Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-14
KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN.
cLAy-wARD ACTIvES DEMAND
THAT THIS DE DONE.
RESOLUTION CEKSURIEG The COUNCIL
sir. Reigenstein Offers II, and Mr..
waddey Opposes It-Mr. wendcn-
burg speaks for the Measure, and
MIR. Carter Gives some Advice.

The Clay Ward Actives met In Belvldere
Hall last night. and after carefully con-
Steering the action Of the Council in re-
fusng 10 appropriate the $500 asked for
BY the School Board adopted resolutions.
the body demanding that the appropsia-
ton be made.
The club met at s o'clock. and there
we're present nearly half a hundred men,
bers. The following gentlemen were elect
Cd to membership: J.. o. Wendenburg. r.
i Winston, Richard b.. Mccurdy. d. c.
ZoIickofer, j.. p. NJ. Richardson, Blair
Meanley, and ]. Herbert Mercer.
Mr.. Saunders reported for the commit
tee appointed TO inquire into the report
concerning the employment of Henri
coans by the city departments, and said
the men so employed had been ordered
10 move into the city.
MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS.
Mr.. $. ]. Reizenstein called attention
20 the action OF the Common Council in
refusing to appropriate the additional
$500 for the maintenance of the public
schools. He said there was really no
excuse for the Councils refusal TO APP
proprlate this money. If there wasn't
money enough for this purpose, it was the
Councils fault, and not the children's.
and the children should not be allowed
20 suffer. He then presented the follow
Ing resolutions:
Whereas, we. members OF Clay Ward
Actiyes. hold the education Of the masses
10 be one Of the prime tenets Of Demo-
cratic faith, and the upholding OF the
homes Of the common people one of It's
cardinal principles. we are unable 10
calmly contemplate the closing of the
schools of this city by the votes Of Demo-
cratic councilmen without entering our
most profound protest; and whereas we
hold tenaciously and with pardonable
pride 10 the achievement Of our party
for the schools Of this our beloved Com
monwealth. and in view OF our party
declarations touching them; be 1t tnere-
fore
Resolved, That we, the members OF the
Clay Ward Actives, deprecate and con-
damn the Democratic members Of the
city Council who oppose the school APP
propriation, and demand OF the members
from this ward that they refrain from
closing the doors of the public school
upon the children of the people
Mr.. Reizenstein, speaking to his reso-
luton. said the Actives had a right to
demand that their representatives should
represent their constituents and not 90
them an injustice and hide behind a
rusty rule to shield themselves.
MR.. WADDEY OPPOSED IT.
Mr.. Everett Waddey was next recog-
nlzed. He said he was 10th to see the
Actiyes put themselves on record IN TINS
matter without first giving 1t due con-
slderation. He referred TO Samson ana
10 Socrates, and said neither samson
with all his strength, nor Socrates WIN
al his philosophy, could pay money II
thew didn't have 1t. The councilmahb
he said. had to guide and govern their
actions by the circumstances Which con-
fronted him. Mr.. Waddey TOOK eXcep-
lions TO Mr.. Reizenstein's statement
nat the councilmen were misrepresent-
ng their constituency. and salu
he councilmen were doing "hu.
.bev thought to be right,
- acting for the best interests OF the
,itv. The councilmen, he SAID were
,lccted by the people, and 1t was IN"
rumbent on the people to stand by them
md 10 give the men who had done their
,utv as they saw It. the plaudit, wen
lone. thou good and faithful servant
COULDN'T DO WITH LESS.
Mr. /. O.. WendenbuTg followed MT.
Waddey. and took issue with him. he
,old how the school Board, knowing 10
mathematical certainty how much II
would take to run he schools, askeu
NAT $4,000 be appropriated tor the
,cbools and how the Council had re-
800 - give them but 10000. The
school Board, he continued urea eE'iy
Uav in their power TO economic ana 10
i've within this appropriation, but were
,nable to do so, and were forceu 10
rome back to the approprlatlns Dooy
md ask for more money in order 10
larry on their schools.
The free schools, he asserted, are the
bulwarks Of our great civilization ahu
while he refrained from criticising inc
yote Of the Council, he dtd thlnk IL nc
,iorable that our schools should be
.Iosed He said he was indebted for his
,dpcation to the public schools, and ne
tneyy the value OF IL. He concluded win
strong appeal for the adoption OF the
resolution, saying that the W thlhsS
his false economy should not toach
we're the health of our people and thelr
education.
FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AR II. T. Briggs. a member OF the
School Board. was called on, and maue
a succinct. clear statement or the nhan-
rial condition Of the board, set
ting forth that the only after
native the board had If the addi-
tional appropriation was not made was
~ close the schools. lie told OF now
The city had received money from the
Stokes estate. from the Chesapeake ana
Ohio Raj way Company, ana from ue-
lnment taxes. which had not been con-
formulated when the budget Was maue
nm and said he knew that the money
sufBciant to make the additional appIo-
priation was I'm the treasury Wheh tne
request was made. He didn't think the
schools ought 10 close. and sald no
hoped the appropriation would De maoe'
FRIEND OF THE SCHOOLS.
Mr.. II. L. Carter followed Mr.. Br1geS,
and said he was not an enemy OF Tree
schools. n purposed voting Tor the APP
propriation. whcn. IL came before him i'll
proper shape. He said. as a councilman.
he purposed always obeying the benest OF
his constituency. and when he dldn see
his way clear TO doing 80 he would re-
sign. This additional appropriation, MT
Carter said, was a problem that con
fronted the people. and he saw no soiu-
lion Of IL. except in an increase OF taxa
ton. He was willing 10 say amen TO the
proposition that the health and education
OF our citizens were OF paramount impor-
tance. but he desired the Actives TO care
fully consider Just where the additional
approximation was coming from. lie
thought IL would be an outrage to close
the schools bpt both sides OF the question