Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-03

swer may be In the fact tba, a. a., he
SHINING OF our cities with nonuii ,tnrs ~
V.iIln bWV 10 1000 the executive and ioets-
49, functions OF municipal iifp were
mont .L ee,'eSa.ed. OF SO impregnant mo-
s.N WAT they were blended in the in
sserest OF the economy of our fathers. but
~ 'he varied and complex duties mat
n n.hNe arisen in modern municipal lie
WIN past luxurios have become nr.senf
necessities. even 10 the rnos, brr,bia l,,a
t,n'se municipal functions can no longer
- pichuel as executive and lepfstative
conser,,l N ~ one and the same hands. ana
osshsuiar as II may appear. his principle
"a a severance OF powers which we in
sIel upon IN our national and state gov
e ,,ss,'' nv. ana discard In municipal life
tne same stone which the builders re-
FUSED Is become the hcadstoue i'm tho cor
bncI OF regenerate municipal life and the
demand OF the hour
WHERE THE TROUBLE LIES
ha ne. charter OF the city Of Richmond
80 80 vested the Council with the legislative
junction. aud virtually placed Inc eotire
NAcCptlVe function I'm its hands. which II
oN.tSlses through the office Of the several
SSon.,ilt'tes II appoints, and il Is TO this
.,dtuie more than any other single cause
that the past extravaeance and inefficien-
~ OF our municipal affalrs may be traced
say this advisedly.
o,,L mas been demonstrated in the life or
oener cities 10 be the cause Of extrava-
sance and inefiiciency so plainly that the
ShueaVor IN the past years and now is
IN al cities north and west of us to Sc
ttuiH charters combining the Council solely
W tne LEGISLATIVE function, and IL has be-
charters
It was demonstrated in your spring
tlecuons IN your failure TO secure the
consent OF your businessmen to accept
service IN the Councils on the ground that
asae idoors necessary 10 the efficient con-
ueO. OF city aHairs was n greater sacrifice
OF their materials interests than they
could give. If II he desirable to have the
service OF these men I'm the conduct or
your municipal business, then you must
Di ,,l. mat service within the limits Of a
JUST demand upon their time, and this can
Only De done by such a change in your
chafter as viii bring the duties OF council
men TO considerations solely Of the legis-
latlon junction. The executive branch OF
your government must be cOnfided 70 in
dlViduals, not to committees, that the
power and responsibility Of due and efii-
Gent actions may be centered in known
hanas' that we may at once fix the IN
ethclency where IL belongs"
CUT MAY GO DEEPER.
Mr.. Catlin took the floor when Mr..
Newton concluded, and discussed the re-
trenchment work Of the Council. lie
said, though the league had when first
organized, decided to recommend that
the salary of no municipal employee
who received less than $1,000 per annum
should be interfered with. the working
classes were not content that the police
men and firemen should draw the sala-
ries they do. They were not willing,
he said, to be taxed heavily while men
who had been accustomed to receiving
from 81 to $3.50 per diem were draw
ing 81 80 and 50 per day. He said he had
no suggestion 10 make on this line, but
simply gave the league the benefit of
his information.
Mr.. Newton then took up the retrench-
ment issue, and referred especially to
the propositions that have been made
with "a view to the lease of the city's
gas-plant. He was not prepared to say
that the plant ought to be leased, but he
said Paris, one Of the wealthiest and
best governed cities in the world, was
furnished with gas by a private corpora
ton. but the corporation was made to
yield 100000 per annum to the city, be-
sides furnishing 1t with free gas for its
streets.
BUSINESS DISPOSED OF.
When MI. Newton took his seat the
real business of the meeting was got
ten down TO, and Messrs Hill Montague,
w. II. Cullingworth, and John A.
Booker were elected to membership in the
league
DR.. Jud. y. Wood moved an amend
ment TO the Constitution. providing that
the first Tuesday night of each month
be set apart as the time. and Laube's
Hall as the place, for the subsequent
meetings of the league. This motion has
to lie on the table for one month before
it can be acted upon.
An informal discussion Of the work
to be done by the league was entered
into. and Mr.. Catlin suggested that one
Of the first labors TO be performed was
the recommendation Of an ordinance re-
curing officials 10 furnish trust com
pany bonds instead Of personal bonds.
Mr. Guy at this juncture offered the
following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That we have watched
with interest and pleasure, the efforts
which have been put forth by the MEM
bers Of the City Council elected under
the auspices Of this league in behalf of
economy in the disbursement Of the city's
income. and we hereby tender 10 them,
and to all those who cooperate with
them. our acknowledgements and thanks
for their fidelity in office and their ar
duous labor in accomplishing retrench-
ment and I'm restoring the city TO
h.o1tb,r condition I'm her financial aftalrs.'