Evening star., 1923-03-16
DELEGATIONS FAIL
ON incorporation
Smiths Opposition to Meas
ure Brings Adverse Ac-
tion by Committees.
STANDS UP FOR POTOMAC
Against Town Losing Charter.
Many Attend Hearing on Issue
Held in Richmond.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

RICHMOND, Va. March 16-The
bill to incorporate the City of Airing
ton is dead. The death followed the
discussion of the measure before a
meeting OF the senate and house
committees on counties, cities and
towns last night, when Delegate
Charles Henry Smith of Alexandria
city and Arlington county, arose and
said that he had not before taken any
position in the dispute and said that
tho bill meant a repeal of the charter
of the town of Potomac and that he
had given his promise that he would
not approve that. The town had Is
ments and sold its bonds therefor.
For that reason he asked that the
bill be passed by indefinitely.
Up to People.
Mr.. Smith said at the outset of the
meeting thai he understood an agree
ncnt or a new proposition had been
made and that he did not know what
Il was, and he deferred his definition
of his position until the first speaker.
former Senator Byars, had announced
that all the people in the territory OF
the county were to be allowed TO pass
on the question of being made into
city.
Mr.. Byars. representing the Civic
Federation Of Arlington county. said
that there were tWenty-Six square
miles in the county, that the popu-
latIon was between 500 and 700 per
square mile. The supervisors had
protested the Incorporation until the
amendment to allow the people to
vote was made. There were twenty
or more organizations supporting the
proposition. He told of the needs of
water lights, sewers and police and
fire protection and did not think
they could be provided by county.
He said the population now is 10000,
and in ten years it will be $4,000.
Supervisor Supports BILL.
Thomas +. Deleshmut. chairman OF
the supervisors. said that after a joint
meeting with the supervisors and the
civic federation, he had decided to
support the amended bill. Some
claimed the measure to be uncon-
StitutIonal. He was opposed to
Arlington county surreuIcring one
loot of it's territory. He was willing
TO leave the mattxr to the people.
Z. IL. Tay lor VI Clarendon, chairman
OF civic federation Incorporation COM
mitlee, read the resolutions OF October.
1913, when the matter OF incorporation
was first brodched and a committee was
naIned to pr. pare a charter. TIE coun-
u is no longer rural community, he
said and il needs all the benefits
that city c..n give and which i
q 'ultE Will De ulIdDle TO lTONlCe.
This &Crp had been taken after mature
'ieifbt ration and confederation. He
GDn: tnG.d IN orporation that i'm
pr"venlCnts could be had and in
Which all the people would con-
tribute to obtain.
Judge Cation Dissents.
Judge Harry Cation of Eraddocli
Heights Saio that he wanted to enter
dissent for his community. saying
tnat II did not want to come in and
nI o-l- - ha 1at MI
never before had seen the bill before
the committee, he declared. though
he had made desperate efforts to get
one.
1t was at this stage that Delegate
Slnith made his announcement of po-
sitlon. causing the advocates OF the
proposition to ask for few minutes
in which TO confer. This was grant
ed and Senator Byars announced
that as the patron OF the bill had
asked for postponement of the meas
ure. they could only appear by con-
sent of the committee, and ask that
it be considered.
Poll TO BE Nndcs
Hugh Reed of Thrifton said he was
OF the committee of the Civic Fedora
ton which had agreed to back the
bill after conference with the su-
peryisors, and favored the idea of
eliminating the zones, and he wanted
TO take the sense of the voters this
summer on tue pIOpOSlliOll TcSdfUIeSS
of the action of the committee.
Maj. L. w. r. Ewing of Ballston
said that the position of Mr.. Smith
was a complete reversal of the prln-
ciples and fundamentals of govern
1nent, in that he had allowed small
fraction of the people to direct him
what lie must do for the 10000 who
demanded incorporation. He said he
desired to register his protest against
any such action as that taken by Mr.
Smith.
Duties Enumerated.
Col. James r. Cation enumerated
the duties and requirements of a
city OF the first class, as would be
required in this instance. He under
stood the measure had been with
that the sparsely settled parts Of the
county would have to pay heavy
taxes for the support Of the tEickly
settled sections He believed that
the bill. if enacted. would be uncon-
stitutional. in that it would breacn
the contracts and charter of the two
towns already Incorporated, and 1t
might be in conflict with the fed
eral constitutional rights in that 1t
abrogated contracts in repeating the
charters of the towns without their
consent. He spoke for Alexandria
and Potomac, which stood on their
constitutional rights, as. Alexandria
would be stopped in extending her
pSA "e"S ~ o''NSN ohNSi sN>
constitution.
Measure Postponed.
Senator Oliver said that in view of
tho declaration of Delegate Smith,
who had asked that the matter be
Indefinitely postponed, he did not see
that the committee could but grant
such request, as was usually the
case when the patron OF a measure
asked 1t.
Judge Cation declared the super
ylsors could as easily provide the
needs for the county as could q.
council Of five times their number.
He admitted that conditions around
Clarendon were congested. but those
people had gone to court and had
their day. He said the Legislature
might give the county a city name
but that did not create a city.
Committees Act.
Both committees held meetings
later and agreed to pass the matter
by indefinitely.
The bills looking to Incorporation
had been presented by Senator oliver
in the senate, and delegate Smith in
the house and were identical