The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-29
PLANS COMMITTEE
MEETS, ACTS AND
HOLDS ITS PEACE
Refuses to Give Public Intima-
ton Of Action on Re-
ferendum
BELIEVED SAUNDERS
WILL HAVE WISHES
Report Will Be Made to Full
City Committee Tonight.
CLAIMS VoIuble By
Comparison

The city General committee has been
called to meet tonight at $3.50 o'clock
at Murphys hotel to consider a report
TO be submitted by tho plans commit
tee of that body.
The plans committee met yester-
Miles NJ. Martin, chairman of the city
committee. The plans committee en-
braces Messrs. Saunders, Shiftlett.
Price, Taylor and Ferrandini. They
were all present. The situation re-
garding the placing of the annexa-
ton situation before the people on
the primary ballot was fully dis
cussed.
No Information Given.
At the conclusion of the meeting.
which was participated in by Chair
man Martin. IL was stated for the
benefit of the public that nothing con-
corning the action of the committee
would be given out until the report
had been handed the full committee
tonight
Like CLAIMS the members of the
committee held their peace. A crow
bar could not have worked effective
" upon any one member. 1t had
been determined that Mr.. Saunders
should handle the publicity end OF
IL. So far as he was concerned there
was no publicity end. Not a word
would he say concerning the work OF
the committee Neither would Messrs.
Shiftlett, Price, Ferrandini or Taylor
open their mouths, They breathed
through their ears. A Sherlock Holmes
could not have gotten information
& from them. But Sherlock Holmes
would have drawn deductions
Some "foxey quiliers' did draw de-
auctions. And 1t is generally believed
by such members OF the craft that
when the plans comsttee hands in its
fact that majority of the plans com
nittee will. endeavor TO sustain
report placing the question of an
nexation up to the people OF the De-
mocratic party.
It Is known that Mr.. Saunders ia
vors that proposition. He started II
when he presented the resolution car
rying out the request of the Trades
and Labor council asking that the
question be put UP to the people. and
he has maintained his position con-
sistentiy ever since-
At the meeting OF the committee on
Monday there was much discussion.
Mr.. Shiftlett did not agree with the
general proposition. He stated that
he was an annexationist and was OPP
posed 10 the suggested referendum.
He stated that such an important mat
ter was not a party question. but one
of city-wide importance.
How They Stood Once.
Mr. Farrandini practically agreed
with Mr.. Shiftlett. Messrs. Taylor
and Price wanted more information.
Then the committee adjourned to meet
at the appointed hour yesterday.
They got together and formulated
report. This report will not be
public property until the committee
meets tonight In spite of the wishes
OF the public to know rs soon as
possible the result of actions by COM
mittees delegated to act for the pub
lie. the committee held the result OF
the conference secret.
But II is believed that the report
will recommend that the matter OF
annexation be left to the Democratic
voters for an expression OF opinion.
At the meeting OF the general COM
mittee at which the question came up,
the only vote against the resolution
offered by Mr.. Saunders was that OF
Secretary Duke. of the committee. He
spoke and voted against the resolu-
ton. He Is still against 1t, and will
tonight express himself along the
same line.
Mr.. Ferrandini also spoke against
the resolution, believing that 1t should
not prevail and that the question
should be submitted to the people at
special election after the council
committee had drawn some plan. But
he voted for the resolution. Mr. Tay-
Tor, also. voted for the resolution.
Neither Mr. Price nor Mr.. Shiftlett
were present at the meeting.
The suggestion was made that the
l. question should he placed ON the ticket
at the general election. This, how
ever. cannot be done, except on a
separate ballot. Those who are will
ing to have the general public express
4 themselves, would like a special elec-
ton. They would prefer. after the
council committee has acted. or gone
into the matter sufficiently, to give
the public an insight into proposed
annexation, to have all citizens vote
and express themselves.
Speculations On Report.
IT Is very likely that when the re-
port of the plans committee is pre-
sented tonight II will disclose the fact
that 1t In In favor of giving the Demo
cratic voters the privilege to express
themselves upon annexation--for,
restricted or against.
There Ia no compromise. except
that suggested by several members
of the committee. that a special elec-
ton be called by the city committee
and that that election be open to al
voters, regardless Of party affiliation
This proposition will be suggested by
1 member OF the general COMMITTEES
at the meeting tonight.
The report to be presented tonight
win be that with which CHAIRMAN
Sc NO minority report. II such a re-
mort 10 made It will come AZ an after
1hought by some member Of tbs COM
11tfeA