Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
SUNDAY. ;. ..sEPrEMBER %. 1895.
Chairman Dawson and the Plan.

Our friend. Mr.. Dawson. chairman o.
the City Democratic Committee, writes
us n letter. stating that the judges o.
the urinary election will be INSTRUCTED"
TO car the attention Of the voters 10
the charter-smcndn0nt feature OF inc
ticket. ana, where necessary. ASK them
whether they intend to vote for or against
the amendments, so that they may De
accurately recorded. He thinks this ar
Management will overcome ali OF the OBJ
iections that We have urged against the
plan. Further, while admitting that the
plan IS ambiguous In some respects. he
insists that Il should be regarded az
v,va-voco plan throughout.
Mr.. Dawson intlmates that the calling
aloud OF the votes on the charter amend
ments will be brought about by IN
structions' issued 10 the Judges; but
these instructions. since they VIII alter
the plan IN q material particular can
anly be given by the committee. and
while the committee Is about this
work. II might as well make complete
sob Of II.
OF course we shall be thankful even
for the change that Mr.. Dawson pro-
poses. but we should be more tnanNiui
If his committee would revise the plan
so as 20 make II as perfect "a possible
The man who IS careless enough to
leave all Of the charter amendments I'M
scratched, Will DO very careless In an
swerlng the Judges when he Is asked Gas
MIR. Dawson proposes) " 10 Is his purpose
20 vote Cor or against the charter amend
rents. The plan as II stands might
throw In favor OF the amendments hum
dreds of votes that would not belong
there; the proposed change would proh-
blv reduce the hundreds to scores.
Since the City Committee cannot pos
slbly leave the plan as 1t is-since II can
not have an election which IL viva-voce
only so far as the candidates for the
House are concsrned-why not take the
plan IN hand and perfect IL In every re-
spect?
Each voter should say Eyes" or NO
as TO each of the proposed charter
changes. His mind ought to be directed
20 tile fact that there ara proposed no
less than. nine distinct changes in the
charter. His opinion ought 10 be care
fully polled. as it were. as to each OF
these nine changes.
To expect the judges TO put the voter
through such a series of interrogatories
would be 10 interfere very much win me
progress of voting; therefore, that method
of ascertaining the views of the voter Is
impractical, but Il would be perfectly
practical 10 string out the list Of OFFICES
on the ticket and require each voter 10
write after each Office Yes or NO
accordingly as he favors or disfavors a
change I'm the charter with respect 10
that office
The mere fact that hundreds OF our
neonle who have considered the subject
believe that the method proposed VIII
give 90 the advocates OF charter changes
many votes TO which they will not be en-
titled ought TO induce the CITY COM
nittee % revlsc It's plan. The plan ouNh'
not only 90 be fair (aa We Know ths'
this plan r. meant TO be-, but 80 oev'-
ousiy fair as TO convince every reason
able man OF lnat TACT
We do not blame the committee for
falling TO see In the beginning the I'M
perfectlons in its plan that we have
pointed out. We d,d not see them when
we first read the plan. The trouble
was that the question was new and
UNIQUE. There were no precedents TO
guide the committee; no experience from
n or
these imperfections have been discovered
IN ample time to allow corrections to be
made. and We hope they VIII be made.
and as soon as possible. Any body OF
men clothed with powers to leg'slate'
Is clothed with powers 10 correct It's
errors. Sometimes this is done b. re-
healing It's work as an entirety, and
then amending Gnd re-enacting It, Some
times 1t is done by repeating and
amending and re-enacting particular Sec
tons.
And. by the way, II "a well 70 keep
IN mind what Offices we are 10 vote
upon. And so we republish the list
the list OF city offices now filled by the
CITY Council which the Legislature Is
10 Dc DtutiOntu 10 tiidSt
be flied by the direct vote OF the people
OF Richmond.
Al the foot OF the House OF Delegates
ticket there will be printed the following
list OF officers:
- Board Of Fire Commissioners.
Board OF Police Commissioners.
CHIEF OF Fire Department
Chief of Police.
City Attorney.
City Engineer,
Police Justice.
Superintendent OF Almshouse.
Superintendent of Gas-Works
Superintendent OF Water-Works.
On the ticket. above this list Of names
will be printed these words:
Scratch the names OF the officers whom
YOU desire TO he elected as az present.
leaving those whom you des're 10 Dc
elected by the direct vote OF the people.
W. marc o,,ife sure that Mrs. Vanderbilt,