and publication or ap
propriate information upon Sh~ oelecl'
and needs Of our city government
The blind may not wisely De iea''l
in any movement and We nave YET 20 ie-
move the beam from our own eyes oeloi
We essay ~ remove the move lioln '4i.
eves OF the body polite. Your permanent
organfzatton establishes a municipal gov
eminent and statistics committee OF hFe
whose fAucuon 10 VIII be 10 discuss these
rnnt.ers in your presence. and perhaps
| evolve fCn them conclusions YVES may
uaite uLon the press 10 the point OF
a.lovsion and the test OF experience. your
Interests. YOUR attention. and your par
tlcipation are the conditions precedent