The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-30
COUNCIL ITSELF
CAN CUT NUMBER
Legislative Action Not Needed
to Give City Modified
Government.
TWO REPORTS COMING IN
Opinion Divided as to Probable
Outcome OF Board
Matter.

f; opinion among Councilmen is di-
Hided as TO. the mode OF procedure
Whch the report OF the special couI-
mittee on changes In the form OF city
government is presented next Monday
hishH The report will consist OF
Two parts, having no special relation
10 eacn other SO far as procedure is
concerned, the hrst AN ordnance which
may be adopted 10y the Council with
cut ADD, redistricting the city INTO
hNe wards. and reducing the member
sup Oh the two branches one half
from the next election; and the reso-
luton requesting the state Legis.a-
lure Tor such changes in the city
chafter as VIII authorize the employ
Iicht Oh an administrative board and
uehiiihs us powers and duties The
committee unanimously recommends
| both propositions.
/ me report OF IL special committee on
annexation OF Manchester. which con-
ierreG with committee from that
city and drew UP the terms of con.
solidation. was adopted by the Council
without reference to any other com
mittee 1t is claimed, therefore. that
therc is no necessity OF going through
the tedious routine OF referring thes.
| propositions first to the Ordinance,
Charter anu Reform COMMITTEES. and
nance Committee. thus delaying the
hhal vote for several months
No Time to lie Lost.
Inc Legislature meets January 10
so that II is obvious that il the CITY
desires any charter change IL should
be prompt in determining the matter
AS TO the redistricting ordinance, when
I IL is adopted, II Will then be neces-
sary TO rcdraft precinct lines to con-
| form, and TO correct the registration
books The City Council is elected
the second Tuesday Of next June. with
d Democratic primary probably about
3 the first week in April. In order 10
put the reduction in the number Of
members of the Council into fore,
+ from the next election, or rather TO
make II begin with the next Council
immediate action is necessary, us tho
details require time to adjust. after
/ the ward lines are determined anil
once an election is held under the
present lines. the city would be- bound
council OF sixty-four members
ior another two years from the Isl of
next September.
What othex Cities show.
In this connection II is interesting.
10 note That no city OF Richmond's
SIZE and characteristics has anything
lhe SO large u CITY Council At
lanta' which has recently rejected a
( Hh Aoi commission form of gov
eminent largely. IL Is believed nv tho
I influence of city contractors ana ..m-
I proves. Is now governed by "A Council
/ OF twenty members, and a Hoard ~
hiueFmen OF ten. 1t has thirty against
Nichraono sixty four. Cleveland. O.
mas one-branch Council Of th,rtv'
Two members Detroit. one OF the
! .r' progressive cities OF the central
Nest mas one-branch Council ~
nranch Council of twenty-five m.n,-
oerS' Syracuse has but nineteen Coup
cillnen; Rochester but twentytwo.
DehNer has sixteen Councilman elected
from wards and seven elected n, large.
noston mas abandoned the ward plan
VI representation and has nine C.ouncjIH
men elected at large and maid ,naiI
ing In effect modification Of wbat
10 hhoWn as the commission form ~
government -
ne" orleans has seventeen coun-
ciimen elected from wards and fou-
ec'ci NJ large. making twenty-onc
Il. All, against Richmond's sixtvfomr
Toronto. Canada has but twentv.nyo
members in its Council A study ~
the records or eighty-three American
cities fails to show but three ,ri,h
SO large a Council as Richmond These
are Chicago. Philadelphia and Pits
Dufs. and II can hardly be claimed tba,
any one OF The three Is satisfied with
us present city government.
Consider Plan a Model
Chairman Pollock, of the sn.o,a,
committee, and City Attorney poIla,0
: VINO mas given hard study to The
problem over period OF years. he
heFe that the special committee hns
WORKED out "A plan which will gI,.s
hichmond a model government NJ
ilock thinks it will prove in actual
erect far superior to the commission
plan. since 1t has safeguards ana
balances which that system lacks Ac.
cardinE ia the City Attorney the nI.r
recommended. If put into effect. w6,Iid
cure the vice which exists both in
council Governed and commissions CO...
elneu cltles OF mixing the Legislative ana
executive duties and functions. Here
the Council Will legislate, levy tayaS
appropriate money. issue bonds. create
omces; the Board Will elect officers
and employees. supervise the eXpendi-
ture of funds. the doing or public
WORK. tn" award of contract tho
AUDITING of accounts and the manage
meht OF the great public utilities own
ed and operated by the city The sne-
cial committee Will hold its final meet
Ing on Wednesday afternoon al
O'Clock. to read the final draft of it's
report to the Council.