The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-08
Little Doubt That Com.
mitteesWill Reach Sat
isfaCtory Agreement.
a CONTINUING BODY ,
WITH FIVE MEMBERS
These to Be Elected by the Coui1.
Gil, but Not More Than Two
at Any One Timc-This
the Amendment Which
It Is Thought Will
Be Adopted.

be ADOPTED.
It Is now pretty we'll settled that there
will be reorganization OF Idchmond's
Health Department. and with very llttle
delay.
There Is good basis for the hope that
the Council Committee on Health and the
Special Investigating Committee VIII
speedily reach an entirely satisfactory
agreement on features OF the ordinance,
the opposition to which led to the re-
committal OF the paper by the Common
Council at last Monday nights meeting.
These committees meet tonight, under
the call OF chairman Hobson. and there
ts little doubt that the consideration oi
tho important subject will be entered
upon with full appreciation OF us sraV'ly's
and especially Of what unnecessary oe-}
lay would mean. The outcQb>s II IS pretty
/ well assured, from the aroused lntcres.
OF the public and Of the members OF theS
two committees, will be the perIecuoi
OF the pending ordinance. which VIII give
the city a health department organized
on modern lines, well equipped and sup
piled with men, means and facilities ior
fighting disease and protecting lives
Personnel of the Board.
The personnel OF the Board OF Health
and the tenure OF Office OF It's members
formed the basis for the most serious
division in the Council. A solution OF
this problem will. 1t Is thought, be reach
ed In to-night's joint meeting. An amend
,nent has been proposal which seems 20
meet with general favor. providing that
the board, contemplated In the reor-
Eanizationi ordnance, shall consist Of i've
members. whose terms Of Office shall pc
three years, and who shall be elected So
as 10 make the board aacontlnuln7as,3 9 ''l pu1
i not self -perpetuating committee. etS&&IIs
Il The i,rst board. It Is proposed. shah
have two Of dts members teh osen for two
years, ono for one year. and two Tor, .',
4luree years They are to be elected Y Dy;
the Council.
& There will probably be other amend
ments, but all designed to perfect, rather
than to weaken. the ordinance OF the spe-.
cial committee, which The mes-Dispatch
has earnestly advocated In the interest,"
OF the health and lives OF the people OF
Richmond. The outlook is cheering for
those who. with this paper, beleve that
the Health Department is one OF the
most important divisions Of the city gov
ernn,ent and should be made, In both
direction and equipment, as cHecuve
and helpful as possible.
Mr.. Pollock's Position.
Mr.. Gilbert X Pollock, who was the
chief obiector on the floor of the coun-
cf Ia the ordnance. based his objection
solely on the ground that five conlnis-
sioners, to compose the proposed ne"
health board for term of five years, and
giving them the power delegated to them
by; the ordinance, was not In accord with
his idea Of safe and conservative gov
ernment He favored all other features
of the ordinance When seen at MS
home last night Mr.. Pollock stated that
the only amendment he had offered was
that the hoard should consist of three
members. to bo elected every two years
nv the Council II am not welded, how
ever" he said, "to the number named,
and would not seriously object TO FIVE,
Int believe that the board should be
amenable to popular control. II the
beard were elected as proposed under
the original ordinance 1t would mean
the creation Of a bureau to handle one
of the most important departments OF
our city government. which would be
Irresponsible mean irresponsible SO far
as5 heing subject to popular control.
some fear that the election of the en-
fire board at one and the same time
might make it liable to the abuses OF
politics.
~ myself. have no fear of this, but
this objection could be met by fixing
the term OF office at three years, every
Council electing a majority OF that board
For instance: two commissioners or tho
first board would have to BIO reelected at
tho end OF one year, one at the end OF
Two Years, and two at the end OF three
Years, each being elected for term
~ three wears This would make tho
board sufficiently amenable to popular
control. which control TO my mind Is the
Greatest safeguard for procuring tho
proper conduct OF municipal affairs
''The most modern way OF creating
boards for the management OF municipal
affairs is to place in the hands OF the
Mayor power OF appointment, supJect 70
confirmation by the Council The people
have a chance then at the whole governs
ment when the selection OF Mayor IS
at hand do not think our Council how
over, is ready to take that step, and N
fact, 1t could not be done without charter,
amendment by tho Legislature.
"The next best thing is not self
perpetuating board, but is one that can
be reached by the people through the
Council, ! believe the latter proposition
will be adopted by the Health and Spe-
oial Joint Committees tomorrow night
Its Advocates Firm.
The advocates of the reorganization of
the Board Of HoAlth on new and adj
yanced lines. both on tho Special Conn
mittee ana tho Health Committee, are
MS firm as a rock. Tho members of the
Special Committee are unanimously In
Tnyor Of the proposed ordinance and Will
contend to the end for Its leading fea-
lures.
since tho Common Council failed, for
the lack of a two-thirds vote. to adopt
the ordinance requiring the reorganization
of the Board OF Health, the ordinance
providing for the same and the action
Of the Council in rejecting 1t. have been
the talk of the town. The Times Dispatch
has steadfasuy advocated the measure
and has pointed out to the Council the