Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-23
THE COUNCIL AND OUR FINANCES

Tho refusal of the Common Counch 10
recommend TO the Legislature that Kich-
mond's charter be amended so as W pio
vide for thd creation Of Finance po".o
6 not surprising though 1t Is much "
be regretted .or
rhere is n widespread demand here lor
Tho anplication Of better business ne.houS
=, ,to escal affairs of our city. ana the
ys,,,o,co BOARD offers the best solution Oh
the difficulty yet presented moreoNV,'
we believe the majority OF Democr"'''
voters here who have studied the q"e9
.,o, favor the change; but, untortu-
nately. they have not been as oeinoiiS''"
tive as the opponents of the measure
,a,,e been and hence the Council has not
been properly impressed with the'r mum
bers. n,oI
Tn our Judgment, the people OF flch-
,,ond are not satisfied with the CITY
financial system, and agitation Oh one SUIT
or arother will continue until 1t Is I'M
proved. No question is settled until II 10
rightly settled. If, as we THINK the CON
viction is general that our system ousu'
20 be remodelled, the masses VIII ho' o'
satisfied until their wishes are respec'eu'
Rut the question is, Are the people
sufficiently aroused on the SUBJECT anu
how are they TO make their "ishes
known? o.t.,,
or course those who favor the creation
- Finance Board might appeal 10 the
Ioo,isIat,re over the head of the Council;
out we could not hold out to them much
,,ror,sa of success. 1t is the rule In the
Ioo,slature that the members generaiiy
will be guided as to local DIS ny the
advice Of the members who represent INC
oo,,stit,,encv in question. In our case 'he
majority of the Richmond deiega'ioh
would probably be guided by the ADVICE
"A the Council. and legislators generaily
would be guided by the adVice OIL '''
Richmond delegation.
Rarely. indeed, is this rule oepar'eu
from To be sure. an appeal from the
council TO the Legislature would nave 'he
eNeot of spreading information upon the
anbiect and of arousing public senti-
ut. hut we doubt IL 1t could have any
other present result. Our real remedy
,ro,,ld seem to be to carry the question:
hofore the Democratic voters OF this city
1T the next primary election.
rho Dispatch frankly says 1t couio
u,sb that the question might be settled
without being made an issue at the polls
at the Democratic polls even. we nave
noned that If the Council would not ac-
cont the proposed bill it would Suggest
o.hor Rut II has not done so. How
o,,or u Is not yet too late, and we trus'
~ Council will think the matter over
we'll II it is satisfied that our nilaiioia
system needs no Improvement Ns
.,,rore entertain view that is hello
| by few others here
] erre,v the Council must see tha'
| changes are needed, and II so, 1t ought t'
| suggest them now.
! IL this were a mere senseIess clamoi
| for change only for the sake OF chanse
tho Council would be justified In settihe
IFS face against it, but when IL kno"'
that our system has proved faulty' aii'
| when it sees that great numbers OF GU
| tax-payers are discontinued win IT,
| ought TO recede from it's position ii IN
FINANCE Board will not do, what sor
~ relief has the Council to offer nsF y
will II insist that the old, old way
good enough, and that no change at ID
is needed? If this is to be Its postum
Il will surely find itself in antagonism l
large portion Of the community.
The Dispatch has frequently SAID, an
now repeats, that it thinks 1t would
good Democratic party policy TOT IN
Council to give weighty consideration
the opinion of the great number OF worth
citizens who are asking for this charte
change. They are not asking anything &c
themselves: there's nothing of persona
ooerandizement in it for them The
are actuated by patriotic motives, an
they simply recommend that the sam
business methods be adopted Tor III
transaction of Richmonds business thf
uould he adopted were our city JoiI
stock company, and each citizen an actu'
stakeholder therein. So we say, II II
Council will not endorse the propose
ulan. let it bring forward another that
thinks would be better for managir
Richmond's fiscal affairs.
|