Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-02
Four CounciImen Think They
Have Grievance and Go on
Fault Finding Rampage.
ANNUAL BUDGET GOES
OVER TO NEXT MEETING
With Only Twelve Members Present
One Kicker Could Have Blocked
proeeedings-cox Roasts Every
body, From the Mayor pown-Fel-
lows Registers Protest.

Councilman Ernest c. Cox. of the
Second ward, gave vent 20 his spice"
a the regular meeting of the common
council last night by roasting nearly
everybody connected with the city
government hom Mayer Jones down.
ana opposing practically all OF the
recommendations of the council com
mttees. In most OF his fights Cox
was supported hy his adherents from
the Second ward. but in spite OF their
combined OPT osition and arguments
the recommendation CT the finance
committee that retri nthment. com
mitiee be appointed by the council
ia consCl date Offices ard otherwise
reduce the city's expenses was adopt
ed bv a vote of eight 10 four. The
Second ward members lined up salldly
against the recommendation
Only twelve members of the com
ell were present last night and the
budget for the coming fiscal year had
20 be passed ever again az it was very
apparent from the start that the Sec
ond ward members were very much
opposed to anything that the hnanee
committee reported.
The Recommendation of that com
mi4tee that the license tax on fire in
surance companies be fixed at fiat
rate OF SIS yer annum and five per
cent of the gross receipts of the COM
panies or the business done here was
killsd ~ the votes Of three members
from the Second ward and one mem
Der from the Fourth ward.
Would Kill School Matter.
Cox and Fellows announced that
they also intended TO kill the commit
tees Recommendation as to the school
appropriation and II was then that Mr..
Cheadle picked up his hat and said
that the council might as well ad-
journ and let the budget go over until
the next met ting as one vote would
Kill any section OF IL twelve votes
being necessary TO pass the budget
and II was evident that certain Of the
members were opposed 10 any ana
everything that came up.
Mr.. Cheadle was prevailed upon 10
remain and Immediately afterwards
City Attorney Massie called the ccun-
els attention to the fact that the
recommendation of the committee on
the fire insurance tax coGld not legal
Iv come before the body as the rules
set forth that the council cannot act
upon any resolution fixing license
taxes On the same day that such orii-
nance is introduced. This ruling
means that the recommendation will
come ~ again when the budget Is
considered.
Designed to Fool People"
The council next turned its atten-
ton 10 the recommendation of the
committee that retrenchment COM
mitt<e be appointed. Mr.. Cox offered
violent opposition to the adoption OF
the recommendation. He said that II
was too late now to get bill intro
duced into the legislature TO consoli-
date the offices OF mayor and police
justice and OF city clerk and city audi
tor and that the recommendation was
the most absurd thing he ever heard
of. He declared hat 1t was made
merely to pull the wool over the
eyes of the people" and to fool them
into believing that the council really
wanted to CIT down the running ex'
yenses OF the city
Councilman Fellows offered even
more violent opposition TO The recon-
mendaticn that id Mt. Cox. He de
clared that there we're a select few
IN the council who wanted TO run the
whole government They got to
esther in the committees he said
and dec ded On what they wOulS
have done. and they came before th'
council and expected every ole else e
sit still and vote aye At ths = bid
ding. The speaker said that be wa.
getting very tired Of tia, sort o
thing and that he proposed 70 vote a
he pIs ased and say what he pleased
Mr.. CheadIe told him TO exercise tha
right ana Mr.. Fellows rejoined b.
saving that certain members ci To-
council could talk as much IS the'
wanted 20. but when certain othe
membeis arose some O. the council!
men 'r-abbed their hats and sal
cone on. lets g home. We cant &c
anything throrRh tonight,
chair Calls Mr.. Fellows Down.
Continuing. Mr. Fllovs said TIA
the second ward dij not havc. prcpc
repseseniat1s.o os tie committees an
that the members wcTs not given pTo
ger recognition on The fooT e 10
council. lie declared that the war
DID tot have a councilmsn on eiths
the finance Or highways and sewer
committee and fhai be vas Tired q