Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-20
In Answer to n Critic

HE TlMES-DlSPATCH takes pleasure in
printing the communication of j.
Thomas Watkins which appears in the Voice
OF the People column this morning Mr.
Watkins is mistaken, however, in assuming
that The Times Dispatch has imputed to city
employees any other characteristics than
those common to human nature in the mass
and operating with reasonable consistency
and uniformity, among all classes OF the pop
ulation.
1t is too much to expect OF a man who has
position under the city gOvernment--or any
other government, for the matter of that
that he should vote to abolish that position
When he leaves ii, his desire is to leave Of
his own sweet will and for som. other post
that affords filter recognition Of his talents
and not because it has been voted or legis-
lated out Of existence.
Furthermore. there never enough
political offices or jobs to go around Con-
sidering the population, Richmond is sup
piled rather generously in this way, and vet
1t is not too much to say that the dispensers
OF patronage refuse every day to attach some
applicant or applicants to the pay roll. They
have to. for there is Il limit to all things
This situation is understood with entire
clearness by the men the city employs TO
say that municipal employees as a rule owe
their appointment quite as largely TO politi-
ca eXpertness or loyalty, as to special fitness
for the duties they discharge ought to offend
no one, because it is q generally acknowl-
edged fact If the whole number of en-
pioyees is reduced, the less expert. politically
or otherwise, are likely to lose their berths
Men are not going to vote to remove them
selves from an environment in which they
are highly overwhelmingly expects them
TO DO 1t or criticiZes them because they will
not 40 It. Moreover, the advantages Of pub
lie ownership and operation Of public utili-
ties as compared with those of private owner
ship and operation, are at least debat table and
most persons publicly employed in work OF
this character are convinced that the system
TO which they are accustomed and that fur
nishes them with a livelihood is the hest that
can be devised
They may, however he mistaken AT any
rate. the decision should not be made by ii
relatively small part Of the potential voting
population, but AS nearly may be by the
whole. The interests of the of1iccholder may
not coincide with those of the private citizen
who is entitled. in the exercise of the suf-
frage, TO the same right to express his choice
prominent citizens and The Times Dis
patch are entitled TO express their opinions
and these opinions will meet with acceptance
or rejection in the exact degree that they
seem worthy OF one the other Such
opinions will lose favor--and deservedly So
when il is made to appear, by some evidence
more conclusive than il-tempered innuendo
that they have Il selfish sordid inspiration
The Times Dispatch has never ndorsed
the proposition OF the Southern Gas and
Electric Corporation for the lease OF the Gas
Works. Whether il would ndorse an
amended proposition would depend alto
gether on the quality and quantity of the
amendments, and whether in the changed
form the proposition promised larger benefits
than spring from the existing arrangement
This newspaper is welded neither to public
nor TO private ownership or operation but
in each separate case will approve the plan
that seems TO il to offer the greatest good to
the greatest number OF Richmonds people