The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-18
ARE NOT THESE CITIES CoMPE-
TENT


Here are two groups OF cities. In
90 enc are Portsmouth, Newport News,
williamsburg. Suffolk. Petersburg,
Alexandria. fredericksburg. Danville.
Roanoke, Lynchburg, Bristol. Winches-
ter. Staunton and Charlottesville. In
the other are Richmond and Norfolk
What is the difference between the
two groups? Are Richmond and Nor
felix merely larger than the others?
Are they by tina, fact moro corrupt.
more dishonest, less able 10 govern
themselves?
The answer u certain Senator's to
this question is contained In the pro-
visions OF Senate bills 1872 and col Tho
cities OF the first group are deemed
competent to choose their own form of
government. while the voters OF Rich
mond and Norfolk are not
Tho history OF this discrimination
against the two largest cities Of tho
Commonw ealth Is one of the most re-
markahlc legislative incidents with
which we are familiar. Under the d.
rcction Of COMMITTEES OF the Lea que
OF Virginia municipalities 4 bill was
recently drawn giving every city OF
the Commonweali the right 10 choose.
by popular vote. between the commits
sion form OF government and the city
manager plan. For reasons that are
not plain. the city OF Richmond was
excepted from the operation OF the
general law presented to the Senate
and was made the subject OF special
law. prescribing how the government
OF cities with population OF 100000
might he changed. Since that time
Senator has moved and carried an
amendment to the bills by which the
general law was made applicable only
TO cities OF less than $4,000 population.
md the other bill u92) was changed to
include cities OF $4,000 and over. Nor
folk, obviously, was intended to be COW
cred by this amendment.
The result is not complimentary to
the intelligence of Richmond and Nor
folk. II Senate bill 2Ol passes. then Is
per cent of the voters Of any Virginia
cities except Richmond and Norfolk
can petition for an election at which,
by majority vote. the voters can de-
termine whether they will substitute
for b.camernl Council either the city
manager plan or commission govern
ment, There is no compulsion upon
any city; to all with less than 65. 600
population is given the privilege of
making n desired change But that
which the other cities OF the Common
wealth can do. Norfolk and Richmond
nre denied. Instead, the Council of
either may propose n form of city
government to supersedc and take the
pince OF the charter OF the city
OF such form TO the qualified voters OF
such city for their approval, after
which the Council of the city shall re-
ausst the General Assembly" to APP
prove the plan. The City Council has
the privilege q declining to recon-
mend to voters any proposed change in
the form OF government; even where a
Council he found that will legislate
Itself out of Office, The General Assem-
bly, must pass on the changes This is
hut little better than the present meth
Cd Of procuring charter chauges-littie
better than nothing at all At best. II
is cumbersome. tortuous and immeas-
urably more complex than the simple
plan proposed for the smaller cities.
Why should Richmond and Norfolk
be Disseminated against?
Why are they deemed less worthy OF
passing on their form of government
than arc tho voters OF other cities?
why should not We have the privilege