The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-25
BUSINESS men
FAVOR NEW PLAN
By Unanimous Vote Club
Goes on Record As APP
proving Change
MAYOR AND OTHERS
MAKE ABLE ADDRESSES
Benefits of Four-Ward Plan
and Disadvantages of Old
Form Argued from
All Angles

iens Club last night. after hearing
ddresses by Mayor Richardson and
theirs explaining the proposed new
orm of city government. went on
ecord az faynriug the new form. The
question came up in the form OF
'ote of endorsement OF resolutions
ecently adopted by the Board OF d.
ectors of the Chamber OF Commerce
trongly approving or the proposed
.hanges. BY rising vote. the CLUB
expressed its endorse
aen of the resolutions, which are as
ollows:
whereas the City Of Richmond.
within its limits prior TO the recent
accession Of new territory has greatly
increased in population and in
population and area have been
argely added to by the extension
II the corporate line on the north
side Of the river and by the mer9lns
OF thu former city OF
now known az washing
ton Ward; and
Whereas. the present form OF cow
eminent Of the city II unscienufc In
that the legislative and administrative
are not separate ana dis
tinct, and It's methods ara obsolute
and cumbersome, rendering the du-
ties OF the members OF the City Coun-
ell multifarious and burdensome to =
degree that liz pre1udicial to the
promtp and efY1cient management of
affairs;
Therefore be II resolved, That while
the Richmond Chamber Of Commerce
fully recognizes that the present rom
Of tho city In its legis-
iative department and its officials.
have labored earnestly. faithfully and
often tireiessly, in the discharge OF the
public duties incumbent upon them In
their respective positions, and that
the progress and welfare Of Richmond
are largely due to tneir Intelligent
and patriotic efkortA yet In view Of
tbs enlarged Aeld Of their Iahors and
the more difncuit and complex pfUbA
lems with which thor have to deal.
chat the city has absolutely out8rcwn
its present form Of government and
methods Of administration, and there-
for that the action ofthe City Coun-
Gil In authorizing the Special Joint
Committee on Form OF government to
Investigate and report upon .->n
changes in government as will, in
their opinion, result In greater econ
omy OF administration and facilitate
the dispatch ofthe city business gem
orally was most wise and timely.
Further, that the Chamber. after
consideration Of the notifications sug-
gested by the committe In It's report
to tho Common Council on the 9Th
day Of November. 1911, II Of the opin-
ION that those notifications and the
creation Of the proposed administra-
ton board and the graphing to 1t Of
the proposed powers would insure
great benefit to the city from q bus
1tt~n yu<~ ftasa ~ INIT
and, therefore, respectively asks that
the City Council viii give the plan
submitted Its earnest consideration
and approval, and press before the
State Legislature the passage OF such
amendment as may be necessary for
carrying the said plan into opera
ton
Much Enthusiasm.
The club had as its guests many
persons not members. and also had q
unusually large attendance OF Its ow
members, and the meeting was full OF
zest and enthusiasm About three
hundred men. representing all the lines
Of business and industry were pres
emit. The keen interest which they felt
in the discussion was shown by the
careful attention with which they It's
tened.
Mr. N. D. Siils. in opening the meet
ing, made the visitors welcome, ex-
planned the occasion of the large gath
ering and called on Mayor Richard
son to make an address.
The Mayer Spsaks-
The Mayor put in some strong Hicks
for the new governmental form. He
said that Il was the part OF all good
citizens to be politicians "Politi-
clans In the best sense of the word =
-
government. So dent be deferred II
any one should say to you: You are
a politician.
There is great deal in the fora,
OF government. but there is a grea,
deal more IN the administration. Our
form Of government IL Anticipated and
cumbersome-such form that we
cannot get the best results from II
by the best administration possible
II am not an advocate OF the COM
mission form Of government as gen.
orally understood. We have been hav-
ing the commission form run mad.
mean government by committees
What we need Is a simpEfed form oi
government with Capitalization of au-
thority and Capitalization of response
billy" (Applause.)
More applause came when the
speaker. referring to the necessity OF
keeping the legislative functions OF
government separate from the execu-
tive functions said, I'VE want the
executive work done by men who can
give their whole time and attention ia
IT,"
In illustrating the cumbersomeness
of the present form. he followed the
process OF getting a street graded. The
quickest time that can be made in put
ting through an undertaking Of this
sort. he said. Is three months. and Of
ten II takes longer.
The Mayor said that no city ever
had a more faithful set Of officers and
city Counci1men than Richmond has
and that they deserve the thanks Of
the people OF Richmond. Similar sen.
timents were expressed by all the
other speakers.
City Attorney Pollard.
H. R. Pollard. city attorney. spoke
along somewhat tho same lines. a. aid
the Mayor. He warusd tho business
men that X they wanted the proposed
reforms they would have to fHht fqI
them And IT. not going to BE !
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