The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-15
REVIVAL IN CIVIC
AFFAIRS NEEDED,
DECLARES SIARkE
Richmond Has Two Long
Been Run by the Political
Trickster and Gharlatan,
He Says
SPEECH APPLAUDED
BY BUSINESS MEN
In Passionate Appeal He
Urges Business Men to
Rise Up and Strike
for a Better Adj
ministration.
SPEECH APPLAUDED
BY BUSINESS MEN

Calling upon the business men OF
Richmond TO rise In their might and
take the city from the hands OF the
political trickster, the chariatan. the
pensioner and he vulture, and nut
men OF character. ability and good
report in the municipal officH, Ash
ton Starke. In a ringing speech, stirred
representative gathering .of bus'-
ness men In the Jefferson hotel audi
torjum last night.
While vein of humor, that
brought frequent ripples OF laughter
from his hearers, permeated Mr..
Starke's address, II teemed with pas
stonatc. epigrammatie utterances that
hit home. HE was frequently inter-
rupted by applause. Calling no names,
he went for the city administration
without gloves, and pointed out re-
forms which he demanded in the
good name of the city. When he
closed with a ringing appeal TO the
men who have made Richmond what
Ii is to spare sufficient time from
business to strike for Richmond's fu-
ture happiness and prosperity. men
applauded him to the echo and locked
To the rostrum to shake his hand.
Trickstcrs In Control.
Mr.. Stark WAS on the program To
speak on '.Richmond's Work" and
opened his remarks with n tribute TO
the city's greatness. speaking with
considerable patlIos of how as boy
he had seen her stricken and bleed
ing In 1855 and how he had seen her
rise from the ashes OF that STRIFE
lie. paid tribute to the men OF the
class befarssr hins.s who. despite handa-
cay,s, had made the city what u H.
R.st these F4aeH. As said had became
so engrossed in business cares that
thay had uneonseiousiy permitted the
ward politician and the trieksser 10
gain control Of the cits.'s business
affairs
There are men In our midst who
have not the best interests or the city
at heart. and IL IL time we were tell
ing them so. 1t Is fer the business
men and the honest workingmen TO
run the town. they must lead and let
others follow.
Outlining some OF the things that
make for the good OF a city ne nrst
discussed the sewspapers---the LOOK
ing glasses of the community What
they should be he defined. though
not intimating that he had any fault
with Richmond's journals
M next In Importance, though az
terward emphasized II as first, he
placed the ballot. Every citizen
should vote. and he paid his respects
unsparinglv to the man who neglected
his franchise. Every man, he said,
should pay his poll tax when he gets
llcense---hs shouldn't do business
without paying his initiation fee. II
man hasn't interest enough In us
to pay his poll tax when he starts
business. then his room IL better than
his company
Goes for the Board.
I'VE are about TO change our
municipal administration. 1t is a Sc
t.oils- husinesx.-Mc-W ani-na an the
board lit to conduct the city's affairs.
Rtchmond's administrative board is
not a kindergarten: II Is no nursery. 1t
in no asylum for the unfortunates--
the pensioners We aave with us AL
:sEyayxs rtssa Il. NO. ti!.sa se ss!Ay Foss,
ucs---vote against no man for per-
sonal reasons. Government Is great
business enterprise. This Is no time
for political epilepsy--it Is time tor
people to steady themselves and elect
fearless exponents OF the people $
rtghts--rnen who Win carry out that
grand old Democratic doctrine--the
greatest good TO the greatest num-
ber"
..The administrative board de-
t1arrd the speaker SehementIy, Is the
burden OF my 1eng.' s'~.t 80
Need Local Reforms.
Getting down to what he en-
phasized as Immediately needed re-
forms he demanded to know why the
city did not take the uns!ghtly rocks
from the river bands and build it's
bridges instead Of building them
with steel brought from Pfttsburg.
intinating that there might be a
steal behind that. He demanded
to know v1y certain streets were not
opened to relieve the congestion in
others snd why the avenue of vice Gu
Fourteenth street was not clared
away. y
what Richmond people lack. he
said, IL aggressiveness and the city
administration seemed TO need en-
EIneerIng Ingenuity. There seemed
10 be an idea that there was a DIFF
ference between the relations OF the
the city and its employee and a BUSH
ness man and his employe, but he
couldn't see any. The men who did
the work should be paid well and
they should be paid on the merit sys-
tenn. eve have plenty Of good men
Of honor and ability for all the jobs"
II am not so sure he said. that
an office holder ought to vote. and q
candidate who solicits votes should
be held guilty or a misdemeanor.
Someone has said that the great
est Inspiration to be gathered from
religion Is the fact that II has with.
stood the preachers, and the greatest
inspiration from Richmond is that
this great city has withstood the poll
teal tricksters. 1t will become great
er as the people learn to take the
reins In their own hands. We must
have law and order and we must
have men In once who will under
rake the task seriously
No Time For Sentiment.
kcantinasd on sixth pags.)