Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-26
WANTS CHARTER CHANGES
SUBMITTED TO VOTERS
mouSly Opposes Any Reform
Without Reference.
ADOPTS STRONG RESOLUTION
Declares Organizations Intention to
Urge Submission to People Of Any
Governmental Change, No Matter
How Slight.

by unanimous vote the civic Asso-
citation of Richmond, through its board
OF directors. at IL meeting held ycster-
day afternoon. placed itself on record
as opposed to any change in the city
! charter OF whatever nature unless such
change is first submitted to the voters
/ for thcir approval.
{ The directors adopted an uneouivocal
resolution declaring il the purpose OF
the association 10 urge submission to
/ the people of any governmental change
/ that should be proposed by the joint
! committee of Councilmcn and citizens
now considering the subject OF charter
/ reform.
: The important part that the Civic
Association has played in bringing to
! the front the necessity for n simplitl-
cation OF the city government, gives
, its attitude towards the manner in
= which the reform is to be obtained.
more than ordinary signiticance Rep
rescnting as it does the most active
! reform sentiment in tho city, the assoc
cations views on this point will re-
! ccivc serious consideration at the
! hands Of the joint Charter Change
! Committee.
COMMITTEE Is DIVIDED
on QUESTION OF PROCEDURE
On the point OF submission to the
people the Council Charter Change
I Committee is divided. Several promi-
nent members, while concedinG the adj
! vantage of securing the approval of
the voters. hold the belief that the
committee could not devise comprc-
! hcnsive new charter and secure it's
ratification by the people in time to
! nave IT approved by the next General
| Assembly. minority of the commit
zee peleVes that ii is possible to do
| this. If the body tackles the problem
| energetically and the Council shows
the proper spirit of cooperation.
with these difficulties in the way of
| framing new charter and securing
us timely ratification by the people.
! lawyer members OF the Charter
Change Committee have urged amend
ments to the present charter such
amendments, they point out do not.
under the law, have 10 be submitted
10 the people, but can be recommended
TO the legislature by tho Council, with
out reference.
RADICAL REFORM POSSIBLE
WITHOUT SUBMISSION
In support of this plan il is claimed
that iar-reaching reforms could he
brought about in the Suisc OF amend
nents. Lawyers on the committee are
or Inc belief that under this plan tho
committee could recommend without
submission to the people. practically
any change that would not involve tho
npolition of the Council itself. The
administrative Board itself 81 is
pointed out. is the product OF an
amendment OF this character.
oilou'" me determined stand of the
civic Association. however. find ecbo in
the Council or committees mis- ~, -,
securing governmental relief will ho
strahSled NJ its inception The ossoc;,
ION PLATFORM. with the new plank i'm .
serted yesterday. DEGREES its opposjtion
70 any amendment to the present char
ter. however slight, that has not Grst
4 Of he.
prevail 'P
The Civic Association directors who
met NJ o'clock in the American Nh
| ''onai sank building, received the re
port of the charter study committee n
troNed TO be lengthy document of
! i"urteen typewriter pages. The report
ucat with several plans of charter ro
form. leaving the association 10 so1oct
the particular plan il will espousc
ASSOCIATION WILL SELECT
PARTICULAR REFORM PLAN
COPIES OF the report were ordered
printed and distributed to the mem
bcrs Of the board of directors Tho
poar" VIII meet again on September :.
at O'Clock. and Will at that time ap-
prove definite plan Of charter reform
TO be submitted for ratification to the
! cereral membership of the association.
| Alter approval by the membership the
plan Will be given publicity and sub
Wittcd 10 the Charter Change Commit
tee win the associations recommended
ton.
Leroy Hodges. counsel for the South
fern Commercial Congress- and munich
pal expert of wide reputation. was pres
j ent at the meeting and discussed with
the directors the plans for a new char
ter Mr. Hodges has been sent TO Eu-
81 rope several times by the Federal gov
eminent to study municipal procedure
and rural conditions, and is at present
studying conditions In Petersburg.
which Is considering plans looking to n
new form of government.
! Others who addressed the meeting
were Councilman Carter c. Jones. chair
man of the Charter Change Committee
and f. L. Bcmiss. member Of citizens
committee, working In conjunction with
the committee of tn" Council Frank
w. Duke, vice president Of the associa
ton, presided.