The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-11

be asked. Inc Academy Is laTBe
enough for any road company, its ap.
pointments arc good and It's stage Is
ample. No company need feel called
upon to build another house unless it
wants TO bring outside capital here and
invest it.
Richmond is going to have a good
season next winter and the people
here will have the best line of attrac-
tons they have seen in years, SO every
body may rest contented and thank
the men who opened the door.
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| AN ELECTION WITHOUT C.ANDI-
DATES.
| The town of Woodstock, one of the
best in Virginia is to hold municipal
election next Tuesday. The date is
named the officers must be chosen, II
the town government Is to continue.
but as yet not a man has expressed his
Willingness to run for Office. and the
man who will consent to be Mayor or
town clerk or Councilman. or any or all.
The reason for this strange situation
is easily found. The Woodstock peo-
pie have acquired the habit of criticz-
ing. They had a good town govern
ment. we are told, and they had men
who were honestly working for the up
building of the place; but they were
not satisfied They criticized every
| thing and everybody, and they found
! that no officer was fit for his place OF
knew anything about his duties or de-
served the confidence of the voters. AS
result all of the present officers have
soemnly promised themselves and their
critical constituents that they VIII
, never be caught playing the fool again
and thinking they can please the PEG
i pie by administering the affairs of the
town. So Offices are going begging anu
. Woodstock bids fair to have no Mayor
and no Council in the course of a few
4 months, for ali the present officers will
resign. If their successors be not cho-
/. sen.
] There is lesson in the experience OF
. Woodstock for every town in Virginia
and for every voter in every town. II
] is the easiest thing in the world to
4, black guard the men who hold Office
and it is always pleasant to show how
much better the affairs of a. town could
be administered If the critics advice
were taken. The average man who
does not think he is more honest and
more capable and more devoted thar
the men who hold Office is generally
y lacking in seif-respect.
The officers of a town. no matter
what their position, always feel this
! criticism and always resent it. They
know that they are sincere and honest,
and they know that there are difficult
ties in the way of good government for
1 which the critics are responsible in
nine cases in ten Unless they be pub
! lic-spirited men and are willing to bear
| criticism for the sake OF the good they
| may do, most Office holders, in the cir
cumstances often feel that they would
rather dig ditch than serve an un-
| grateful people. They cannot be
blamed
Hero in Richmond, as in Woodstock,
we have been suffering from too much
municipal criticism, and we are feeling
the effects of it. Some of the best men
| in Richmond have served in the Coun-
i ell and have rebelled against the UNI
I just criticism TO which they have been
subjected. Some of them, with more
4 patience than their brothers, have
Il stood this abuse and unthinking crltl-
4 cisn, and still work for the city, but
Z others, whose services We're worth
thousands to the city, have given UP
Office and could not be induced TO ac-
cepl it again. Richmond is losing b2
the criticism which causes these mer
to leave office, and Richmond will con
tinuc to lose Until our voters learn thai
Justice to oflice-hoders is the first es
sential Of good government.
II =----------------
cOIIE(.E ON THE ROCKS.