Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-16
TELEPHONES,
LIFT THE CURTAIN.

LIFT THE SG1tt AN
The grand jury of the Hastings Court
or This CITY. in their report to the court on
the subject OF municipal corruption mere
had to confess their inability to find eVl-
,lence to support more than one lnolc'-
ment. but they plainly intlnla'eo ma
,o+es were secured in the City Couhcli
ro, franchises and privileges by repre-
1,eosIble means Though the jury couid
obtain no proof of direct brides, they De-
1ieved that tactics We're adopted "hlch
were almost as repTehens.ble; certainty ds
effective in securing votes and preventing
an unbiased determination Inc eNl-
dence before them demonstrated that
over two hundred thousand dollars was
used in this indirect way. through various
channels, in procuring one tranchlse
alone" This money, the jurors report,
was distributed through promoters TO
the precinct bosses or such men. in differ
eni precincts, as were supposed to be IN
fuential with voters. and for that rea-
son also influential with members OF the
CITY Council whose election they would
claim to have secured or largely pro-
noted. The effect Of such influence, IN
some cases. was no doubt to bias, Ii not
control, the judgment of some councllmen
in the decision of important public ques-
tiors" II was shown, too. the report
saws that lin many instances represen-
tatives of corporations gave work to con-
tractors and employed legal talent from
among the members Of the City Counch
at much greater prices than they would
have had to pay others, and frequently
without even asking what would be the
charges therefor In several cases the
representatives Of corporations ''unhesi-
tatingly stated as their reasons Tor SO
Going that they wished to keep on friend
" terms with those councilmen."
AS we have said, the grand jury founo
only one indictment; that against eX-
Alderman king. The men who paid
king for paving contracts owned up TO
IL. Other members Of the Board OF Al
dermen and Common Council were under
suspicion. hut Of direct proof there was
none. and the grand jury had to content
itself with the report that it made and
from which we have quoted. In other
words. they put the responsibility foi
further action upon the City Council. That
responsibility of the Board of Aldermen
Tor its part has assumed. and me con
.rrrence of the Common Council lGay be
expected at its next meeting.
The resolution proposing the appoint
nent Of joint committee TO take into
consideration the report Of the grand
Jury was offered by Mr.. John B. Minor
and recites The grand jury's report in
-ull and declares that many members OF
the present City Council were members OF
the body during the period covered by the
investigation, leach of whom, if limo
cent, is entitled to vindication. and that
Il is absolutely necessary if the Council
is TO command the confidence of the pub
lie that the guilty parties if any such
there be In the present Council. should
c exposed"
The proposed action is proper and COM
menGable. In the circumstances there is
nothing else for the Council to do In the
the City Council to act and to act prompt
ly and thoroughly and there is reasonable
ground for believing it will do SO.
The committee OF investigation may OBJ
.s,n the name of each witness who ap-
pcarcd before the grand jury and maE
land Wild examine him in public. If the
rule usual in such cases be followed. the
mover OF the resolution will be chairman
Of the committee Of investigation, and it,
fortunately. happens that in this case
The mover not only Is a lawyer, but vas
not a member of the Council during the
greater part of the period covered by
the investigation OF the grand jury. He
succeeded Mr.. lIarman upon the latter's
election TO the House of Delegates. Mr.
Minor is a son of the distinguished Law
professor of the University of Virginia
(who died A few years ago., and practices
law in this city, and is also assistan. to
icge Law School.
As we have said. every witness who
{ was summoned before the grand jury may
be summoned before the Councils com.
mittee Of investigation. and there forced
Ii to tell in public substantially what he
aA old the jury in private.
Kiehmonds municipal house cleaning has
>3a@ go far that nothing WILL or ought