The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-01

nance committee was lrau4ht with Sc
rious danger and grave import to the
city. He asserted that the committee
disposed Of the most important recon-
mendations of the heads Of the depart
ments arbitrarily, without oven letting
the other members know what the ex-
perts recommended. The committee es-
timated how much revenue $40 on
the 800 would produce, and then
eliminated as many as 1t deemed nee
essary of the recommendations OF the
departments SO as to bring the expen-
ditures within the available revenue.
Further than this. the Mayor charged
that the Finance Committee Itself dele
gated to a subcommittee OF three the
responsibility OF really making up the
budget, and this subcommittee rec
concentrations are almost invariably
accepted by the full committee. When
the committee reports the budget. any
member who dares propose an amend
ment on the floor OF the Council arouses
the united opposition OF the Finance
COMMITTEES. and the Council Is appeal
ed to to stand by the committee.
Mayor Mccarthy asserted that under
the plain terms of the charter 1t was
required of the Council to fix the
tax rate every year 30 as to provide
for the needs OF the city. not to limit
the expenditures recommended as nee
essary to the amount which an arbi-
tary tax rate would produce. He point
ed out that whatever important or
even imperative recommendations were
contained in these estimates of the
J city's-needs by its officers they did not
| reach the Council. but were disposed OF
by the Finance Committee. The Mayor
| covered the same ground already ira
xlN%N <t1e cc0C yE
| vetoing the investigation resolution.
Monkey with Estimate.
| Mr. Cannon was questioning tn
Mayor smoothly enough as to whethe
he did not know that the Finance Com
mittee had recommended along witt
the budget an ordinance reducing tn
tax rate. and the Mayor had answere
in the negative. The attorney was un
dertaking to elicit another statemen
along the same line when the Mayo
interjected with vigor:
| you are not going to bulldoze m
as you would in court. Didn't yo
| (the Finance Committee) monkey witt
the Auditors estimate of revenues
l dare you to answer it.
| Mr.. Cannon explained that he wa
not on the witness stand. He appealed
TO the stenographer as to what tn
Mayor had said In answer to a certain
question. when the Mayor stated tina
| he knew what he would say, and di
not need the record to find out
1t was soon after this that Mr.. Can
non appealed to the City Attorney 70
an opinion as to the right of the com
! lnittee to require the Mayor to answer
| The question was one as to what tn
Mayor intended to imply. Mr.. H. r
Pollard. ST.. then made his statement
was excused. and retired.
Mr.. Cannon protested, and asked r.
read the law authorizing such inquiries
The Mayor claimed the right to argue
as to the construction OF the statute
! and the chairman conceded him thi:
right Mr. Cannon read Section 10l5g, O.
the Pollard Code. bearing on the ques
ton and authorizing the committee tt
examine witnesses under oath. He ther
asked the ruling of the chair as Il
whether under the statute the Mayor
could not be required to answer.
The Mayor replied, denying the RICH
of the attorney to ask as to intent Of
inference or intimation on his part A!
to the legal phase of the case, he said
IF you want to go into, that kline
| of nonsense can get the nblest law
yers in the city to appear here"
Did you intend to charge" Mr.
Cannon was asking. when the Mayo
! interrupted: II will not answer an.
| question as to intent"
Mr.. Cannon was reading from TIL,
Times-Dispatch report Of the T. P. A
| speech when the Mayor declined t