The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-03


Al offer all simply question OF live and
lot live" Your success or failures as indi-
,.idualq as bottomcd upon the rigid OBJ
eor,,-ucos OF ike conditions. as inexorable
as tho laws OF the Mcdes and Perslans.
your relation 10 this corporate entity.
known as the city Of Richmond Is as in
diseolublo as the junction OF the Siamese
t,gins-vour life Is her life, her life IS
,our life. and we sink or swim together.
..To question OF 50 great moment is and
has boen for thirty years. occupying the
tntcutpent consideration OF your country
,oor North South. East and West more
tban this question OF efficient. economical
,aunfcinal NE. It IS receiving earnest
studv. earnest solution. for 81 has become
the test OF your success, my success, as
VOL as that OF the city Itself.
s,rbo committee 10 which I have ad-
,ertod nropoee 90 put before YOU IN time.
in brief speoch. at your monthly meetings
tho nrogross and the results of these ten
tativo movements 20 secure economy and
oaicioncv I'm municipal life. and their ef-
for, In this direction will bo conditional
unon the Interests you may give their Ia
bors.
The present charter Of tho city OF Rich
mond may b. -cIaescd as antpuate: X Is
similar 10 that be- vogue in perhaps All tne
cities OF tie land &C some period OF their
economy depending in great measures
unon tho limitations of IT'S operations To
has produced good results I'm small cities.
where each citizen is known 90 and In tho
o,o ~ hfe roiehhor. p invariably pro-
ducca had results I'D cities whose popula-
tion s. in excess Of fifteen TO twenty tnou-
sand. and this badness Is intensified ln
the proportions OF tho heterogenoousnes5
OF its people. .
"1n the beginning of tnls natoh our
fathers I'm the light OF a better experience
olrrr tonaclously 90 the theory and prac-
tice OF n separation in the powers OF
thoso who arc 20 govern. and rigidly en-
fr~,e1 "a divorce between the legislative.
executive. and judicial function. This
theory has been implicitly pursued I'm the
oraanizafiOn OF our national ana Stale
governments. but as implicitly discarded
I'm our city government. why! cannot
answer. .,. ,>.,-r,r,.
SOURCE or THE TROUBLE.
.r ,,,,,, e,,c,rosf. however. that the an
sver may be In the fact that in the be-
rinning of our cities. with populations or
from 1000 TO 1000. the executive and legis-
lative functions of municipal lie Were
whom agrrcrated. of so imprognant mo-
mont that they were blended i'm the In
torest Of the economy of Our fathers; but
in the varied and complex duties that
have arisen iu modern munlcipal Ire,
when past luNurles havo become present
necessities. even 90 the most humble hie'
these municipal functions can no longer
bo blended, as executive ana legislative
functions In one and the same hands. and
conserve either efficient or economic ENDS
Singular as it may appear, this principle
Of n severance of powers. which we IN
eist upon I'm our national and state gov
rrnments and discard I'm municipal life.
"the same stone which the builders re-
fused is become the headstono IN the cor
ner OF a regcnerate municipal lite' and
tho demand OF the hour
"The charter OF the city Of Richmond
has vested the Council with the legisla-
two function. and virtually placed the
entire executive function in fits hands,
which IL exercises through the Office OF
tho several committees it appoints. and
80 IS 20 this feature more than any other
single cause that tia past extr1vaearce
and ineficieucy OF our municipal affairs
,may be traced. I say this advisedly.
ENTR AVAGANCE.
"Tt has beon demonstrated IN the lifo Of
other cities 10 he the cause of eXtrava-
rance and inonciency so plainly that the
rndeavor in the past years. and now is
in an cities north and west OF us TO se-
U
10 tho legislative function. and it has be-
come the sine qua non Of all modern
/ charters.
'Tt was demonstrated IN your spring
elections I'm your failure 20 secure the
consent OF your businessmen 10 accept
service I'm tho Council ON tho ground that
| the lah0rs necessary to the efficient con-
! duct Of city affairs was greater sacri-
/ fee ~ their materials interests than thoy
/ could give. II o. Doe desirable 20 have tho
service Of these men in the conduct Of
your municipal business. then you must
/ bring that service within tho limits Of
| fust demand upon their time, and this
| can only be done hy such n change in
/ your charter as win bring the duties Of
| C0uncilmen 90 considerations solely of the
/ legislative function. The executive
/ branch Of your government must Doe con-
/ fdod 10 individuals not % committees.
| that the power and responsibility II due
/ and efficient action may Doe contercd I'm
! known hands. that we may at once hN
/ The inchcicncy where 30 belongs
PAY or POLICEMEN
Mr. Guy and Nr. Catlln followed Mr..
/ Newton the latter saying that le was
sure that nine-tenths N all the votes in
/ the city would te cast for the objects Of
| the League. Continuing. Mr.. Catln said
/ that the nature OF his business threw him
I'm contact with great many Of the work
/ incmen. and THAT he knew this class was
not content for the remuneration Of the
/ Police and Fire Department 20 continue
at its present figure. which was much in
excess per day " that received BY work
/ ingmen generally.
alr. Newton again spoke on tho subject
OF municipal government. and, IL doing So
touched upon tho subject OF the conduct
az gas plants by private corporation s..
| paris. he said received HwJoJ per
-.eer from her gas plant and gas was
[ S,r-isho1 the municipal departments,
/ either free or ~ cost. Doe dld not reinein-
| bcr which. .,...,,
,..a',,i,, elected Mr. Hn Montague,
,'ronoeea bv Mr. Catlin; Mr.. John a.
pooter prcposod by Sir. Guy, and MT.
1vniior, II. CullngW0rih, proposed ny
DR.. Wood. ,,,.
-, motion Of Dr. Wood. the League
do,f1o5 IN meet the first Tuesday nign'
On each month at Laubes Han.
Art.r an eloquent address. eulogistic
- 49,. cornmittee on Retrenohment and
p,,or,o Mr.. Jackson Guy presented the
/ f-uoUing resolution, which was urani-
mously adopted:
..peeolved That we have watched WlIn
interest and pleasure the efforts whicn
/ bavo beon put forth by the members or
/ a. c,itv Council. selected under the aus
rices OF this League, in behalf OF econo-
NV in the disbursement OF the citys M
/ come and we hereby tender 10 them, and
to all those who cooperate with them
I our Acknowledgement and thanks Tor
their fidelity in office and their arduou4
H.aIa afa.aa ..n...