The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-02
SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1907.
Faith heipeth us when we are down,
but unbelicf throws us down when we
are up,-Bunyan
The Mavor and the Council.

The Mayor and the Council.
Mayor Mccarthy is not an anarchist
He is an honest Democrat, and one of
the most righteous agitators in the
land. May his stir-up qualities never
fail The Mayors doctrine is that
Democracy means local self-govcrn-
1nent.
.sThe rights of counties, cities and
towns are generally the fundamental,
the essential, tho inalienable rights OF
the people," said he, land they cannot
be deprived of those rights by any
POWERS that exist in the government
OF the United States or in the COM
monwealtll of Virginia, unless it is
done by rank injustice and by the
exercise of violence. The whole form
OF our government. from start to
finish. indicates that those peculiar,
personal liberties we enjoy in our own
dcmicile, in our own town, in our own
city, in our own county, cannot be
taken away from us except by DOWN
right robbery and injustice. And SO l
say to the city of Richmond that 1t
will be a sad day for her when we
give our quiet consent to the idea
that any interest it makes no diff
ference how large it is, can dominate
this community to its own hurt, even
though it should plead the formal law
and use the machinery of the courts.
DENY the right of the courts to do
Injustice; and If they proceed by law.
we made the laws. and we, if we wake
8,lp. can unmake the laws and reverse
the conditions, IL the laws impose In
justice and outrage upon u.s..
The Mayor argues that the law is
made to protect the citizens of given
community in all their cherished
rights. and that when the law fails
to protect. the citizens will protec,
themselves; that if corporation
should undertake to rob the people Of
Richmond of the great river Whicl
God has given them. and the law
should allow the robbery to proceed
he would be ready to shoulder arms
and fight for his rights and his river
The Times Dispatch is frank to say
that it is in thorough accord witt
1.-THE Mayor in all these views, and tina
the members of it's household would
in such an emergency as he has sup
posed, enlist under his banner an
fight to the waters edge. If this b
anarchy, make the most of it.
But the Mayor is no anarchist, w
repeat. he has a way of stating a
eStrcme proposition in extreme Ian
Euage, and that's all there is to it.
Frs However. we .do''not fear, nor doe
te, that the emergency he suppose
will arise. and there is no use COZ
Stunning space in discussing it. 1t
more pertinent to discuss the Counc
and the Mayors criticism of tn;
body Here again his language is e:
IRENE In point of fact, we have
very good Council. The body as
whole is composed of intelligent, p
triotic citizens. who give a great dc
of their time to the public service, wit
out compensation and with little G
couragement or help from their co
stituency. There are nfty-six mel
bers--thirty-fve in the Council al
twenty-one in the Board of Aldermen
and there are few readers of this q
t4cle who could mention tho names
o dozen of them. Most citizens do u
Know a dozen Councilmen by sight
that is to say, they do not know VIII
they see them that they are membe
much less do they take the trouble
call on them and make suggestions,
attend the meetings.
Few or the members have had ira
Ing in tho art of government; m
OF them are busy with their own
fairs, and their work for the city
an
they do well they receive little prai
s. II they do evil they receive little c
sure, They arc rarely called to
I'D count by the people for any Of IL
acts If they were directors of u bl
ness corporation they would have
nccount to the stockholders for II
Is every error, and especially for
waste of the company's money.
they handle and disburse some two
g half million dollars each year for
clty, and arc responsible to nobod
Under these conditions, nothing
H Yayed Richmond from graft and
trayagance but the integrity OF
Council and the Mayor. The st,
holders" have reason 10 congratu
themselves that their president
directors" have done so wcll.
much OF communication is Justly
4nd yet the councilmen themselves
admit that the city's business ri
have not been conducted always
manner TO serve the best interes
the city,
yhe copaci mas zone well, all u