Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-02
SATURDAY !. OCTOBER 2, 1897.
GO-AHEAD RICHMOND.

The experience of two years ago has
taught this community that 1t IS useless
for us to go TO the Legislature for char
ter amendments unless the City Council
and the people are fairly well agreed as
TO what is needed.
That there are changes which our city
requires we all agree. Where we differ
IS mainly as to details There are no
two opinions as TO the desirability or
our improving upon present methods as
10 raising, apportioning. and spending
Richmonds revenues. The Dispatch.
however would not say a word. and it
has no thought, hostile to the Finance
Committee of the City Council. So far
from It, we appreciate very highly the
valuable. laborious. unthankful. and un-
compensated services of the chairman
and members OF that committee. But to
expect those gentlemen TO give any more
time and thought than they now do to
the city's work would be unreasonable
in the extreme. Yet the department of
city finances is of growing Importance.
and the hour is at hand when we ought
surely TO devise a better system than
we have, call the head of 1t committee"
or commission" or what not.
From the discussions that have al
regdy taken place, we are led to nope
that unity of opinion may be arrived at
and that at the approaching session of
the Legislature It will be asked to amend
our charter as needed and that no OBJ
rfc
any source.
The Dispatch wishes Richmond put
upon the most favorable financial foot
Ing possible by the first of the next year.
There is much work before us. We can't
afford to stand still, we have not learn
ed the habit of retrograding, hence we
must got our money matters into the
very best shape possible.
For instance, II will not do for us to
stop making street improvements in
new neighborhoods. When we do that
we shall see few more new buildings
erected here. Already, there are COM
plants heard thai men who wish to put
up new houses will not do so because
our city will not make reasonable i'm
provements that are needed In every
such instance Richmond ought to be
willing to make the Improvements. even
II It does not get one cent of interest
back upon her outlay for few years
10 come. We have got TO show more of
the go-ahead spirit
1'hese are times OF sharp competition
And this competition exists among COM
raunities as well as among individuals
We must make Richmond attractive and
we must show that she is progressive,
or we shall be left in the race by south
ern sister cities that are not half so well
endowed as we are with natural ad-
vantages.
Yes; we must be up and doing. and
In every movement that we may try
70 make money viii be the first requi-
site. And so the question of finances
assumes proportions OF vast magnitude,
ana there is need that they should be
handled with consummate care, We
have need of economy. but not OF that \
sort OF economy which blights enter
prise and forstalls and prevents all ef-
forts 10 make Richmond greater city
than she Is. Let US earn the name OF
go-ahead Richmond. So thinking and
believing. we trust that the question OF
a finance commission or finance COM
mittee may be settled early and wisely. |
II we cannot secure the very best
system let us take the best that we
can get Let US enter upon this work |
IN the spirit Of cornpromise. Let us con-
slit and concede TO one another until |
We agree upon some Arrangement that
~ better than that which we now have
We cannot see how 1t viii be possible
for us to reduce taxes for some years
10 come, but We can see how II might
~ possibss for our city to make better