The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-02

to remove any member OF the polict
the city.
Has Many Powers.
The Mayor has many powers not
specified in the Charter" declared
Commissioner Mccarthy. The sta
tutes give him many rights and privi-
leges and place much power upon his
shoulders. All he has to do IL to en-
force, and can remove any cial In
ers vested in him.
Il had no trouble In finding SUM-
Gent powers when was Mayor
There Is a law which gives the Mayor
the right to enter any place of public
entertainment and see that safety is
secured for the people. He can call
the militia OF the State If occasion
requires, and no one but the Mayor
cam do so. He can remove members
Of the Police Board and the Depart
ment without special authority by
the Legislature He has the power
now. The laws are plain. The Char
ter Is plain.
Commissioner Mccarthy did not
think the Mayor should be given the
authority to sit with and vote with
the Administrative Board. nor should
he be given veto power In that depart
ment OF the city government. That
would tend to create political align
ment which might prove disastrous
to clean government.
The Mayor, according to Commits
sioner Mccarthy, could keep busy by
being in touch with the various Offices
in the City Hall. and by informing him
self of the conduct of those Offices
without killing three or four hours
sitting with the Administrative Board
Ainslie Real Pleased.
He said Mayor Ains1ie had many at
tractive qualifications, and many of the
delightful duties of the Office would be
interfered with IL he left the office.
and were not present to receive i'm
portant and noted visitors. He said
he was not speaking disparingly of the
present Mayor. but spoke simply in ref
erence TO the office itself
Colonel McAdams asked the commits
sioner if he could point out anything
to improve the present conditions.
Captain Mccarthy replied that he
had already suggested that the Fire.
Police and Health Departments might
be placed under the Administrative
Board. but he believed the Police De-
partment should more properly be
placed under the Mayor, with exclu-
sive power to appoint and remove. He
also believed the Council should stick
stricktly TO legislative business, and
the Administrative Board should be
elected by the people.
This committee" said Commits
sioner Mccarthy, can do more good
by revising the city code than by re-
vising The charter. | have heard few
criticisms OF the prese mt form of gov
ernment and am at loss to-Ane%
from whence the great howl alluded
to by some emanates. I have heard
TO howl"
LAS long as human nature con-
tinues," continued the commissioner,
there will be weaknesses and there
will be jealousies and rivalr!es and
revenses. The election of the board
by Council would create more of
these. because there would not be a
member of that body who would not
be the target for ward politicians"
Take Up Pollock Resolution.
After the Peters and Christian reso-
lutions had been adopted, the Pol
lock resolutions were taken up. Mr.
Fuller moved taat the Administra-
tive Board be elected by the people
az at present. and that the member
ship OF that board remain at the
present number of five.
Mr.. Adams said he had AT a form
eH date favored the election OF the
board by the Council. but he had
changed his mind, and would not
vote to make a change AT this time.
Mr. Fuller advocated the passage
OF his resolution, and declared the
election of the board by the people
would suit the peopie and would
keep the board out of political en-
tanglements
This brought out debate on that
question. Colonel MCAdan believed
the better plan would be to adopt the
resolution of Mr.. Pollock. that the
board be elected by Council on nomi-
nations from the Mayor
Mr.. Bemis advocated similar action
and took occasion To say that he be-
lieved the Pollock plan about as near
any OF those that had been suggested
and that had been eliminated as could
be. and thought the committee might
with good grace adopt the plan.
Mr.. Wallerstein. following his line
Of argument from tho haQJpning