The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-04
WORKING FOR RICHMOND.

Several months ago two hundred and fifty
Young men. literally and figuratively speaking
took off their coats for Richmond. without pros
pect or thought Of material gain for themselves
they gave Of their spare time to the public good
After their own work for the day had ended they
went to work for the city and State, devoting
their evenings To the important duty, selfim-
posed Of persaading potential voters to become
actual voters.
Evening after evening. sometimes until faT III
fire might they worked, canvassing. pleading ar
guing and urging and then compiling. with the
result that more than a thousand names were
added to the registration books Of the city Of
Richmond The result showed in the next cleo
ton, when the new voters turned out and swelled
the total Of votes cast
These young men are not satisfied With results.
They did great work bat they know that much
remains to be done. There are stil thousands
in Richmond who could qualify to vote If they
would but take the trouble to do so. and the
young mems registration committee plans to get
them to do so. These men believe that most OF
the nan-voters are SO because Of Indifference or
thoughtlessness. They believe that many OF
those who are not registered can be induced to
nerform their duty If the matter ia laid before
them properly They also believe that many of
them who ~ietT heir civic duties lightly esfife
made TO see the Importance of q full registration
list by the use of q little legitimate argument
So. though they have done much, they are dis
satisfied and will be dissatisfied until they have
done that which remains. The very fact that
they have entered upon THIS duty, without soil
citation and without hope of any benefit to them
selves. save the consciousness of service per
formed argues for their disinterestedness and for
their sincere love for the city and State. 1t
demonstrates that they are earnest young men,
who believe they owe more 70 society and to the
state than is ordinarily given. II stamps them
as good citizens.
II is to be hoped that their example will prove
contagious; that others will become imbued with
their spirit For others are needed. Two hun.
dred and fifty men have accomplished great
deal and can accomplish more but for the com
pletion of the task four times that number Is
needed One thousand men like these two hun
dred and fifty, working as these have worked
ran increase Richmonds voting population almost
to its full quota one thousand men can give
Richmond twenty-five thousand instead Of less
than fifteen thousand voters
The young mems registration committee has
evolved workable plan for the accomplishment
cf this result It has determined to increase its
force fourfold and las settled upon the means
to that end These two hundred and fifty Will
meet together shortly TO complete the details
of the plan. which broadly speaking, is to start
a preliminary campaign to obtain workers, all
then TO campaign together to induce non-voters to
become real citizens with voice at the ballot
box They will meet at the Business Mems club
and give each member the task OF securing
certain number of workers. These obtained, q
meeting of all will be held, and each worker
assigned certain block in the city. Each block
win be worked. one man to each, until every
prospective voter is seen. It is hoped to
every male resident Of Richmond III night
and secure his promise to qualify as voter. If
not already so qualified.
The girgintaH wishes the young mems regis
traton committee all success in Its work 1t
hopes that the requisite number OF men will be
obtained without difficulty and that the workers
will be received cordially by those whom they
visit and that all who are not registered and
who have not paid their poll taxes will listen
10 them and act.