The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-19
Up no TIE VOTERS.

UP no THE NpIEltS.
The Democratic city primary will be
held next THURSDAY. on that day all the
members Of The Common Council and
half the members of the Board of Al
dermen will be nominated by the
Democrats of the city. AS the Repub-
licans Will hardly have the face to put
n ticket in the field, and would, of
course, be showed under II they did,
the men chosen Thursday viii be the
men who are TO administer the affairs
Of the city for the next two years
More viii depend upon this. City
Council than unon any body chosen
by the voters of Richmond since the
restoration oil the white mans rule inI
The city rho new Council will have
almost nvo million dollars to spend. itI
win have now ward TO reorganizeI
and TO provide for. II Will have al
municipal electric lighting plant to-
build. 1t will have much street paw
ing to do 1t viii grapplc with more
problems and larger problems than
any Council within the last twenty
years.
The voters of tho city evidently do
not appreciate these facts. or. II they
appreciate them, they have not shown
il by their action. There has not been
duIler municipal campaign than this
one in recent years or a campaign
marked by so little general interest.
But for the fact that few Council-
men. are moving about among their
constituents. there would be moth
ing to indicate that the people Of
Richmond are about to choose the
most important of all oficers-those
who VIII make the future of our CITY,
for veal or for woe.
This lack of interest would be eN-
ousablc IL the men who ere to bc
chosen FOR the Council we're qualified
SIS d whole TO do their full duty by
the city and were competent to han
die tire great business interests OF the
city. Ii would matter very little, then,
who were the nominees of the party.
1t is useless and senseless to cons
denim all the men who are in the Coun-
eli or who are running for the Council,
since no general condemnation will
hold There are many good men in
the Council and many good men among
those now to be named for the Conn
ell These men are known by their
works to every citizen of Richmond,
and they have shown by their votes
that they seek only the best interests
of the city. These men should be as
sured By every right-thinking man
that their services are appreciated, and
it should be the duty of every honest
voter TO give the men whose record
he knows and whose allegiance he has
tested, his support at the polls.
The presence of these good men on
the ticket, however. should not close
tho eyes of *.e votars to the fact that
there are 1thSr men running for the
Council whose record Is not above re-
proach. Not one of these mon, so far
as we know. las ever been convicted of
wrong doing or has ever been even
mako them proper men to hold office.
some of them have shown an
inability to handle large problems
and others have shown narrow,
partisan spirit in deciding aues-
lions which concern tho welfare
OF tho whole city. Then. TOO, there
are new men applying for seats in the
Council and IN the Board who have
never shown their ability as public
servants or their right to hold office
IL all the good men on the party
ticket as candidates in the election
Thursday are chosen the city will
have Il very fair business admmistra-
mon are elected and any of the nm
desirable men are named, the city Will
he the loser.
The choice Of the right men ana the
defeat Of the wrong men depends en-
tirely upon tho voters of the wards
Practically every man VINO VIII go rc
: the polls on Thursday knows the mei
Tor whom he must vote, and If he Il,
not know them, he knows something
OF their rec lis. He can secure good
government for Richmond If he vii
SCAN his ballot carefully and scratct
every man whom he does not mini
qualtaed for office If tie voters a,
their duty, the city has nothing /,
fesr II The voters fan TO do thei
duty, they have only themselves /,
blame for anything that may harper
in the next Council, 1t is up 10 tn
voters
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SCRATCHING TIE TARTAR,
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