Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-31
HOPEWEL[ SITUATION
IS SERIOUS PROBLEM
state May Assume Policing of Musli
room City for Year or
More.
FEW QUALIFIED VOTERS THERE
Two-iear Requirement of Consti,u-
ton Puts Barrier in Way of For
nation of City Government Under
General Provisions of Constitution.


When the State authorities t,l;c
c!i'r:" ~ tho situation At Hon, cell
Frihcc George county--a course which
now appears inevitable If the GOOD
name Of Virginia for Suppression. law
'csShess is In he maintaincd-Govcr-
nor stuart VIII bc confronted with the
prospect of sccin. that the mushroom
c''y is properly policcd for a year or
more There is little or no likcIi-
n"ou mat one raid. even of the most
t"'"orate proportions. will be OF per-
hiahent benefit, for the local authori-
.,e" having once failed to demonstrate
'he,r apility to cope with conditions.
WIN hardly he in Il position 40 keen
the town clean.
~ IL not only the :rmflirr IN.
'"duor selling and naErant haunting of
onoralltN OF every phase which makes
inc situation at Hup"well lrecarious
out unbiased callers ut the Governors
Office arc said to have sought :. inn
press upon him the danger OF riots
anon. the thousands of Foreigners
th"re. once they are aroused by even
the most trivial event Having been
allowed tn have their own way. this
element. together with the gunner and
"'her undesirables from the under
worlds of the larger cities of the coun-
Wy. are capable OF producing. u climax
which would shake the entire state.
NIGHT CAUSE CALI. roR
ENTIRE SfNTE MILITIA
Under present conditions there would
TO no way to handle the situation
Wiihout calling cut the entir. state
militia However. if the lin,lcSira bios
are driven out. and those who arc AT
hopcwell for the purpose of engaging.
IN legitimate occupation left To them
selves. it is pointed out that a serious
danger would he eliminated
Once tho screen is drawn from Homo.
wen by the official action Of the state
authorities in tallin" charge Of tho Sit
nation. there will he many sensational
developments Stories Of bribery.
graft and almost every other onens,
against the criminal or moral code are
pouring in upon Governor stuart ana
Attorncy-Gcneral John Garland pol-
lard, hut both arc maintainim. a dis
Greet silence rs tn details. TnvcSti,4-
ton of charges involving the profess
sional conduc; of lawyers. who have
had cases at lIopcwell. have also heen
limited at by people who want some
thing done
From the attitude OF the state Of
ncials II appears that there will l.. NO
tip given any one AT Hopewcll when
the arm OF the law, as interpreted hy
Governor Stuart. swoOps down on the
city. one swift blow may have thu
effect Of puttin;: the fear Of the law
into the hearts of the various lawl"Ss
elements there. and make the situation
somewhat easier TO handle In the tu-
turc.
1t is known that the Governor has
been consulted about the advisahilitv
OF calling an cXtraordinary session Of
the General Assembly to grant a mu-
nicipal charter to Hopewcll Such Il
plan is not regarded - feasible under
any circumstances. There are not u
sufficient number Of people IN the pro-
posed corporate limits who have been
in Prince George County long enough
to qualify as voters for Il charter to
he issued. In addition. tho govern
mcnt of the town would be placed in
the hands OF a few men. even II Suf
ficcnt number of electors should he
ahle to qualify. and tho situation Their.
would he more than likely to remain
as il is now. with the state having
less ground to interfere.
There is som" question as L. whether
conditions at Uopewell will so shape
themselves that the General Assembly.
when it ConvcncS ncHt January, viii
see 1T to grant charter to the town.
The LEGISLATORS will probably he gov
erncd by the recommendations OF Gov
ernor Stuart in their course.
Advocates of the creation Of Il state
comStabulary similar to that which On
lists in PENNSYLVANIA and other States,
in the situation at llopewell the
necessity for snch Il force in Virginia.
The State police. under orders from the
with such conditions. and would be
available for duty anywhere in the
state at any time.