The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-10
ANNEXAT ION AND
WHAT 1T M Fans
Expansion and Enlargement the
Watch w Q r d - Washington
Ward Will Reap Advantages
That Will Come to Rich
mond's Credit = People
ALI Pulling Together.
By FRANK s. wooDsoy,
Industrial Editor.

INDUSTRIAL EDITOR.
Last Monday. April 4. was history
making day in this particular part OF
Old Virginia OF course. the folks up
in the Valley. tho folks at the foot
OF the mountains and in the apple
orchards whereabouts. the folks in the
bright tobacco belt. the folks in the
truck lands of the Tldewater sections,
the folks in the Piedmont regions and
in Southside Virginia, took only a
languld Interest in what was going
on along the banks of the raging
James. where It's waves lash the
streets of Richmond on ono side and
the ends OF the streets OF Manchester
on the other. but even to these people
tho vote that was being taken that
day by the sovereigns OF Manchester
was OF utmost Importance.
II ie naturally a good thing for
every part OF virginia-the Southside.
the Tidewater counties. the Northern
Neck. the Eastern Shore. the Blue
Ridge foothills. the two valleys. and
all the other subdivisions of the grand
old Comm onweaith-if the capital city
of the State shall be In point OF popu-
lation, IN point OF mercantile interest.
in point OF manufacturing and in
point of educational and other facili-
ties the largest and greatest among
Southern cities. That Is Just what en-
larged and Greater Richmond is and
always will be from now on. hence
forth and forever. and all the State
must needs take interest in It.
Largest of Southern Cities.
The annexation of the city on the
south side OF the river gives Rich
ruond not less than 100000 inhabitants.
and opens up possibilities in CONNER
cial and industrial ways, and IN va
rious other ways that Were never be-
fore dreamed of
taken upon It's shoulders pretty big
responsibility in absorbing Manches-
ter. 1t promised some mighty big
things, and 1t intends to keep Its
promises. To do SO may make Greater
Richmond little hard up for a few
years 10 come, but in the end every
thing will pan out all right. and while
Richmond alone will foot the bill. all
Virginia Will profit thereby. 1t is a
big thing for all Virginia to be able
to boast that It's capital city is the
biggest thing on the map between
Washington and New Orleans, and that
IL Just what Greater Richmond IS. The
outlying territory and the hundred and
more Virginia towns that play around
Greater Richmond might stick pin
here The booming OF Greater Rich
State. Why should not the whole
State hurrah for Richmond. ! mean
Greater Richmond?
a Western Example.
Illinois has become one OF the rich
est and grandest in some respects of
American Commemorative, and Chi
cago Is responsible for 1T. All of
Illinois whoops up Chicago. Peoria and
Cairo and Springfield do not suffer
@ Sc
fact, they profit thereby. Illinois must
needs have great distributing point.
Chicago is that. and all of Illinois. In
Guiding such big towns as Rockford
Elgin. Joliet, Springfield. Cairo, Peoria.
Decatur and others could name. help
to boom Chicago. and IN the end they
get great things for themselves and
for Illinois in general. Those Illinois
folks are always pulling together. II
Virginia folks in all OF the Virginia
towns would Just do the same way
this old Commonwealth with all of it's
natural advantages would lay all other
Commemorative completely in the
shade so far as agricultural manu-
featuring. banking and general bust
ness interests are concerned.
Let's Get In Harmony.
But somehow Virginia folks will not
get their consent, or have not, as yet.
Just as they ought to do. Richmond
and Manchester have been sitting here
on opposite sides of the James River
for $50 years and more, and in all of
that time there has sprung up every
few years the idea of consolidating.
AS general rule, the idea was as
quickly sat down upon as 1t sprung
up Finally, business got the upper
hand of tomfoolishness, and Just
week ago consolidation went through
and Greater Richmond was born. and
now what Of it?
Well, the things that were predicted
by the folks who We're eager for an
nexation will surely come to pass, and
in this connection it may not be amiss
to recall some of the reasons adj
yanced by tho Greater Richmond an
neXationists as to why annexation
should prevail. have before me a
copy Of a pamphlet that was issued In
favor of annexation and am not
going to- apologize for quoting from
1t somewhat literally
The author of the pamphlet. and his
name Is Dabney, said, among other
things: 1--WE want the Increased popu-
lation. We want 1t to show that Rich
mond is growing and growing in keep
Ing with other rapidly increasing
cities.'' And here Mr.. Dahney got in
some figures which in a general way
showed how other cities had grown
and obtained bigger reports on the
census tables by the process Of annex
alton.
Facts That Were Telling.
Along this line Mr., Dabney used the
following argument:
"Outside capital seeks investment In
growing communities, increasing pop
ulation being the hrst condition to at
tract investors, Where population 10
increasing, prosperity is found. 1T
stimulates Investments, Attending
greater opportunities, and increases
patronage to our commercial interest,
= lCoHtlnued 3 on Page Three,l