The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26
REVELATIONS by Am EX-MAYOR.

Az. III Z rs ?
/ would do and be II elected. had the
feeling Of being impersonal; there was
the curious idea ever present that was
another man talking about myself.
walked. talked, ate, schaned, planned
and worked a dual crenture; one Of me-.
the Issue" was running for mayor; tho
other was myself fighting for and de-
Tending the issue.
But when the campaign manager told
mo was q mayor-eect 1t was rs II a
flood Of ice-cold water had fallen on me-,
leaving me numbed and gasping, alone
with myself again. Men rushed at me-
crowdlrlg me against the wall. SO eager
were they to take my hand and clap
mo on the shoulder. / remember nothing
| but confusion, jostlc incoherent utter
ances, dlstointed and disconnected SEN
tences.
Just when I passed tho crisis and
headed toward the normal l cannot re-
call, but my first sane thought was,
why are all these men 50 particularly
joyful?" Bill
They were the party managers. the
so-called bosses. who had directed the
campaign Not one of them held q city
job. elective or appontive. for the city
administration for some time had been
in the hands OF our political opponents.
L Z
who shook his head, mutterlng: mot
Tonight; he's tired out. Give him q
chance to sleep over IT, 5g
It was the look he gave me that clear
| ed my brain and made me firm on my
| feet again-the complacent glance OF
pleased proprietor. The next instant.
| however, he placed his hands on my
shoulders and said kindly: You're tired
out, old man: ! would suggest you go
home and get some rest. and we can talk
over the future tomorrow.
The next day he. came to my office.
where l was arranging business matters
| which had been neglected during the
campaign. and told me with blunt frank
ness that / was expected to turn over
| to him and his associates the distribution
| of the city patronage, that he wanted
certain men appointed heads of the sew
! eral administrative departments. | lis
| tened, but gave no answer. That even
! ing wrote on n slip of paper the names
of men l had known many years, and
| out Of that list / made up my Cabinet"
| Not one OF them had been mentioned by
the party leaders
When the papers gave the news that
I had selected my cabinet and printed
| the list. the party leader who had called
on me declared my action not only met
| with his approval, but that he had sug-
| gested most of the nominations. But
| then and there began fractional quarrel
| which in time fairly split my party In
! two.
| mention this circumstance because It
| led to the organization OF what the ur-
| friendly newspap ers and my political enc
mics, including those In my own party
were pleased to call my personal ma
chine" built up, they said. to keep me In
power and re-elect myself
$3.50
1t is true that with the very beginning
of my administration used all the pow
Ter / possessed to remove from, office
every man of the other brand Of politics
whose name was on the city pay roll and
put In their places my friends and friends
of my friends. This action properly
might be called war measure, II was
| q necessity. There was no alternative
LIE wanted to successfully realize my
ideals.
hold that no mayor can give his
| city a good administration unless the
heads of departments and their subordl-
| mates arc in harmonious accord With
] him; In short, are his friends
| Theoretically I may be wrong, practi-
| cally am right. Until 1T is human to be
| disinterested In all things until the evil
| of selfshness is no more, until men put
/, the golden rule into daily practice, until
practical and professional politicians are
l wiped off ms eartn ana Until many
things now impossible are made possible.
1 no man can be mayor In fact unless
1 he has back OF him an organization OF
public officials and employees. who are
| bonded together by ties Of self-lnterest
| and loyalty to the man who gives them
| q chance to obtain a living.
J Now. I was. and still am, In hearty ac-
| cord with the spirit of civil service re-
| form; l believe In a sane, practical civil
service system, but when ! became may
or my political opponents We're in COM
plete control of the city. Every head OF
| IA department, every clerk, bookkeeper,
! danitor, policeman. Inspector and wash
woman was my open enemy. They We're
| splenddly organized, and that organiza-
| ton would have been used TO thwart my
| every move, to cast dscredit 'on me and
defeat every good purpose ! had
| The leaders Of my own party, the very
4 men who had managed the campaign
1 which placed me at the head of munich
pal affairs, were the chiefs of another
magnificent organization. My indepen7
/ dence of action In refusing to appoint 9
/ heads of departments some of the rarest
| sco,,ndrels inside the city limits made
these organization leaders my personal
| enemies. &
The choice. lay before me--to be mayor
l in fact or be a mere proxy. MO- eva
Eservice system, however practical or
good. could have enabled me to carry
| out the reforms which had planned,
r1SN n