The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-25

4 should be chosen by the people, II
I they desired q change In the form of
government. to frame such charter,
and that charter should then be put
back to the people for vote. He pre-
ferred q smaller body. say a member
ship of two from each ward. with one
at large to sit as presiding ofacer.
II do not think this body should
take from the people the right to
select their administrative oficers,"
said Mr.. Mills. This proposed char
ter does that very thing, and it seems
| TO me that we are gging backward
In thus transgressinE upon the rights
of the people. The legislature will not
pay any attention to this paper IL IL
10 sent to them In the shape in which
II now lies before ua. That body will
send 1t to committee. and That COM
nstttee will nle 1t away. The Iegisla.
turs is not keen on taking the peoples
privileges away from them. They
have just adopted a paper giving the
people the right to elect members OF
the corporation commission, and 1t
should be easily figured out that tho
paper which we are considering will
meet with little favor from the gen
eral assembly"
Union Mem obtecs.
Before proceeding In the discussion.
Clerk McDowellA read n letter from
Jesse c. Duke, secretary OF the legis.
lative committee OF the Richmond
Central Trades and Labor council. en-
closing resolution from that organi-
70 tion praying that the council take
no action on the proposed report with
out first submitting the question of
charter changes to the people. The
resolution stated that the council OBJ
posed the abolition of the administra-
tive board. the transfer of Offices from
South Richmond, and any changes in
the charter until the people had ex-
pressed themselves at the polls. The
paper was filed.
Mr.. Mills then offered a substitute
for the report. being the same paper
he introduced at a meeting of the
charter changes committee, identical
with the present section In the charter
providing for the manner In which
changes In the charter and In the form
OF government may he had, by submits
sion to the people. except that his
paper provided for q commission Of
FIVE. and makes It compulsory upon
the judge of hustings court TO call an
election on charter changes within
three months after the act becomes OPP
erative.
Mills, Substitute.
He explained his object. saying that
! rather than delay the matter. his plan
would facilitate action. He believed
in the people. and would take nothing
from them.
Councilman Powell charged Mr..
Mills with running wrong" In that
he would delay action until too late
/ for the present general assembly to
J act. II the petition has been filed. ac-
| ticn by council at this time will not
| interfere with that. An election may
be had under the petition movement,
| and the people will have to vote upon
| this report, So that there Ia nothing
| being taken from the people.
| Councilman Haddon said he did net
! believe the council would accept Mr..
Mills substitute. He said that IL a
| petition had been signed by four thous-
! and people, that was indication that
1 four thousand people wanted change.
and council was now attempting to
give them a change. which before It
! became operative would be passed
upon blythe people themselves.
Both Councilmen Rose and Powell
urged council TO vote down the sub
stitute and TO act upon the report
of the committee without loss of time,
so that tho measure might be gotten
rid of.
The mills substitute was defeated
by this vote: Noes---Atkinson, Bat
| kins. Butler, Cheatwood. English.
Haddon, Jeter, Jones. Ladd. Moore.
Powell, Rodeu. Rose Seaton. Sulii-
van, Umlauf. Peters: ayes--Grifaes
Mills, Powers.
English Amends Paper.
Some progress was then made ON
the report.
Councilman English called atten-
ton to the section providing that
persons injured through fault Of the
city could not obtain redress II no
tiee OF action were not nled in the
ofrco CT the city attorney Within
thirty days after the date OF the ac-
cident. and after some discussion this
section WINS amended so that per-