The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-11
VOTERS MUST PICK
FORTY-5EvEN MEN
Thirty-five Councilm en- and
Twelve Aldermen to Be
Elected Thursday Week.
MANY ARE SEEKING HoN0Rs
New Council May Discuss Cues
ton of Reducing Member
ship Hereafter

Thursday of next week is the day
set for the voters of Richmond to Sc.
lect from the qualified list the men
who Will run the city government for
the next two years. Thirty-flve Cotn-
cilmen and twelve Aldermen are to be
nominated in Democratic primary
which, to all intents and purposes, Is
practically final election. The incom-
ing Council takes office on the first day
of September. for period of two years
BY Il somewhat curious provision of
the state law, the outgoing Council
Will have at It's July meeting the cleo
ton of the heads of the various city
departments for like period, the roll
including practically all of the admin
istrativc officers of the city govern
ment not elected directly by the people.
AS a result the present Council to a
large extent shapes the policies of the
departmental committees Of the incom-
ing body by naming the superintend-
ents and executive officers
OF the entire membership of fifty
six in the two branches, there are nine
"holdover" Aldermen, who do not come
up for reelection at this time, having
another two years to serve. These are
Aldermen Robert Whittet, of Clay,
Hobson and Joseph Kain. of Henry;
Frank L. Butler, of jefferson: a. w.
Bennett, of Lee: Harvey Atkinson, of
Madison; e. Douglas Richardson. Of
Marshall; James a. Mcncure and r. G..
Rennolds, of Monroe.
Eight Vacancies.
OF the present Common Council. John
F. Don LeaSy, of Clay, and John b.
Bliley. of Monroe. arc running for the
Board of Aldermen. Alderman Will
liam II. Zimmerman, Nof Monroe,
elected to fill an uneSpircd term. is
not standing for reelection. In the
lower branch the following present
members are not offering for re-elec-
ton: Il. A. Barber, Jr.. of Madison:
a. S. Buford. Jr,, of Henry; #. II. Gar
Der, of Marshall: T. f. Green, of Mon
roe: Nirkwood Mitchell. Of Henry, and
the two Councilmen who are running
for the Board, this makes room for
eight new Councimen. even should all
the other old members be reelected,
which in some of the wards seems
doubtful. Adding in the five new Com
mon Councilmen who Will come in
from Washington Ward, 1t is probable
that at least half of the incoming
Council will be composed Of new men.
All of the committee cha!rmen are
standing for reelection, and in the
majority of instances they are men
who are strong In their wards. 1t is
not generally expected that there VIII
be any Wholesale shake-up in the COM
ganization of the new Council. Presi-
dent Whittet will hold over, and be re-
elected to the head of the Board OF
Aldermen With only six men in the
that President Peters will be returned
by a safe margin. in which case his
re election as president of the Com
mon Council seems assured
Talk of Reducing Size.
With the incoming of the Washing
ton Ward members following the May
meetings of the two branches, the
Common Council will consist Of forty
members and the Board of Aldermen OF
twenty four making City Council
of siXty-four members. instead OF NIFTY
six. ergeant-atArms Ruskell, in or
der to be prepared for the new mem
bers, has given the order for the man
ufacture of their desks. the cabinet
maker agreeing to duplicate the pres
ent furniture of the Council chamber.
From public expressions of !nllu-
entail members of the Council within
the past few weeks, it is safe to pre-
dict that the chief question TO CONS
before the incoming Council next fal
will be some plan for simplihcatior
of the city government, believed tt
be too clumsy for administrative eff
liciency and economy. Whether 1T vii
take the form of a reduction of mem
bership from the various wards, or the
appointment of paid administrative
board to serve under the direction OF
in lieu of the Council and It's com
mittees, does not seem as yet to have
been determined, but the fact remain!
that within the past few weeks sev
cral members of the Council hereto
fore opposed to any change in tbs
form of city government have indi
Gated publicly that they believe some
changes could be made. both for great
| err economy of administration and 70
more direct responsibility in the man
agement of the clty's affairs.
Some Have No Contest.
| Contests for the Common Council ar,
on in every ward the smallest fiel,
being in Henry. whore there are 81:
| candidates. OF whom three are olt
members. Nine are Offering in Clay
eleven in Jefferson; eleven In Lee
seven in Madison: eleven in Marshall
and nine in Monroe. In only four o
the wards are there any contest 70
the Board of Aldermen. Alderman
Barton II. Grundy has no opposition
in Henry; T. II. Douahoe and josef
e. Powers have no opposition In Madl
son, and John b. Bliley has none II
/ Monroe.
In Clay there is a three-cornere
fight for the two seats occupie" b.
Gilman Don Leavy being the third mar
In Jefferson, Thomas J. Moody ha
entered the fight with Aldermen w. II
Adams and II. w. Melton: in Lee Their
is stiff contest on, former Alderma
Marx Gunst being on the warpath il
competition with Aldermen 7. II. Ell
lett and ". j. Gilman, and in Mar
Grimes Is Offering in company Wit
| Nielsen.