Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-20
CHARTER HEARING
AT STATE CAPITOL
Request of City Council for
Changes, Subject to Approval
at Polls, Is Considered.
AB0LlSHES SALARIED BOARD
-Four Administrators Appear in
Opposition to Amendments
Eliminating Their Jobs.

! kitnmOnu lGht Tor charter reforms
was transferred yesterday to the State
Capitol, when for three hours the joint
committees OF the General Assembly
on Counties. Cities and Towns heard
argument for and against the granting
I Of the amendments sought by the City
Council. the chief OF which is the aboli-
/ ton OF the salaricd Administrative
Board. The public hearing on the mat
\ ter. which in itself was AN unusual pro-
cedure. was arranged after members
/ of the Administrative Board had direct
ed a long letter of protest TO the Legis-
lature. The city's charter bill will be
considered by the Senate and House
committees at thcir regular meetings
tomorrow.
/ All members OF the Administrative
/ Board with one exccption--Commis-
soner Henry +. Bcck-appeared at the
I hearing yesterday afternoon. The boa I'd
( was not attempting to block charter
( reforms. members declared. but was
I opposed TO the present changes as con :
tanned in the bill before the committees
[ for consideration. The board strongly
favored some changes in the city gov
ernment because they were necessary
but believed they should originate at
/ the proper source and should be along
certain modern lines.
Senator James l.. Cannon OF Rich
mond. presided over liz. joint commit
! tee meeting. The committee fixed a
I time limit Of three hours for the hear
! ing. this time TO be divided equally be-
tween the proponents and opponents
/ City Attorney Henry II. Pollary cen
Quoted the hearing on behalf OF the city
I OF Richmond, Introducing all speakers
favorinE the Councils plan. while John
{ iiirschberg. chairman of the Admins
tratirc Board. acted as spokesman for
that body and intro iuced its speakers
MANY BUSINESS MEN
ATTEND THE HEARING
Many prominent business men at
tended the hearing. while more than
onc-half the members OF both branches
OF the City Council were seen in the
senate Charabcr from time to time
There were also in evidence several
labor leaders. The progress OF the
hearing was followed With the great
est interest by the audience. The COM
mittees adjourned immedia lately after
the hearing had been completed Rich
nond's charter bill will come before the
Two committees az their regular meet
inEs Tomorrow
Mr.. Hirschberg, after other speakers
had dwclt at length upon what thcv
believed TO be various legal questions
involved. suggested to the committee
that action on the charter bill be
passed by until some other time. The
city Council would have acted on the
city Hall petition by that time, he
declared. and the committee could saw
that reform movement was already
under way. and that the changes sough,
were unnecessary. since the entire mat
ter was TO be placed lore the pcop.e
me point was also made by those
hGhting the Councils plan that the
amendments were virtually change
in the form of government. MIR.
Hirschbcrs declared that 73 per cent
of the present charter was proposed to
be changed, but the City Attorney
stated that the form Of government
would not be changed. Under the plan,
he said, the city retained the three
constitutional divisions necessary un-
der the old form of government, and.
so far as the Administrative Boa
was concerned. that body could be
abolished by the same token that il
was creItei.
POLLARD OUTLINES
HISTORY OF CITY CHARTER
Mr.. Pollard at the opening Of the
meeting made a short talk on the his
/ tory OF the City Charter and how IL
had been changed from time to time
He then introduced o. 4. Hawkins. who
! has been prominent in recent reform
movements.
Representatives of three OF the four
! wards in the city voted unanimously
for the amendments. and the opposition
from only one ward" said Mr.. Haw.
M he ha
ure. saying that it would he voted
down at the polls, and he has continued
his fight. The charge was made that
the plan was one-man governments
but this was inconsistent.
Il believe the proper Interpretation
of the petition circulated recently is
that the 4."5i citizens were dissatisfied
with the present form. we do not be-
leve that the last word in municipal
government has been said. but il is n
ma tcrial forward step in the right di-
rection. The Council represents the
great majority of the people, and it has
spoken. and we request you to help us
secure more efficient and economical
form of government.
ANDERSON PRESENTS VIEWS
OF CIVIC ASSOCIATION
Dr -. It. Anderson. executive secre-
tary oil the CIVIC ASSOCIATION or Rich
mond. said that organization had been
working for charter reforms for some
years. He declared that members of
the Council had voted on the amend
ments in the face of the coming cleo
ton. There was one thing that should
be done. he said. and that was tn.
abolition of the Administrative Board
when the board was established
the change was not put to vote of
the people At that time. We think
that tho proposed changes should be
made. The Civic Association is stand
ing behind the Council because it has
taken a step in the right direction.
"Those people who have sponsored
the petition did not make suggestions
TO the Council. which worked for a
year. The petition has no effect on tho
changes. because Its sponsors waited