The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28

siugG ish. If not selfish, portion OF the
community would have their way with
the least trouble ana loss of time.
Hence those who were in the past the
warmcst advocates OF the primary sys-
tenn nave been led to give their sup
port TO this temporary return TO the
o'I ana mischieyous convention plan.
II Is thc hardest. but most u.ccs-
sarN. OF all lessons to learn, that there
Is n" such thing as "automat!C democ-
taVH' Etefnai vigilance is stan the
HIite OF liberty. II is stnl necessary
i"r those upon tho watchtowcrs TO b.
ditrt II We are TO have good govern
m,eHl ana sound administration. No
ON seemed TO think OF these eternal
truths when tho CITY Democratic Com
mite. was selected and as there is no
'ec"il IN our ultra conservative ays-
I'm ol government. there IS no prompt
way oil chdnSInS its membership even
II one admits it To be necessary
II IS all the more Incumbent, upon
l!ie mass OF voters TO devise some
scheme by which tit ana worthy can
didatcs Tor the Administrative Hoard
can bc brought out.
AN, Indeed there is a Yet more important
electorate as has been Repeatedly
p9snted out, The weight and Influence
81 the oiiiccholdcrs is ovcrwhclminS.
ms must he corrected by Increasing
the number OF voters so that those yrno
seek job for themselves orAthcir rcIa-
ives may be lett in the minority This
mat ever adult citizen. between now
ana May ), who is "A Registered voter
becomes qualified voter. The method
~ winch this great task can be ac-
compilShcd Is already supplied MS we
ho!d mass meetings ana appoint COM
Mlttees to carry through Il rapid cam
p"lSh i"E sNch excellent objects as
good roads, etc. or 10Y such nobio
charities as the Y. NJ. C. \. or y. "
c. a. Why cannot this method be
applied to arousing our citizens 10
the duty of the hour: namely, that
or qualifying themselves to select the.
best men 10 govern this city, in which
are centred all their hopes, and which
Is th" field of their immediate duty
Let TINS mass meeting he composed OF
,reprcsentativ people. whether they
DC merchants, mechanics. clerks or pro-
fessionai men. Let all who are inter-
eStcd IN good streets ana In having
them deccnUy clean. in chcap -as and
cheap water and low taxes, lend their
presence To the meeting. By proper
resolution let the city be subdivided
into small sections ana for every sec
tion an cnthustastic committee APP
pointed that shall sec that every adult
c!tlzen IN It's section becomes a quail
fed voter
primary duty then let these commit
tees inform the public OF his unpa-
triotic attitude. so that We can know
who are those that respond to the
demands that Democracy makes upon
them. DO not let these committees
be -disbanded, but let them see that
tHcSc WHO nave QuHlllIcI themselves to
vote vote II they do not, let the
public know the reason why. In this
way | believe an astounding increase
can be made to tho list Of qualified
voters.
committees. acting togethoi. select
and call upon the five best citizens TO
make any sacrifice in order that our
affairs may he intrustcd to the Wiscst
and best amongst us. ana to avoid
the danger which now threatens our
municipal government, OF being left in
the hands OF the incompetent or de
signing.
AS the time is short. the writer
suggests that the Chamber of: Com
mercc ana the Business Mems Club
assume the responsibility of calling
this mass meeting and putting these
committees to work. If 1t be said
that the aboVc-naned organizations are
not political organizations IL may be
answered. neither is the election Of
this board of municipal directors
political act. Nothing has more in
terfercd with the proper administra-
ton o. American cities than the injcc-
tion OF politics into municipal affairs.
Politics have. and should have, no
place in them. The best service that
the abovc-named bodies OF business
men can render this community is TO
OF this board of administrators mas
anything to do with politics. In no
better way can this be shown than
by these business bodies leading this
| movement Of the citizens for good
government of this great city. 1t Ger
tainlv needs no argument that in the
selection of these candidates politics
should play no more part than in
the selection by stockholders of the
best men To manage the affairs of.
say. the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
way or the Virginia Carolina Chemical
Company. Until we recognize this
truth we cannot expect to have our
municipal affairs properly managed
Al this critical time an ounce OF
example is worth a ton of prccept. l
therefore sign my name. with the
pledge that IL this meeting is called
ana these committees arc appointed
/ will he proud to serve on such a
committee until the last moment at
which registered voters can qualify
and cast their votes.
WYNDHAM Il. MEREDITH.