Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-01-08
MUNICIPAL REFORM.

Declaring emphstically for the prin'
clples of hone rule and local self.gov.
erument, the conference held in Rich.
mond OF mayors OF cities Of Virginia yes.
terday unanimously adopted reaou-
ton drawn up by special csmmittee re-
questiug the state legislature to provide
Tor such charge In the constitution Of
the state as will not require the division
of cltIeo into wards nor the continuation
Of the two-council system. but will per.
init any city In which the qualified
vo.ers so elect 10 determine on The form
OF government to be adopted.
Pending the slow process of consti-
tutionsl amendment which In any case
could not become effective for several
years, the conference recommended to
the legislature, In accordance with the
report of Its committee on resolutions. q
proposed change 10 the laws governing
Giles which will permit Of The establish
ment OF administrative bosrde.
A resolution looking 10 reduction OF
the minimum number Of councilmen
vas amended 90 ss to provide for towns
having but one branch to The council 30
as 10 read as follows:
"Resol7ed, That the general assembly
be requested to amend the laws 60 "a to
reduce the minImDa number OF com.
mon couacilmen to six, aud the mini'
mum number Of aldermen to three, In
cities Of the 6rst class; aud the mini
mum number OF common councilmen to
three 10 cities OF the second class"
In The afternoon the committee on
resolutions reported the following, which
was adopted unanimously:
"Whsnss there is existing dissatis
faction with section 10 Of the constl
tuition, relative 10 local assessments fol
public improvements, and with enact
log lava relative thereto; therefore be II
Resolved, That this convention rec
ommend to the Legislature a constitu
tiousl amendment, together with propeI
Legislation, allowing to cities greats
latitude with reference to local assess.
meuis for public Improvements"
10 order to effect the purposes Of the
conference and to carry out the Ideas
advanced, two special committees we're
named. one to drsi! the proposed con-
stItutIonal amendment making commits.
sion government possible, and the other
to draw up such laws as are proposed 10
be submitted to the legislature looking
to reduction In the minimum member
ship OF councils aud the alternative pos
sibiIity OF the employment OF an admin
istrstIve board.
Mr. J. r. Cation, OF Alexandra, Wal
named on the committee on Legislature
On the steering committee the follow
log Alexsndrians we're named: Messs.
Fred PAT, A. D. Brockett, F. s. Hsr
per, W. W. Bslllnger and Howard
Smith.
The Hrst business OF the general con
ference on converting yesterday morning
vas the forming Of a permsnent organ
iz.tion BY the election Of Mr.. John w
Oraddock, OF Lynchburg, as chairman
and Mr.. Z. E. Steel, Of Norfolk, ss sec
Rotary.
| A. The afternoon session on recon-
meudstion OF the committee on resolu
tIons, two resolutions we're adopted tn
frat calling for a statute 10 require {
uniform system Of accounting In Vir
gInis cities, both to insure efficiency an,
regularity and for purposes Of compari
son between cities. The second request
ed the legislature to require The auditing
by some responsible SuditiDg Company
ct less! once q year, OF the sccounts 0
all cities In the state. The Aldermen
delegates TO the conference have re
tnFned.