The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-28
HAVE SMALL BODY
To DIRECT AFFAIRS
Council Committee by One
Majority Will Report Clutch
ins Ordinance
STEP LOOKING TOWARD
THE COMMISSION SYSTEM
Thought TO Posses Decided Adj
vantages Over the Pres
cnt Cumbersome
Plan.

II the people Of Richmond SO in
struet their conneilmen they .lay aow
have an Opportunity to try the "ad-
illustrative" form of govei nment by
which the city win be under the strict
rule OF small committee Of business
men. who giving their entire time 10
municipal matters. will attempt to put
of the city on an economic basis. thus
saving. according to those in favor
OF the change. many thousands of dol
lars annually.
In several parts of the city senti-
meut is already strongly in sympa-
thy with the proposed change. as the
recent Investigations. misunderstand-
ings and controversies have shown
that the public money has not always
been spent tn the best advantage, it
being more than once charged that ex-
penditures were approx ID VIII CHI would
not have been considered In any well
conducted commercial house.
Council Must Now Act.
Recent Developments have placed the
change in government within the
grasp of the city. The council Will
have to pass fssvcrably upon 1t, and
favorable vote can easily be pro-
cured, 1t Is declared. IL the voters of
the city VIII organize and make the
necessary demand upon their repre-
sentatiees
Otherwise IL is not probable that the
matter will he looked upon with great
favor. according 20 present Indications.
as many of the connCiltnen have al
ready expressed themselves rs opposed
TO any change whatsoever. being sat
isfted with the present executive and
administrative systems
They have admitted that certain
abuses really exist. bat declare that
the council can and viii correct them
at the proper time. They admit that
the public treasury has stood nnnec-
essars strHtrs aHf mat TIE money
spent OF improvements has not always
been wisely accounted for but in
sfst tNat such fnjsfertunes are bwcoru
me more and more rare and that ths
council ~ now composed of men who
are In every way capable ~ running
this or any other city
Change Recommended.
Change in the form OF municipal
government was Friday night reeom-
iaehtteri by the council committee ON
ordinances. charter and reform, an
Administrative body being proposed
whicn composed OF .our mem oc RS
shall be appn:G.ed every Four years
~ the mayor approved by she conn
eli and thail have entire charge of
y
The recommendation was merely
Inc approval o, the report Of the cum
mittee on government headed by
Councilman John Cutchins. which
asked that an ordinance he adopted
providing for he desired change.
II had been confidently believed by
IA number OF the most astute Doiiti-
clans in Richmond that the report
would he killed for good and all by
the committee which has Just recon-
-mended IL. and as Mr. -CutchinS-
recently failed ot denomination. Is
soon to retire from the council. 1t was
naturally thought that the adIninistra-
tive plan OF government would never
be heard from again
Fight I'm Council.
AS the matter now stands. howe Ser
the tght will go directly before the
council, The advantages Of the pro-
posed form Of government will he
given the greatest possible publicity.
The defects In the present hi-camerai
system Will be shown in all their cum
hersome inconsiste ncies. All kinds of
comparisons will he made. The mis-
takes that have been made in times
past Will he brought to the attention
OF the people, and even II the ardi-
nance liz not finally adopted by the
council, Its friends declare that such
headway will be made towards reform
TO he Inevitable. VIII meet With over
wheIming support and will be enacted
into law,
The ordinance was approved Friday
night by a vote of to J, Messrs.
Cutchins, Miller. Powell and Elicit
voting against Messrs Burke. Fuller
and tHfia tff.
Now Work In Opposition.
Chairman Cutchins explained in de-
tail the provisions of the report. He
showed how the several departments
Of the city under the present system
Of government frequently work In
direct opposition to each other. He
showed that transactions were sane
tions which would not be thought OF
II the city were run by level-headed
business men, and though he declar-
ed that he believed every member of
the council had the welfare of the city
at heart, he said that few OF them
were municipal experts. and as an
had business of their ewn to attend
to they could not give all their time
to municipal matters.
On motion of Dr. Miller two slight
changes IN tho ordinance were made,
the first raising the annual salary or
the proposed commissioners or admins
istrative committee to $4,000
each. the other increasing their bonds
10 $4,000 each. II was also agreed
TO recommend that the governing body
he allowed clerk at $500 a year.
Councilman umiauf who opposed
the ordinance admitted that the pres
ent council Ia too large and comber-
some In its methods He declared
that he was ready TO retire to make
way Tor reduction IN numoers- He
insisted. however. that he believed IL
dangerous to place the appointment
of the four committee In the
hands OF one man--the mayors a
mistake In their selection would mean
ruin to the city. since these men would
have the practically entire charge OF
the expenditure OF $4,000 during
their term OF Office.
Must Elect Good Men.
Az to present conditions he said:
Influence OF the strongest kind has
been used In the past to elect to ONCE
old. broken down politicians. men mt
teriy unfit for the position& We would
never be able to make changes in such
= eQmmtttse. We can't get rid Of in-