The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-28
THURSDAY, MARCH IS. 1912.
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD IN PERIL.


1t begins to look as though Richmond. with
tie opportunity of waking up to a better era
of city government, is in grave danger Of 60
ing inopportuney TO sleep.
We cefer TO the manner In which the can.
ddacies for the Administrative Board are
shaping themselves. SO far We able
IT, keep track with the sometimes curious am
billions which impel certain citizens into the
arena, there now fourteen candidates Off
the five hve-thousand dollar jobs which have
been created with the purpose OF simplifying
city government and giving to Richmond a
business administration freed from the embar-
rassment of red tape.
These fourteen candidates. shall group
by occupation and attachments Richmond is
small enough to enable the average citizen to
pick his own man from the group designations.
They are:
Two clerks, tboth members of the Council.
One retired merchant and Are commissioner.
one saioonkeeper.
One councilman. property owner and retired
merchant.
One contractor
one builder and architect.
one printer and alderman.
one building INSPECTOR, who has made good"
one lawyer politician.
One accountant.
one capitalist and former councilman.
Understand that We have nothing to say,
per Sc. against either of these men or the oc-
equations which they follow. In the list, In
fart there are two or three whom we think
would measure up to the position to which
they aspire, IL they are elected. Our purpose
in giving this list by occupations is not to
reflect upon the candidates who are exercis-
Ing the American privilege Of getting In a fair
race, but to criticize the absence of candidates
OF a sort that would moro nearly meet the
intent with which the city charter was amended
to the creation OF these offices.
AS we have heretofore said. the charter
amendment is great experiment. Its pur-
pose was to put large business on BUSH
ness basis To attain that purpose it will be
necessary that the men who fill the admins
tratve board shall be men of executive and
administrative ability. Such men are rare.
They are the men who have to be called. and
the fact that they are not candidates indicates
that the ctythat is, the people-of Rich
Inond do not seem to have realized the impor-
sance of the venture upon which they are
entering. since they have not called them. Five
thousand dollars year looks large to a man
who Is doing small business. These men
ale the backbone of the city and the country,
but it is fair 10 say that the great majority
Of those who make success OF a small bust
Hoss would find their rules going to seed the
minute they undertook large one The busi-
ness of Richmond is large business. Its
budget for the year amounts to three
n;illion dollars, practically half as much as 1t
costs to run the government Of the State. To
transact this business In q busineSsiike way
Is a matter that calls for more than nve-thou-
e4sana~da.aas. men. Ten. thousand, for the
right man, fifty thousand year as the cost
o. an effective board. would be none too heavy
All administrative expense. But Ave thousand
a year for men unable to measure up to the
job would be the veriest waste.
Now that fourteen men are out" for the
offices named in the charter We appeal for
! stifer candidates.. 70 come fdrth--candidates
who would take the work At a sacrince, who
would have to give up business advantages,
who would serve the city at cost to themselves.
Unless We get this character OF candidates,
and unless we elect this sort OF men. the ad
1pinistratiye board Is in danger OF becoming an
restitution only moro useless than II Is ex-
pensive