The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-09
CITY ATTORNEY SAYS
PROPOSED CHARTER
CHAAGfS ARE LEGAL
Moral and Not Legal Proposition Is
Involved, IS Reply From
Southsidc Citizens.
EXCITING MEETING OF
COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Alderman Workman Leads Fight
Againft Propoaed Removal Of City
Offices and Courts From Old Man
chester.
INITIATION TO PUBLIC.

INVITATION TO PUBLIC.
All who are Interested . the
proposed charter changes. wheth-
err plain citizen or ofT1reholdcr. or
mere patriot, arc invited by nacns-
hers Of the committee tn attend
the meeting OF the e harter
change committee I'm council
chamber. CITY Hall. third floor.
Mt O'Clock. ss-uor-ow night, to
discuss the proposed chances md
present their views on the same
The meeting OF the council commit
tee on charter changes last nfrht
strongly resernbled n meeting Of the
old DAYS when TaneN ester was the
capital of the old Free state, and Rich
rrlond hid its Jackson ward. There
was -embiance of ward meeting. ana
there were duckine and s'de~teoping
apIenty. Had the general nuhuc been
nut next ~ what yeas going To hap
ren. the City Auditorium would have
hardly ben able tn have held The
crowd There was plenty of ex ate
ment. and there were times when the
ppec+ato~ nigh. have had visions OF
knock n own ID -drag-out p d.
ings-exceDt that there was no now
of blood. nor were chairs thrown
around. nor did any one turn out the
lights.
some OF the old-Hne politicians and
willing workers were on hand, but
not enouvh 70 start trouble.
Workman ia Sarcastic.
ssfe Attorney Pollard was the bute
NJ r4d,e,,la from Alderman Workman,
who at times during the debate giared
"a. fnn CITY attorney and waved his
hand while the tall lean hTure or
the ritv attorney swaved niue as
he a'.~,~s+ got mad "r Pollard III
urheld The Legality OF the proposed
CT rr+er 40 'H~eS.
Councilman Mills said the city coun-
ell had taken npon itself tn h"rome
Sut.rarne and irnpregnahie. while at
tcrarttrr to revolutionize every other
DEPARTMENT Of the city government.
Councilman Powell denied that the
council. at least SO far as he person
ally WIS concerned. had assumed such
katserlich attitude. ard he didn't care
wha knew H. but he wanted some
thing done. and done quick.
Alderman puller waxed wroth in
declaring that If the offfceholders
hac not seen the invitation in the pa
rers to be present at 'he meeting and
defend then, .elves. they were poor
readers of the papers, and dtd not ap'
rcnr 10 have even selfish motive
enough 10 he on the Jon.
Adams Grows serious
Alderman Adams benisnlv smiled all
through the pproar. and was impeiled
at the last moment 20 ask In gentle
ard soft tones that the body adjourn |
Go Thursday night. or any other night. |
and give the absent citizens the OPP |
portunity of appea ring before the com |
nittee TO say something. He thought /
the matter too serious TO be passed
y A. Ia Ay,
cisi interests at stake. to act without
FIRST giving Interested citizens the OPP +
portunity OF engaging in the debate. +
Then Mr.. Powell said he did not
f.sel that IL was Incumbent upon the /
committee TO hard invitations out 20 |
the public and stockholders on a sill /
ver waiter
Mr. Mills couldn't understand what
wa: meant by silver waiter" He
Thought the people should he consid-
cred first of all. The council Is the
for one. he thought the people should {
have their say.
Calls City Attorney.
But IL remained for Mr. Workman |
10 get things going. He called Mr. |
Pollard down in several instances. and |
said he would call him all the wav I
through the discussions, He waved /
paper in the air. and wanted TO I
know II Mr.. Pollard wrote that"
That" happened to be an extract +
ct letter written during the aunexa-
ton campaign seven years ago. in |
which Mr., Pollard. then. as now. the /
city attorney. had been quoted as say /
ting:
The good faith of the city stands
behind. the ordinance and to aiaege
that It's terms will not be observed is +
10 charge want of good faith, how
ever much the fact may be denied or |
obscured ny plausible speech"
This extract had been read by
tng the South Richmond people, in
their protest against having hastings /
court, part II. and other Institutions |
removed from the Southside. The
proposed charter changes ordinance
removes all these institutions, and !
upon this suggestion. many OF the
people of old Manchester have arisen t
in their might. They have confront /
cd the city attorney with documents /
and campaign material enough to
all q volume, and Mr.. Anderson, In |
speaking to the committee on the
question called attention to the APP
parent Inconsistencies of the city at
torney as between his statement then
and his advocacy now of the removal
OF the Offlcea.
Leading Southsidcrs Present.
Mr.. Workman, South Richmond
member OF the committee. champion
Cd the cause of the Southerners The
presence OF many leading southsid-
era, including Judge Ernest HI. Wells.
Justice Maurice. A. l.. Adamson and
A. Royal, gave him inspiration. and
he grew enthusiastic and vehement az
he provoked the city attorney into
near anger.
The consensus Of expressions was
that tho city Of Richmond had won
the -eople of Manchester by prom
tses which It was now trying to dodge.
After getting the Southside city into
IT. clutches. nguratively speaking. the
greater body was now about to
daughter the Innocent.
ay~-e.ssons made by both AL
herman workman and Mr.. Anderson,