The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-23
AS The VOTERS INNOCENT?

efY s great indignation IN Rich-
AZ the charges OF bribery aad cor
i. IN The legislative body. and natrr.
II there are civic traitors In
81. they should be exposed and
,ssnCd and the people should visit
sea sh.m their righteous indignation
asul in connection with these charges
tl.s voters of Richmond should ask
Themselves some plain and searching
questions How far are the voters OF
Richmond responsible? Have the voters
OF k.chaon5 been doing their duty
lave the voters OF II edmond given THAI
careful aSention TO the affairs Of city
government, thai they ought 10 have,
given? Have they been dilieent In at.
tending nominating conventions and pri'
uaries? Have they done their best to
secure faithful. honest and efficient rep,
rcscntatives in the Council and Board
OF Aldermen These are serious CUES
tons and each and every citizen should
take them home to himself and ponde,
them well. 1t Is great privilege to be
an American citizen and voter. But thu
privilege carries with il a responsibility
also-a responsibility from which no cit
izen can in duty escape, III is not
enough that man be moral and upright
In business. that he be good husband
and father. that be attend TO the du
1es OF church and society. He has civic
duties which are quite as binding as
these. He must be, if he discharge his
whole duty, a good citizen as we'll as q
good man. He is in duty bound to give
part of his time to public matters, and
If he negiects the civic duties he is not
q good citizen.
Many good men say that they have
not the time to give attention to politics
II you talk to such man about becom-
ing a member of the Council he viii
raise his hands in horror and declare
that he has no taste for public life and
no time to give to public duties. Worse
than that, such men do not exert them-
selves to secure good members OF the
Council They pay their taxes and
seem to think that by this they buy
themselves off from every other civic
duty. Like Pontius PLATE. they 'wast
their hands. Of the whole business.
But obi cations cannot SO easily and
conveniently be laid aside. A man may
nhirk a duty, but the obligation is none
the less upon him. There is but one
way to get rid of an obligation, and
that is to discharge It. A man may
law
him of the duty to pay.
There has been too much of this sort
Of lodging In the civic affairs Of Rich
mond cay The substantial men of this
community have not given that atten-
ton to civic affairs that they were in
duty bound to give. They have left the
management Of the city's affairs tor
much 90 those who make profession
of politics. The source OF power in this
country is in the voters. and it has been
demonstrated time and again that when
the voters arouse themselves and asser,
themselves they have their way. Poll.
ticians do not rule unless she people per-
nit It The people have the power in
their own hands If they will only exert
it, and where you find a boss-ridden
community you find. a neglectful commu-
nity-a community in which the voters
do not give their time and attention to
local politics,
It is no excuse for the traitors that
the voters are neglectful. but every cit
izen of this community shot,. ask him
self how far he is responsible for any
corruption that may have existed in gu,
city government and lie should answer
the question to himself and to his Make,
honestly and candidly.