The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-12
WEDNESDAY. APRIL 1s. 1905.
Better Outlook for Greater Rich


Better Outlook for Greater Ricn-
1nond.
The shoe string plan of city extehs'oi'
which vent through the Council IN III
,mnh suffered: signal defeat In the l3oard
of Aldermen last night, and its advocates
Who went into meeting Boosting that .1 thes
had eleven votes OH their Side came ou1
considerably crestfallen. Finding that theS
we're not able to muster enough votes - 70
nut the. contracted plan through tneS en-
deayored to have the whole question post St
,,oned until the next meeting of the Boaru,
Mt could only get nine votes even on that
nronosal. Their opponents then moved
to have the question reconlmitted 70 me
Committee on Ordinance, Charter and Re-
FORM and scored a victory by vote OF
Ii to y. q.
Alderman Dabney, in strong and con-.
vincing argument, stated among things,
that the city engineer had never pectl
consulted with reference to the lines OF
the Mills plan, so quietly was that pan pan
S..exnloited. :" and so jealousy were It's Sc
oret. guarded. And Mr.. Meredith, IN
his speech on behalf Of the Chamber OF
Commerce, emphasized that lin the Mills
Man not a single factory site was pro
yk,ed for, although Richmond must live
ana prosper by manufacturing Industries les
Is or not at all. Haw the devious course
s Of .gthc Council been followed IN e all
the zigzngs demanded by special inter
csts Richmond would have received the
a,zs wors blow since her burning in 1866. How
H the Council could have failed to see the
effect Of Hts action, and seeing how It
could have stubbornly forced its con
tractcd and confessedly illiberal plan on
the community is one Of the lnarvels OF
municipal politics. 1t was stated on the
floor. however, In pallation Of this ac-3
tion, that many members Of the sCoun-
Gil voted for the narrow lines only be-
cause they feared the larger proposals. Be
that as it may. the lines as adopted are
plainly no more acceptable to the Board
or Alderman than to the citizens. It is
apparent that Richmond Is waking UP TO
4 the fact she must become nianufactur-
ing city or be irrevocably sde-tracke
rhe Board of Aldermen responded to this
sentiment last night; the public has al
ready felt tbs force of this argument;
and there Is. every reason to believe that
the Common Council will meet the next
report OF the Committee on Ordinance,
Charter and Reform in a far different
spirit. We are all in one boat, and,
though that fact may determine our joint
arrival at the same port, 1t by no means
implies that those in control arc au-
thorlzed to sink the boat in mid ocean
II Richmond ever reaches her real dcsti-
for liberal treatment OF manufacturers
within the city. and tho first step is TO
take in enough land to furnish necessary
sites, With the other great and con-
trolling advantages. which Richmond pos
sesses as Il manufacturing center. we
need only room for buildings themselves on
land contiguous to railroads for the men,
the climate. the coal and all other requ-
sites are already here.
=-=:=-=========
Senator Martin Against Fusion.
The letter of Senator Thomas S. Mar
tin ito Mr.. George w. Jones, chairman
of the Democratic Executive Committee
of Norfolk county, Is timely. lie ex-
presses the opinion that the best inter-
ests OF The Democratic party of the coun-
ty will be promoted II political contests
are waged on the lines of political conges-
ton. II do not believe" Mr.. Martin con-
tnues that any good can come either
10 the party OF to the county by COAL.
ton between those entertaining different
4 political convictions and claiming 10 be-
long To different political parties. II
4 igre ever has been time when such a
course could be justified IN Norfolk county
or In any other county or city Of this
state, that time has entirely passed, With
the elimination Of the ignorant negro vote
from our electorate. opportunity was Ger,
tainly afforded. II IL did not exist be.
fore, for the conservative and substantial
35 white Democrats 10 control the destinle.
Of your county"
Senator Martin further declares tina
he has never been party or prlvy 4
4 any coalition In Norfolk county, and ex
presses tile hope that the white Demo
Gratis will get tosather and see to Al tina
absolutely fair methods are adop;ed ant
adhered 10 with view to the control o
local government by the homes. Democrat
of tho community.
Fusion In Norfolk county has heen tn
source Of political Decentralization, and ha
s4 brougM the Democratic party into pub