The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-13
iWhv the Mills Ordinance Should
be Vetoed

Further consideration has only strength
ened our conviction that by vetoing the
Mills ordinance the Mayor will pursue
a wise and safe course The question Of
annexation is one of too vital Importance
to DO disposed of by narrow and not
altogether certain ma jorlty. 1t involves
the welfare OF the whole community
and as such the course Of action to be
pursued should receive the hearty sup
port Of at least n majority Of the COM
munity to BIO affected.
q In this case, from all appearances the
reverse is true. After some months Of
desultory debate and casual investiga-
ton the Committee on Charter. Ordinance
and Reform found themselves confronted
i with d sudden but unmstaknble demand
from all quarters for thoroughgoing
i and comprehensive expansion of the
city limits. 1T was at once urged by
sarcastic directors that the progressive
citizens were very late in waking up, but
the vigor Of the newly aroused sentiment
was sufficient justification for the
bearings asked for and accorded Meet
ings were held, circulars written and adj
vertisements literally used in the daily
papers AS a result Of brief, but whole
souled campaign the Chamber of Com
mercc, the T.. p. A., Civic Improvement
League and practically every manufac-
turer and merchant in tho city of Rich
mond united in urging and assisting this
cause The opponents to Greater Rich
1nond. who consisted then, as now, of
individual property owners and county Of
flee holders, were not idle. no stone was
left unturncd and no pressure was left
unused to secure enough votes to de-
feat the lines adopted by the committee.
When the Council met to act upon this
report each mtanbcr found upon his
desk a plan for Which Mr.. Mills later
became sponsor. These lines, restricted.
cramped and personal as they were, were
yet by their very existence an undo
niable proof of the public demand for OK
pansion. It Is we'll known that num-
Der of voters were secured for these
lines by urging that the larger lines
would ruin the city and so, under tho
compulslon OF this idea and as 1t Is al
leged under the misrepresentation that
the Mills lines would be enlarged In the
Board of Aldermen, the Council adopted
that clandestine, secrctive and unexpected
plan by vote Of q to II.
In tho Board of Aldermen a very SINH
lar state of affairs existed. Upon
analysis 1t Is obvious that of the eleven
votes cast in favor OF this measure, two
at least belonged to members who rarely
attended sessions OF the Board, who
had not heard the arguments for or
against expansion, who had not attended
the committee meeting and who were
present on this occasion for the specific
purpose of defeating the compromise
measure.
In addition to this another vote. taken
to make up the majority. came from n
member who had. heretofore, voted con-
seistently against the Mills lines. In
view, therefore, of tho lack of harmony
existing between the will of the people
and the ordinance adopted by the two
branches Of the City COUNCIL and in con-
sheraton of the importance of having
the people of this community heartily
behind any movement of such a character.
II seems TO us the part of wisdom FOR
the Mayor 10 exercise his constitutional
prerogative and send this question back
for further deliberations. In such case
as this 1t Is not necessary to point out
specific defects in the ordinance as drawn
1t is enough to show the manner and
method by which this plan was adopted
To dscrcdit the whole movement,
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