Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-08
.,,,,x rrrEY ORGANIZE.

WHY THEY OnU1'
M. comn,aint has been often maoe
A.. Tho Businessmen of Richmond as
- AZ mot take sufficient interest IN
ro,stics. The complaint is weh-io"'''eN'
- n, least has been for goou many
years past =, .,o davs
PINT II was not always so. In 'ie oa'
,,,pediately following the recohs'iu
,.r,,d our businessmen were very a''''O
"a Very useful in State and city poh'icS
~ class surpassed them in EFFORTS u
,sscue Virginia from the Gluten Oh 'He
rarpet-baggers and the scalawags
axsin. in 1883, our businessmen iai,eu
o. the democratic standard ana ola Blu
,io,s work IN helping TO dethrone ManoH'
80 ,,s associates. But we have 10 con-
80. t,ot TOO often OF late our business
-. have taken no other interest In poll
H. than 10 give TO the campaign iu"u
md vote the straight ticket. we suppose
,nev feel that they are unable 10 coh'eNu
WITH the organizations welded by sHii'ea
ooy,t,cians. and thus have allowed noi'i-
cations to drift along, 'just so. hece"'
.,a,,s in the history of this city nave,
however. aroused them to fuii sense VI
,heir duty. They tried TO get popular
-. an certain charter amendments, put
.,.re overruled. and this, too, notwi'h-
...na,ne the fact that they agreed 10
- the amendments passed upon by a
Derocratjc primary before having tnein
.,s.ed ,,non by the people generally.
IN the recent short. sharp, ana uhsai's-
,.c,orv contest before the Legislature,
,he businessmen had their eyes opeheu
- the sort OF organization with wnich
thew had 10 contend. Little wonder men,
80. thew should wish to be better pre-
roa ,sben they enter the next contest.
This we take 10 be the signihcahce Vi 'ho
movement In furtherance OF which t"o
neetings have already been heiu.
70 our businessmen hope to succeed IN
their purposes they must meet orgahiza-
zion with organization. In every CITY
x,hera there has been a vigorous enor'
made In behalf Of municipal REFORM or
eanization has been seen to be necessity
mt the Richmond movement, as we I'M
derstand il, differs from movements ihaoe
IN many other cities in this-that II con-
sar,n,ates action entirely within Demo
cratic party lines. No appeal Is 10 Dc
made to the enemies OF Democracy. No'
,s the membership Of the association &c
Ia confined to businessmen. Doctors
rnechanlcs, lawyers. laborers, ana III
r,her nersons who believe it possible foi
f2,chmond TO be governed in the future
&,.ttar than 1t has been in the recen'
rast will have an opportunity offered
them of Joining the movement In snort
a will be an organization of good Demo
Gratis for purposes of good government
and the help Of every Democrat. high ano
low. rich and poor, native and foreign
aorn who IL In hearty sympathy WITT
the r,ovement will be solicited.
Though the last meeting heid was
s.secret." we do not suppose that this Is
a be the rule. Members. no doubt fuiiy
understand the great prejudice existing
ava,nst all secret political organizations
Z and we hope viii not allow themselves 70
5 10 made the victims of this prejudice
AZ the same time they don't want TO DC
suent from their feet in their infancy by
organized opposition.
Had not our people been denied the priv
asxe OF voting upon the charter amend
sperts we doubt II the necessity for this
r,or,ocratic citizens organization would
have been so plainly recognized. But here
VIC have had the refusal of the majority
Of our delegation In the Legislature L
advocate bill to submit the charter
amendments ito the Democrats frsD u
the voting population.
The delegation might well have said t.
the commercial organizations Of this city
"sentlemen, we cannot commit ourselves
20 the amendments that you recommend
but inasmuch as you come to US as thu
apokesmen Of seven or eight hundred
{ Richmond buslness-houses. We cannot re
fuse TO advocate submission OF the ques
ton to the voters, more especially sine
you agree to have 1t first passed upon By
Democratic primary"
Yes. our people should have been grant
el the right 10 pass upon the amend
snents nj the polls. With delegation
solid for the charter bills, they would
have passed both houses OF the Legisla
turc IN one day. and then our difference
could have easily been settled at the pri
mary.
Those who were most jealous in work
Ing for the defeat OF the bills said tina
s4he people were behind them" but the.
were afraid to put that assertion TO a ties
Il a Democratic primary Hence. vi
I hare dissatisfaction In the party. Hence
~ hear Of the businessmen leading I
Z Depocratic citizens organization In tn
Interest OF municipal economy. Hence w
u,ax cxpec, an exciting contest ct tn
s tfimary In May next.
s.z
II our police force u too weak to cop,
.z<1.f{x sb> t4oto pnnr we move that chic,