Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-07
0uR POPULATION.

|
| OF 1900. and public interest In the work
| will grow from this time on. Each am
bilious city and town may be counted
| uron TO do all II can 10 gain good foot
| ing In the tables OF population. In many
| cases cities and towns already have ex-
| tended their corporate limits. and thus
| have added 10 the number Of. their IN
babitants. Thus. too. not few Will ex-
| hIbit an increase which will be astonish-
| ing TO those who will not know how the
| gains have been made
| we would not be understood however,
as discountenancing extension or corpo-
rate limits No. indeed. Wherever city
| has outgrown its old bounds. and wher-
| ever n suburban or rural population Is
securing a large share Of the citys do-
vantages without contributing much 10
| the cost thereof. II is but right that that
population should be annexed.
In our own case we find that bundreos
| OF our good friends Of Henrico enjoy many
| of the advantages and facilities OF our
ci,v while they are not taxed for the
citys benefit.
Manchester too, ought to be part VI
Richmond. One government ought 10
serve both communities. No doubt the
time will come when ii will be ahncNeu'
but of late years little has been said pup
liclv upon the subject. As yet we cannot
saw that public sentiment on either size
of the river is ripe for the change. Inc
Manifestations once were very faNord-
bic TO annexation. but OF late the queS-
ton has been little discussed by theih-
Our friends across the river are not III
clired to beg Richmond,to annex them'
they expect the next overtures that arc
made to come from us.
With Richmond and Manchester united
under one government, and the cioseS
buiIt-up territory of Henrico annexed
our city would make proper appear
ance i'm the census tables.
When this subject was up Tor discus
sion last the conclusion reached by the
people here was that the advantage Oh
cutting a big figure in the census reports
was outweighed by graver considerations
The chief argument advanced theh was
that the outlay for streets, gas water
schools. etc. would Overbalance any SUD
stantial good we might hope FOR. Bul
that is not "A broad and liberal-minded
view TO take. Had we held that positioh
from the foundation of this city, Rich-
mond instead of having her present area
would hr confined to a few squares ne
tween the old Market and Libby Hill.
If Is doubtless true that in the begin
ming new territory is an expense rather
than a profit: but ten or twenty years Is
a short span in the life Of a city.
AT present public opinion is quiescent
on the subject of annexation ana
that is not very much 10 our
liking. We should be better pleased
70 be able 10 say that sentiment was
steadily growing in favor of annexation
The fact that the Legislature is TO meet
this winter. and might pass the laws ne
cessary TO enlarge our boundaries, ana
that the Federal enumeration or inhapi-
tants will take place next year, makes
this good time to challenge public at
tentiOn.
II has been ten years since the last
great discussion occurred. Are we any
more nearly IfdhN hp" '''''
then to submit proposition to Manches-
ter and Henrico? Or. must we postpone
the movement for another decade? what
do our people say?
It has occurred to us that If we are not
vet ready to propose the union under one
government of all the urban and supur-
han territory in question. we might at
least organize the metropolitan district
of Richmond and thus be able 10 snow
i'm the census returns the real city popu-
lation there is here at and about the
falls OF the James river. our recollection
* that i'm some other parts of the couh-
fry such a course was taken ten years
ago by communities situated somewhat
ike ours. our information on this point
is meagre. but perhaps there are DIS
match readers who could enlghten us.
Certainly the people who read In the
census reports the bare figures given as
to the population of Richmond VIII De
pisled. and they ought TO have addition
al information.
The question, therefore Is, How can
Greater Richmond secure her true posi-
ton i'm the census? OF course, we might
do II by actual annexation; but Is there
no way short Of actual annexation? VINO
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