Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-02-05
.COUNC|[MEN co
TO RICHMOND
Messrs. Summers and
Burke to Hold Confer
ence with Legislators
LEAVE AT EARLY HOUR
Senator Thornton and Delegate Bir-
rell Will be Asked to Have Pol
Ice Justice Bill Re-enacted.

The called meeting Of the City
Council last night was probably ont
of the most Unanimous ever wltnes
sed. The members Of both boards
acted with one accord, and the few
who had previously favored the ac'
of the Legislature of 1914 relating te
civil police justices of the state de
ferred to the majority and WED il
preparing and passing resolutions
asking the General Assembly to
exempt Alexandria from the pro-
visions Of the act.
Before the Aldermen had been cal
! led to order Mr. Bales, of the lower
board, appeared in the chamber and
/ invited the Aldermen to meet the
! Common Council in joint session for
the purpose of considering the
present condition of the city in the
matter Of police justice. The invita-
tion was accepted and the two boards
met in joint session.
1t was suggested that Councilman
! Smith was probably better acquaint-
! ed with the situation than the ma
Z; joIity and, by request, he made Il
! succinct statement Of the issue now
before the city fathers. The act Of
! 1914, providing Il civil police JUS
tice, was now in force, having be-
| come a law OF the state June !, :,
1914. BY its provisions the power
Of justices Of the peace TO sit in civil
cases was abolished, and should the
Legislature grant the wishes Of the
City Council by the re-enactment of
the act of l902-l903 creating the
present position of police justice.
that would not confer upon magiS-
trates the power to try civil cases.
as. the law of 1914 deprived them Of
such authority.
Mr. .Bfyan''did not understood why
! the Legislature could not pass d bill
placing the city in the position it
! stood prior to 191d-that is continu-
!, ing the present position Of police
F.! justice as we'll as the power Of the
+ magistrates.
Mr.. Brumback made an explana-
! tion Of present conditions, substan-
! TALLY as had Mr.. Smith.
| During the interchange of opinion
it was shown that the Milstead bill
merely eliminated the clause depriv-
| ing magistrates of the authority to
try civil cases, and retained features
which were objected to by the City
Council Of Alexandria--that is the
election of bailif, fitting up an office
| and giving the justice one months
holiday each year on pay. 1t was
generally agreed that the city's rep
resentatives in the Legislature should
be requested to see that Alexandria
was not included with Newport News
! in the amended act.
After further discussion in which
! most of the Aldermen and Council
man took part, Mr.. Harry Burke
suggested that Council send repre-
sentatives to Richmond to consult
with the Senator and Delegate in the
Legislature and to state the wishes
Of the City Council.
Mr.. Field concurred with MIR.
Burke, and Mr.. L.awler suggested
that the Presidents Of the two
boards act in that capacity. Nr
Smith and Mr.. Field said it would
be impossible for them to go tc
Richmond at this time on account
!; Of pressing business matters.
! After further discussion, Mr.
Bryan read the following resolution
which met the views of all present
Resolved, That the Senator ant
! Delegate representing this city il
the Legislature be requested to hav,
| the act of 1914 relating to polio,
justices, so far as it applies to thi
! city, repealed, and to have re-enact
81 ed all acts necessary to place Alex
andria where it stood previous t
the passage of the act of 1914.
And be it further enacted resolved
} That it is the opinion Of the Cit
J.. / Council that what is known as tn
;. i "Milstead bill" (70) is not accepts