Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-28
TJURsDAY.. ..OCTOBER %, 1897.
OUR CITY.

The question is sometimes asked: "Af-
Ger ALL what does the retrenchment and
reform of the City Council amount to-"
And too often the answer is given by
uninformed persons. Nothing"
This is a big mistake. Much good
has been done: by no means as much as
was expected. but still a great deal.
II the Council had nothing else to its
credit but the establishment of the sink
ing fund upon its lawful and proper
basis, 1t would be entitled to the graft
tude OF our community.
The investigation set on foot by the
Council resulted among other things IN
the discovery of the fact that not since
the passage of the law upon the subject
had our sinking fund been maintained
precisely as 1t should have been. There
had been no misuse OF the funds. but
the City Council had not made the re-
uuired appropriations and seen them APP
piled In conformity TO the provisions OF
law. Now all that has been altered, and
n is safe to say that hereafter the law
will be strictly construed and faithful
ly executed.
Again. the City Council has done
great work in calling halt upon waste
full appropriations. We had gotten into
the habit of spending money much too
freely and selling bonds to square the
account. In short, Richmond had for
years covered its annual deficit by sell
ing bonds. An end has been put to
that execrable practice. We are really
living within our income now. Here,
TOO, the tax-paying public has cause to
be thankful to the City Council
Further, an actual saving has been
made in our annual expenses OF about
s20,0oO--a very handsome sum, indeed
and OF itself worth all the trouble that
the Council has gone TO to make Its In
yestigations and pursue its retrenchment
policy.
Our people are not In the habit of
overfiowing with gratitude 10 council
men. but they should not withhold the
praise due most of the members who
are now serving u.s. OF course, these gen.
tlemen have failed to do some things
that YOU and we. dear reader, would have
done IL we had been there; but that was
to have been expected, for not until you
and we get there win there be perfect
council. But. alas! as the people seem
not clamorous for us to take upon our
selves those honors and responsibilities,
the great public win have TO content
itself with just the ordinary run of
statesmen.
The more experience one has in public
life, the more he appreciates the noun
tains OF difficulty that stand in the way
OF whomsoever undertakes TO carry
through a general policy of retrenchment
and reform. SO serious are these diff
.cuIties few cities ever attempt it. Most
cities are well content TO call a halt
upon new extravaganza and let bygones
be bygones. Richmond has done better
than this, and has not only called a
halt TO general bond-issues, but has put
sts sinking fund upon a firm foundation
and has curtailed its annual expenses to
4he amount of s2o.eoo
We suppose the Council has now about
reached the limits OF it's scheme OF re-
trenchment, and that other work VIII be
left 10 fits successor, which is TO be
elected next spring.
We could wish. however, that the City
Council would not only leave US with a
good record for retrenchment ut Of wise
action with respect to street improve
ments, Richmond ought not TO be willing
10 stand stsli and see her streets so down.
The Dispatch does not suggest that
1avikh expenditures be entered upon now.
but that some Of the most pressing
work be ordered.
Al well might man refuse to go 10
4 ~ expense OF repairing a leaky roof in
bouse hlled with valuable goods, as for
3lchmopd 70 let her streets deteriorate
- degree where they would advertise
- ~ world that ours IS "a fnished
And ret svery sidewalk, Of which