The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-08
VIRGINIA. CITIES
SEEK Home RULE
Munic ipal Conference
Gives Hard Rap to
Old w ard System.
STRONGLY URGED
Resolutions Adopted Asking for
Constitutional Change to Elirni-
nate Two Branch Council and
Reduction in Membership.
Ste ring Committee
Named to Lead Fight.

Declaring emphatically for the prin.
ciples OF some rule and local self
government, the Conference OF Cities
OF Virginia yesterday unanimously
adopted resolution drawn by spe.
cial committee on; the preceding day
requesting the State Legislature to
provide for such change In the Con.
stitutton OF tile State as Will not re-
qutre the division Of cities into wards
nor the continuation of the two-coun-
Gil system, but will permit any city
In which the qualified voters SO elect
to determine on the form of city gov
ernment to be adopted.
Pending the slow process of con.
stitutional amendment. which In any
case could not become effective for
several years, the conference recon.
mended to the Legislature. In accord.
ance with the report Of It's committee
on resolutions. a proposed change in
the laws governing cities, which viii
permit OF the establishment OF admin.
istrative boards. Where any sucl
board Is provided. it will assume the
administrative functions now in the
hands of various council committees
but the bi-camera1f 4 council will be con-
tinued. with its deliberatiye and legis-
lattye functions. The adoption Of such
q law is stated to be in the province
of the State Legislature, without a
constitutional amendment.
May Have Smaller Councils.
A resolution looking to reduction
of the minimum number of council
men was amended so as to provide for
towns having but one branch to the
council SO as to read as follows:
@Resolycd, That the General Asscm-
bly, be requested to amend the laws so
ms to reduce the minimunl number of
common cGuncilmcn 10 six, and the
minimum number of aldermen to three,
In cities of the hrst class; and the
minimum number of common councils
men to three In citier of the second
5..le.z. ,s "a ss 80
During the morning session Mayor
Cutchin, OF Roanoke. calted attention
to general dissatisfaction in many
cities with the present laws governing
assessment on property owners for To-
cal and special Improvements. such as
paving sidewalks and alleys. In the
afternoon the committee on resolutions
reported the following, which was
adopted unanimously:
"Whcrcns there Is existing dlssatis-
faction with section 100 of the Con-
1ClaaSC ~ AOGhl uSSCBS nlCutS
forspubuc improvements, and with en-
acting laws relative thereto; therefore,
be 1t
"Resolved, That this convention rec
ommcnd to the Legislature n con-
atitutionul amendment, together with
proper leEislation, allowing to cities
greater latitude with reference to local
assessments for public improvc,nents.s -
a1at5 N8nlN Men tn nr0ff T,oxys
S In order to effect the purposes of
the conference and to carry out the
Ideas advanced, two special commit
tees were named, one to draft the pros
posed constitutional amendment MAX
ing commission government possible,
and the other to draw up such laws as
are proposed to be submitted to the
Legislature looking to reduction in the
minimum membership of councils and
the alternative possibility of the en-
ployment Of an administrative board.
A nominating committee, headed by
C. III. Davis. of Petersburg. and having
as members James Caskie, Of Rich
mond; Lee Judson. of Norfolk; w. L.,
G. Taliaferro, of Hampton, and Frank
Fl. Almond, Of Lynchburg. sat during
the noon recess. and at the afternoon
session proposed tho following COM
mittees. which were appointed:
On constitutional amendment.
a. Massey. of Newport News: A. Ca
perton BraNton. Of Richmond; r. "a.
Davis, of Petersburg: r. 3. Tunstall,
OF Norfolll. and A. r. Long, OF Ports
mouth.
On legislation for cities and towns
James II. Cation. of Alexandria: q. Y.
Mesedith. Richmond; w. IL II. Loyall,
Norfolk: Ashby Williams, Roanoke. and
II. w. Withers. Suffolk.
Under the plan adopted these COM
mittees are to draw up proposed con-
stttutional changes and acts OF AS
sembly for submission to the Lecisla-
ture, carrying out the principles laid
down in the resolutions adopted. The
matter Will then be in tho hands OF
a steering committee, made llp OF NOT
moro than five from each&cIty taking
part, which committee viii have
charge OF presenting the proposed
bills to the Legislature, and pressing
their passage, and will also endeayor
to enlist the interest of the members
from their cities ana to sound inc
sentiment of the commercial organiza
tions and councils Of the various mu-
inequalities. During the midday recess
each delegation held a separate meet
~
steering committee as nominated was
constituted as follows'
Steering Committee Named.
II Richmond-W T. Dahney, James
Caskie, n. ii. Elicit, G. Il. Richards and
Il. Lee Peters.
Norfolk w. II. Sargent. Jr., b.
Banks, II. II. Hope and the members
OF the House OF and senator
from that city, exottlcto.l3t
4 Lynch hurs John w. cradqock, W.,
u. Addison. Frank II. Almond. II. q.
Quinn, William King, Ir.I
Danville--R A. James, W..8R. Mitch
eli, w. n. Fitzgerald.
AlexandrIa---F. i. Paff. "A. ID. Brock
ett F S.. Harper W. Ballinger,
Smith,
,Iohn B patton. ". WOOD. ID d d. " n !
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