The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-23

section RI Of the proposed
tr,ardnoarts speaking Of the Mayor.
5teolarea that he shall he the chief ex-
srtttiye officer Of The CITY Govern
.r-crf and Of each and every depart
..,,srt thsrecf This declaration raises
aha question How r. Will be possihte
for the Mayor 70 be the chtet eN-
tecutiye ofnCer Of each and every de-
rarfr,erf Of the City Government
while further on in the proposed
amendments there are provisions tor
.,or-, 77leetorers who shall b" the chief
Eof the departments. and also provisions
FOR heads or managers Of each depart
.rrcrt9 Because Of these facts there
mus. arise corn pticafiCn Of authority
between The Mayor with bis broad
mowers the several commissioners
with absolute authority in their o"r
departments. and also the advisory
hrar1 on which the comu'iSs toner's
and the Na~or both SIT To Illustrate.
While il fl declared that the purpose
II these amendments is 70 simplify the
form Of government. the fact Will re~
main tnEt The Police department VII
have "a chief with authority. subject
10 rha absolute authority Of the com
missioner ia charge ~ that depart
r-ert whose conduct is subject to re
view hy Tho advisory board when IN
urn, VIZ. - -, ,,'e,,,s 4ec1ara
,1sli7 A. ,ber, abau
5sat 40 ''.'s - ,l,,,,. 70 ler}s.
ms, ,.' - - t-,-v.vri1 Vow
over all Of those several authorities,
there is >,lN tho autocratic power OF
the Navor To- remove The police or
their officers cr arg member Of the
advisory board. including the COM
mission especially 3n charge Of po-
NC
= 4 TeN. 8fh sll.e t' 'Fi~''" IA -,
ton u Us. 'haf we Attf"' N''N ie''',
any othrer 1n me Thy '"E"t u i''he
and, having done go. N8~ or 20
port me laot - rye b'i" "' t''e ~
rart~ent ~ Hhahae Nh'"h a. tIe
tComp'roN@r presumably even thls re
port OF the MAYOR 8 aeNoh IS ilpty
I'D order that ne coIap'FoHet hl@'
erase the officer name from 'he pay
roll
3 Section i-a or the constitution
taf The state Of virginia provides tAat
the Mayor ~ ne cry may remove OF
hcers or employees, whether erected OF
fappolnted ana fHfther pToNl4es Ihat
the legislature may make laws au-
lthoriZiBg the Mavor 10 exercise TINS
power; consequently, as no legislative
body can add 70 or detract from me
provisions Of the constitution, Il Is
beyond the power Of the legislature,
hy these amendments to CONFER the
power Of removal on the several com
imlssioners Of Public works, Phpilo
Welfare, Public ttilties ana funtc
safety. BY tn" terms or section -
however. these commissloreFS are
given absolute authority TO appoint Oh
! dcers and employees, 20 FIX their pay
! and 10 remove any OF their officers
| ct employees a any time, which power
: has been reserved by the constitution
TO the Mayor, and TO him only.
4 A recent decision Of the Judge
: of the Hastings Court makes II clear
that II Is not possible for the legfsla-
ture TO confer these extraordinary
= powers on the commissioners mention
cd in the amendments. and that any
effort to do so IL direct violation O
10 the express terms Of the constitution,
8, Before mentioning some othei
= points II may be we'll TO stop here ant
q show beyond contradiction, wha
, would he the situation or the f~Mict
u force II the amendments should b.
s adopted by the people, and this state
ment VIII not only show the confusion
} which VIII result In the management
q Of the police, but Will illustrate fairN
we'll what would be the conditions II
T. the other three departments governed
v by commissioners. The mayor, in