The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-03

This unlovely truth was forced home
to me before ! served two months or
my term AS Mayor. The revelation WAS
the first distinct shock received after
taking the oath OF office. 1t came at the
end OF a conversation between myself and
a we'll known citizen in my office. lie
said: iYi
MIR. Mayor when a town is lively bus
mess Is good"
't1n other words. you want a Wide open
town" / retorted.
.Wel!--not exactly wide open--that's a
pretty broad term, but we don't want "a
blue law city.
He wastone OF the great rctaA mer,
| kind known as Representative citizens.
| He was rich, influential aud popular
A few days before he had presided at
| meeting called for. the purpose Of con-
demning a certain ordinance which our
Board Of Aldermen had rushed through
with characteristics disregard Of every
| thing HIT the value to then, OF their
Iaffirmattye votes His address on this
occasion was regarded as g, fine specimen
of the business mans views on . DC
lers.' "pTblicc scoI,ntlrels and gan g
Iunon me to veto the ordinance and thus
save the city from the "plunderers Of the
public
1t happened that tho day after this
Injecting I instructed tho head Of the po-
Lice department to close up a. group of low
/ eroggeries which had violated every po-
| lice regulations relating to saloons. one
| of the newspapers seized upon the ORDER
and its execution to publish q somewhat
orange. colored report that ! had begun an
energetic reform campaign. al, and pFeaiots :,
sweep out all the gamblers and nooK-
makers and clean out half the saloons
| In the city.
The order had given the chief, q
police was merely my official approval ~, ~
had charge Of the district In which the
saloons were located tile report contain
M 4 Recommendation that their LICENSES
be revoked had no thought OF peg1i',
/ ming any kind Of campaign When !
wrote approved across me race ol 'ns
| tersely worded document. ,a,
/ Tint the subsequent happenings illul,
| Gated that I.Shad started a move,n,sn'
which brought to my Stree Y conlin -,
Gus procession of men OF All stations ~
ana against the reform .propos''tost 81 au'
vanced by tho newspa per- :, !. ,
| Z Among them was the business ma
whose Visit gave me the first mixing 3 {, q
| MA real element which makes flat all
| tnnres ~ most OF those reform campaign
which internationally CONFUSE large cen
we PWb ea i he entered my office suppose
No ihad come to talk to me about IN.
nr ~ nance he had denounced with SO 7lnufl
force and yigor, When he asked 70 tse
Inc alone was convinced tll a., vas as g, y,
u urivate office and closed the door, =.
Wasted no preliminary words but .r e 2,
down. TO the real purpose o. ms can -
4 saying; - "a ~ the fac,
Air Mayor, are you aware q. o. ~ "a :,
that YOU are hurting the REAR .D 'raue 4 (
Il this city?'' ~ ,es,,,,,,aa
I've have just passed Through y, peria,1
Of business depression me retail ,,,at sr ae,
has suffered muell, aln9 t.a Ipm' y yeyI q
GOOD ws iii times. YOU come forward VIII we
|, Blanket. The newspapers Say say I mai, w
are going 10 make this tlgh 1ro tow a., :,
is ali well enough 70 keeR RS s'i r. M sin ,s
al nth to the world that this CIT
has no life IN u. 80, ,,ors ,,,r an,
I j told hin, the newspapers we're "FoN'