Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-12
ALDERMEN OPPOSE
CHARTER CHANGES
Plan for Elective Charter Com
mission Meets Hard Going
in Upper House.
WHOLE REPORT is TABLED
Special Meeting to Be Held on
Monday Night, When Report
Will Be Considered.

Opposition 10 the report OF the Joint
Committee on Charter Change as II
has been amended and adopted by The
Common Council developed in the Board
OF Aldermen last night, when the pro-
posed bill providing that n charter
commission may he elected upon pc
titiou Of 81 per cent OF the Qualiiied
voters narrowly escaped being amended
as 10 require that the petition shall
be signed by 30 per cent Of those quail
fed 10 vote at the last preceding cleo
ton The bill actually was amended
in the beginning: OF the proceedings on
the motion of =. 6. Nielsen. OF Jcif"r
son Ward. by a vote OF 10 :. but on
tho urgent appeal of ordway Pulier
and President w II. Adams the vote
was reconsidcred, and the blu, with
the Charter-change Committee report
and the supplementary reports, vas
laid on the table, TO be taken up Al a
special meeting to he held or Mouda Y
night.
This is said 10 be the first battle IN
fiEh, TO lie made against the char
tcr-chanee report as whole. 1t is
stated that several Aldermen have ar
raigned themselves against those pro-
visions placing the Fire and Police Ee-
partmcHts under the management and
control Of the Mayor, and that they will
prepare themselves against the special
meeting for the consideration Of the
report and its supplements.
FIGHT is MADE on
CHARTER COMMISSION
Tho charter change report came an
in routine. and ". w. Workman moved
that il be laid on the table until Mon
day night the motion being adopt cd
by a vote OF 6 TO 3. MIR. Pullcr OBJ
tained hearing for tho supplementary
report providing for the enactment py
the Legislature of bill empow erin Z
cities having population in excess
of 50,oc1 Inhabitants 10 elect. upon pc
tition of % per cent of the voters, 4
charter commission Of seven citizens.
He said thar il was a measure which
affects Richmond only, and tina. il was
demanded by the people
In reply TO MIR. Nelsens motion to
amend by requiring that ln- petition
shall be signed by 80 per cent OF the
qualified voters, Mr.. Fuller urged tha,
the increas sed requirement would render
the act nugatory. ,ic doubted that il
would he possible u have such petit
t!on signed by 30 per cent Of the voters
The Nielsen motion was sscd. however
by vote nf 6 TO 3. Those voting ave
were Christian, Mitchell. Nielsen. Paul
Workman and Adams: no. Gilman
Gunst and FULLER.
In speaking to the amendment. Mr.
Christian said that the bill amounted
TO nothing, and he didn't see the use
OF the Council putting itself on record
,s favo;ing such a proposition. The
Council .rcmbers and six membcrs OF
the Board Of Aldermen, he said. are
elected every TWO years.
SAYS PEOPLE CAN PIT
NEW MEN IN IOi,NCII
IF The people are dissatisfied will,
what the Council does" Mr.. Christian
continued. they can put in new men
Much has been said abou; the dear peo-
pie and about what they want. But
regard the proposed bill as but the re
suit OF the opinion OF few, and no,
that OF the masters. If il is passed
we Will have agitations every year or
two. Petitions are useless. They are
rarely signed on the merits OF what
they contain. hut rather at the request
of the person who presents them. II
the General Assembly wishes to pass
such bill. i, can do so withou: any
request on ., part
But" replied Mr. Fuller. there is
a bill giving every other city the right
10 appoint a charter commission. and
| don't see why Richmond should he
excluded II our people want That
right. they should have IL. If We do
not help them OBTAIN ii by request OF
the Legislature. il is Inevitable that II
Council VIII lie elected which will give
them tho right they ask for.
IF YOU require that the petition for
the election Of charter commission
shall he signed bv 20 per cent of the
voters you viii defeat tho very purpose
FOR which the bin is to hc enacted.
There is not a man in this body who
would substitute another form of gov :
ernmcn, for Richmond without the con :
sent Of the people. but as the law is
now there is no way in which We can
submit suggested changes to the
voters"
The ordinance providing for the bill
as amended hy the Nielsen motion. was
adopted. s to |. Iir pulicr voting aye
80 that hc could later ask for q recon
sidrratioH The vote was as follows:
ayc--C:ilnan. Gunst. Mitchell. Nielsen.
I'aul. Fuller, w OTk!llal ana Adams:
no-Christian.
yOTf: RECONSIDERED AND
PAPER IS TABLET,
President Adams took the floor after
III. urgent appeal from Mr.. Fuller for
reconsideration, and moved that the
vote h. rccousidcred. suggesting at the
sane time that compromise lie cf-
fcctcd by making the petition require
mcnt 33 Ia per cent Of the qualified
voters. "if You make il SO 1-3 per
cent" he said you will get practically
half Of the voters"
The motion to reconsider was adopt
ed. to 3. as follows: ayes-Gilman.
Gunst. Mitchell. Paul. Puilcr and
Adams: noes--Christ;an. Nielsen aud
Workman. Mr.. Puiler's motion that the
ordinance be laid on tho table was
passed by the same vote.
The resolutions providing for the
aholishing of the Board of Public IN
tercsts aud for the appointment of
three additional magistrates tn try