Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-24

litical influence. There is only one
way to obtain that end-break the
connection between the board and the
voters. Relieve the board OF It's direct
dependence on the people and make II
answerable to the Council. | believe
mat II YOU VIII do that and put under
II the other three departments. you will
have In Richmond the greatest city
government on this continent"
INVITE MAYOR AND HOARD
MEMBERS TO GIVE THEIR VIEWS
Mr.. Pollock sat down and there arose
cries Tor the pending question. 1t was
nearly midnight and the committee
was no nearer solution of the adj
ministrative problem than II was two
hours earlier. .
Thomas Branch McAdams. of the citi-
zens committee, suggested that IT
would be wise before a final vote were
taken on Mr.. Christians motion that the
: Mayor and the Administrative Board he
invited to attend and give the commit
/, tee the benefit OF their Views on sew
eral OF the moot points. The sugges-
ton found favor with Alderman Fuller,
VINO onered Il motion to that effect
Tho motion was adopted and the com
mittee adjourned to meet again at 5
o'clock Tuesday night. 1t lacked four
teen minutes OF midnight
Earlier in the meeting Alderman
Fuller offered motion declaring il to
be the sense of the committee that
there shall be an Administrative Board
OF hve members. enjoying the same
powers exercised by the board to-day
Mr.. Fuller was opposed TO the election
or the members of this board by the
council. as suggested by Mr.. Pollock
The Mayor, under Mr. Pollock'S plan
said Mr.. Fuller would absolutely domi-
nate the city administration. The peo-
pie OF the city, he said, are alone re-
sponsihle for the government they
have. and ii is their own fault If they
fail to elect to the board men of the
right character. In the long run. he
thought, the people will always elect
the proper men. Mr.. Fuller tempo
rariiy withdrew his motion to permit
Il Tree debate on the motion offered
by Alderman Christian.
FAILED TO FIND MISCHIEF
IN PRESENT SCHEME
Leon Wallerstein, invited by the
chairman to give his views on the adj
ministratire problem. stated emphati-
cally that he was in favor of retaining
the Administrative Board. Since be-
coming member of the committee. he
said. he had sought faithfully for the
mischief In the present scheme and
mad failed TO find any. Under these cir
cumstances. he said. he could not view
with favor scheme which provided
for the uprooting of the present gov
eminent and the substitution for it of
an experimental form.
When the question of electing an
Administrative Board was up for the
first time" said Mr.. Wallerstein | was
selected as good citizen to assist in
selecting five men able to serve on that
board. I assisted in framing the citi-
Zens' ticket. That was my single VEN
ture In politics. Our effort to con-
vince the people that the citizens
ticket should be elected. as you remem-
Der. was not altogether success 1
was afraid then that the board that
was elected would not measure up to
what was expected OF II. 1 am happy
TO say that my misgivlngs were not sus-
tanned"
Charles V. Meredith expressed him
self as In favor OF retaining the Ad-
ministrative Board elected by the peo-
pie. On general principles. he said
the people should have the right to
elect their principal Legislative, admin
istrative and executive officers To hold
otherwise, he said. Is to admit that
democracy is failure.
POLLARD RULES ON LEGALITY
OF EFFICIENCY BOARD
In his ruling to Chairman Jones, on
the legality of the Civic Associations
efficiency board, City Attorney Pollard
draws attention to the fact that Sec
tion III. under which alone the city
would be empowered to put into effect
new form OF government, requires
such new government to be In con-
formity with the provisions OF the Con-
stitution relating expressly to judges