The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-12
FRANCHISE NOW
IN limos or MAYOR
Continued from First page.1

IN H.nOS Of MAYOR
tcontinued from First Page.l
rico people will endeavor TO overcome
his action by the poll OF a two thirds
vote in council.
In either event. then, there seems to
be something else TO expect from @haI
may happen In the last act Of The
drama. The epalogue may prove more
interesting to the general public than
the drama itself
After an address, of more than rive
hours by Mr. Henry A. Anderson, yes
terday afternoon, and short address
by Judge Christian. a recess was takeE
at $50 O'Clock to 8.
AT that hour MIR. s, T.. Kelley, oil
counsel for the Richmond and Hen
rico company. spoke to tina ordinance
He was not dowery, nor did he drop
into fsF terri sss.taiti 4aFsdFFsqEssEtt
simply made plain statement Of this
facts in psae case as he saw them and
left the matter in the hands of the
| mayor.
He reiterated what he had said q
dozen times in as many speeches be-
fore the streets committee and Mayor
franchise fully protected the interests
of the city and was as legally drawn
as any paper could be. having .beer
amended by the city attorney as vel
as the counsel for the Virginia Rail-
| way and Power company
Wish Of IL. People.
THE representatives of the people
| in council. upon two occasions. havs
reflected the wishes Of the people In
adopting this franchise" said sir, KEEL
ley. The city attorney has said IL
is valid. the two branches Of council
have said so, and now it is up 10 YOU
II liz for you to say whether the pep
pie. as reflected by their represen-
| tatives, shall have what they ask OF
whether you turn them down. Mors
/ than 1900 business men of this city
/ signed q petition asking that such G
| franchise be granted The labor unions
endorsed the application of the Rich
mond and Henrico company. and re-
| Gently mere than two thousand voters
| sent In a petition asking that tbs
| franchises be adopted.
THE company which I represent
| has spent much time and money il
| this fight. and 1t is an easy matter
! fight has been fought and won Il
come In to create discord.
| las Mr. Anderson has said. this /.
| fight TO the finish. and we are
| trying to strengthen cur position
| Those of Us who have placed oul
money In the company. have lost. bu
we lost gracefully, and those who ar,
! in the company can afford to prose
| cute this work, and give to the cit,
| a light and power company. which
| win make them proud of thei
achievement"
II submit that this franchise is
i, valid, and safeguards the interests O,
| the city"
Ola Subject, Says Meredith.
| Following Mr.. Kelley. half an houl
was consumed by Mr.. Meredith. wht
apologixed for being compelled t,
| impose upon the time Of the mayol
| In a discussion which had been goins
/ on for more than a year. and on'
| with which every man In the city wa!
/ familiar.
/ He said he felt sorry that Iudg,
/ Christian had taken personal excep
ton to what he had said concerning
| his belief that the offer of the New
/ York concern. represented by JudgI
| Christian. was fake one, and ex
planned that all the circumstances sur
rounding the offer Indicated that tn
4
| constructing plant, and that IL the,
| secured the franchise 1t would be 70
/ speculation purely.
This question Is not one for tn
discussion of economic or moral prop
ostions." said MIR. Meredith. 1T i
purely one Of business. The ques
ton is shall this particular enter
prise be established. The people hav
twice spoken. They now ask tbs es
adjustment of this enterprise.
"Tha power OF veto IL vested In tn
mayor for certain reasons. In TIL
| particular case he should careruli
look into the ordinance, and II h
detects anything that has slipped b.
the council. through wrong-dealing o
otherwise. then he should exert hi
prerogative. But he should not rs
sumo that because he has the powe
Of veto he must use 1t from the mer
standpoint Of economics,
III he thinks the ordinance Is no
exactly what he would have it, N
| should not take advantages of hi
/ power I'd veto. He should give tn
party standing to lose the benefit o
the doubt. and leave the result to tn
courts. The courts will look out 10
the welfare OF the people. Ii by an
chance there has crept into the ord.
nance anything which should not b
there.
| "Hut the city attorney has sail
the ordinance n valid. II Is valid
All the constitutional requirements al
embodied In the franchise. The cit
attorneys opinion should receive con
sideration in the liberalization OF tn
mayor.
II submit that this Is not an oc
CASTOR for the use OF veto power
i Andorson's Dramatic Plea.
Having spoken for several hours Il
the afternoon, It was not thought b.
those who had gathered that Mr.. An