The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-04
NEW LAWTO CURB
CITY { M 10 YES
FERGUSON Ordinance Will Break
Up Pernicious Activity, Ram
pant Heretofore.
GOES TO COUNCIL MONDAY
Men Hired by City Desert Work
to Boost Councilncn Who
Raise Salaries.
GOES TO COUNCIL MONDAY

Proposing 10 curb the political &C
tivity of city employees, an ordinance
| i being prepared in the Office of City
! Attorney Pollard. at the request of
/ Councilman T.. II. Ferguson, who will
| offer it on Monday night. which pro-
/ hibits city officers ana employees from
serving as election Judges or in other
/ ways evading the spirit of the State
! law which prohibits the deputy or em-
| ployc OF any candidate from serving IN
an election in which his principal is
! interest ID.
! 1t is stated that the ordinance Will
be drafted along the lines of the per
nicious activity act on the Federal
statute book. by which Congress aimed
to prevent undue political activity on
the part of government officials and
civil service employees
WHY Inv Is Needed
The ordinance is the outcome of the
recent municipal primary, in whirh 1t
was shown that the ward supcrintend-
ent In Jefferson Ward was city en-
ploye and that dozen or more of the
city employees served as election officers
AT an election for members of the City
Council. Practically all Of the en-
ployes who SO served have in the last
year or two come before the Council
. Tor some increase in pay, ana natu-
. rally had some friends to reward and
some grudEcs to repay. 1t Was eN
planned that the law allows judges of
elections to aid ignorant men to mark
their ballots. Many such men come TO
tho polls with the intention Of voting
.5r one or more men, caring nothing
and knowing nothing of otner candI-
dates. After the ballot has been prop
erly marked Ia vote for his own friends
the voter is willing enough to allow
the election Judge to complete the lpal-
lot in any way he may see fit.
Spent Whole Day nj Polls.
Not only has the fact been shown
that a large number of the election
Judges were city employees. but it also
appears that many employees of the city
spent practically the whole day a. the
polls. working for or against certain
of the candidates.
This has been admitted in the case
of certain men in the Water Gas and
street Cleaning Departments. and was
especially true OF certain parkkcepcrs
and janitors of public buildings. The
patron OF the ordinances says that SO
far as lie has been abba to learn. all
OF these men received their regular pay
from the city. though working at the
POLLS in the interest Of certain aspir-
ants for seats in the Council
Wnnt Early Adoption.
The paper will be referred to the
Committee on Ordinance. Charter and
Reform, and has already II number of
votes pledged TO its support. Efforts
will he made To secure it's adoption be-
fore another primary is held. in order.
II possible. To put stop to recog-
nized abuse. All of the city employees
whose political activity last Tuesday
has brought them into mention will be
under the new Administrative Board,
and the patron of the new ordinance
t.lI L. :, ,,.If l>z
propriate and in violation of the inten-
ton OF the state pure election law to
allow such employees TO sit as judges in
the election of the men who will here
after direct their work and control
their reappointment.