The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1914-01-06
INAUGURAL SPEECH
INDICATES NEED or
MUNICIPAL ECONOMY
Revision of Health Depart.
ment Held An Impera-
tive Necessity.
URGES HIRING OF
EXPERT SANITARIAN
Outlines Changes in Garb'
age Collection and Street
Department

The inaugural address Of Mayor
Robbins attracted the attention of
council members and citizens last
night. for in it he outlined the policy
of his administration. 1t follows in its
entirety:
To The Common Council and the vari-
ous departments of government of
the City OF Richmond
Gentlemen:
AS the year 1914" ushers in new
administration TO take charge of the
government of our city. il is nothing
more than fitting that said administra-
tion should place before YOU in its
plans for the work that it is TO under
take. and to give YOU certain susges-
tiOnS and present TO you certain prob
lens which il will be your duty 10
carefully consider and work out in
manner that will be for the best in
terests of our city.
Economy Is Watchword.
It shall be the constant aim Of each
department of the city's government
to run it's business on as economical
basis al possible. and to weed out any
thing of an inefficient nature which
impars the good workings Of the
same.
We fully realize that we will be han
dicapped to a certain extent on ac-
count of a lack of funds to carry out
certain Ideas in some Of the depart
nents, but hope, perhaps not this year.
but later. to be able to make certain
improvements in said departments.
which is impossible now on account OF
our financial condition, and also by
the restraint placed upon US by state
laws.
Finance To Be Watched.
Our financial condition is such that
we will have to hew close to the line.
cautiously watching our treasury to
see that we do not overstep the mark
and thereby get in debt. The increase
Of our salaries and the payment for
street lighting by the city. alone
amounts to over $2o,ooo.o0. and with
the numerous incidentals which are a
constant drain on our treasury we will
have to say mo" many times when
demands are made upon us to do
things which require the expenditure
of our funds.
We will now take notice or our
health department. about which | wish
to make some suggestions as to GER
tain things which although they can
not now be accomplished, yet may be
in the near future.
Richmond, situated as il is. high
above the gorge of the White Water
River, with pure air and an abundant
supply of pure water. has natural con-
ditions which would tend TO make il
one of the hcalthiest cities of the en-
tire country. Yet with these cOndl-
tions and surroundings, we fail in
some respects to live up to the hign-
est conception of our duty as citizens
in regard to our public health, and for
some reason allow our death rate TO
creep along at the same old figures,
, considering to a certain extent that
life and death are somewhat OF lot
terry and that it is luck or chance Al
we grow up to maturity without hav-
ing come in contact with some danger
| Gus and contagious disease.
Citizens Are Responsible.
! Do you know that the time has come
when we are going to be held almost
! crimnally responsible for the death or
/ weakened physical condition of every
one who had the misfortune, through
the negligence OF others. to COME in
contact with the microbes OF any con
tagious disease :. lDo you know that the
thigh death rate of infants during the
summer months to a great extent. Is
/ criminal, and that they are the lnno
cent victims of our own careless meth
/ DDS in looking after the health cOndi
.tions which surround them? We know
these things are true and we know
that our Health department has done
its duty the best that il could in the
+ past, but on account of lack of funds
/