Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-22
Mr.. EBEL'S REPORT.
o>Iy DEALS WITH MIR. RouN-
TREES INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR
The COUNCILMAN WRITES A LETTER.
uoth Men Express Kindly Feelings
Toward Each Othsr-Furthcr Com
alteration Of This and Other Mnt-
tcrs Deferred untii Next Meeting.


Reform convened in regular session in
Room No. OF the City Han at s O'Clock
last night Those present were Messrs.
Rounree (sub-chairman), Harrelson.
Ebel Jones. and Noble. The Sergeant
at-Arms stated that Mcssrs. Allen and
King were detained at home by sickness.
Mr. zimmerman was reported to be
out OF the city.
As soon as Clerk Mcdowell finished
reading the record Mr.. Ebel read his
report as member OF the sub-commit-
zee which called upon the Mayor with re-
ference TO what Mr. Snead said in the
Board Of Aldermen regarding a PROPOSE
ton TO Mayor Taylor by a member of the
Committee on Retrenchment and Reform
that he Ohe Mayor should not veto the
ordinances reducing certain salaries. Mr..
Ebers statement was lengthy one. and
dealt simply with the interview between
the Mayor and Mr.. Rountree the Clay
ward member of the Common Council.
whom Mayor Taylor accused of having
said: "Dick. you must not veto those
ordinances. We are not going TO touch
your salary"
10 will be remembered that Mr. Roun-
tree promptly denied this. and that a very
heated colloquy ensued between himself
and Mr.. Taylor in the Mayors office.
LETTER FROM MIR. ROUNTREE.
The following letter from Mr.. Rountree
was then read
TO the Committee on Retrenchment and
Reform:
Gentlemen,-When,a at your last meeting.
] was appointed by your chairman
member Of "A subcommittee TO investi-
gate charges made against a member of
your committee, l had not then the faint
est thought that / was the person re-
lerred 10. 1t could not have been possible
for any one to have been more surprised
than myself. When i called upon the
Mayor for the purpose Of performing the
duties TO which 1 was assigned | at
nrst thought, as l have since heard the
Mayor has said. IL was a joke. However.
meeting with such shock. l, as best l
could. consistent with honor, protected
myself and maintained the dignity of your
committee.
In order TO do this. found it necessary
TO refer TO matters which appeared foreign
10 the subject in question, hence
] had 10 be personal, from which l would
have been glad TO have refrained. My
memory, upon this occasion, was taxed
TO its utmost capacity In order to re-
lltIlutI what ldQ Dttn SdlQ at an INCL
dental street meeting with the Mayor
which occurred about six months ago.
and but for the fact Of a question foreign
TO the one now under consideration,
being heatedly discussed by the Mayor,
i doubt If l should ever have remem-
bered meeting his Honor on Franklin
street, when the interview took place at
all
Now, i need not have relied upon my
ms "a. a x,rh az oh H.
Mayors salary, for reasons assigned. 1
have always been Of the opinion, and have
publicly proclaimed the same, that the
Mayors salary for services rendered
should be but little. If any. more than
that OF a councilman. together with the
fact / do not understand how | could
have done 80 and have had proper re-
spect for his Honor, whom / have voted
Tor and held in such high esteem. for if
/ had have used the language credited
to me l fail to understand why there
should not have been between the Mayor
and myself a great breach, and one which
should not have been so quickly
mended. This was not the case-to the
contrary-the Mayor and myself continued
10 be the best of friends
CRITICISED HIS ACTION
During the time the ordinances In
question were on their passage, or after
their passage. l did not see the Mayor
40 AN 10 talk with him upon any SUBJ
iect but after he had exercised his veto
powers I publicly criticised his action i'm
the daily papers. Again. when these or
dinauces were referred back to my
branch Of the Council, / then and there,
NOT only criticised his action, but his
duty In doing so l did not desire TO in
cur the IN viii OF the Mayor. / therefore
called az his Office on the morning after
the Common Council had passed these or
oIuances over his veto. when he met me as
friendly as ever. I then said TO him that
] had not meant in my criticism anything
personal. but was simply referring TO the
Mayor and not the man. He said TO me:
'l have not the slightest feeling i'm the
matter. that he had voted for me and
would do so again." Had / have thought
the Mayor could have brought against
ne such charges, l am sure l would not
1ave done anything to antagonize him.
NEVER THOUGHT HIM A FRIEND.
Now. / regret very much indeed. 10
say ihat The member who referred TO this
matter in the Board is one whom / have
never regarded as a friend. and trust
Tor MS own salvation he is not an enemy
Wny should ] have taken il upon myself
io say the salary of the Mayor would
hoi De touched? i am sure the question
)i the Mayors salary has never been
referred TO In your committee. Besides
this. j have no personal interest in the
matter, except such as one in common
with the people Of this city.
When became "A member of the Coun-
cl 81 was my purpose to do my duty in
manner strictly consistent with honor.
The position of a councilman is not one
or my choice. and. as a member Of your
committee, except for the association
with IT'S members all of whom / hold in
me highest esteem. the duties have been
me most disagreeable and onerous of
my entire experience in life. The sub
l-cis with which your committee have |
10 deal would make il 50. even If the |
PERSONS affected were not friends: but |
To- me 10 has been doubly So for each |
ana every officer in the city government |
WIN whom / am acquainted are my |
friends. and by my vote many of them |
nave been selected 10 fill the offices they |
now hold. Fully realizing this when / |
tiaiihed as a member of your committee. 1
was aware. first. that j had a duty /
20 perform: hence as best / could in my |
nndi ] declared each and every office va
can't / had asked some OF the officers |
VINO were TO be examined not 10 con-
"lef it a personal matter.
ll was not my purpose simply TO cut |
,aiafles, but TO properly adjust the same
.h keeping with the ability Of the city
% pay. 4 had not the desire TO cut any
mans bread. / would much prefer di-
Nlins my own with him: therefore the
pan suggested by the opposition to your
.oMmittec-that all be cut alike from
'ne Mayor to the man who works on the
'"eeis for $50 per day-would not be
squitable.
in conclusion, permit me 20 say. while
nave concluded TO sever my connection
WIN you as "A member of your commit
Ns } assure you. ! DO 50 carrying away
fftI ctsa - 0 l, tb /