Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-19
SAYS EVIL FORCES
PLOT AGAINST CITY
Maclachlan Warns Against
Movement to Keep Discredited
Administration in Power.
VOTERS ARE DELINQUENT
Preacher Blarnes Police, Church
VOTERS ARE DELINQUENT
Preacher Blarnes Police, Church
and Nonvoting Citizens for
Vice Situation.

Already the forces OF unrighteous-
ness are at work preparing to nullify
the prohibition laws and to discredit
the conclusions Of the Vice Commission.
If not to perpetuate in Office tho same
kind of administration that has made
possible the unspeakable conditions
! speak by the book-revealcd In the
unpublished part Of the Vice Commits
sion proceedings"
This was the startling charge made
yesterday morning by Rev II. D. c.
Maclachlan. d. D., pastor OF the Seventh
Street Christian Church, in the course
OF sermon dealing In a neutral way
with the danger OF resting on the oars
after having won an apparent victory
and the necessity for keeping up the
fight against commercializcd vice and
legalized lawlessness.
Coming on the eve OF a campaign for
increasing the size OF the electorate,
presumably for the purpose OF enlarg-
Ing the influence Of the worthy citizen
ship at the next election, the charge
that evil influences are already at work
to perpetuate in authority unworthy
officials was all the more significant
CHARGE is APPLIED
TO POLICE SITUATION
The charge was popularly applied to
the state OF affairs growing out of the
police investigation. While Dr. Mac
lachlan nowhere In his morning sermon
undertook to make his reference to tho
maladministration more clear, It was
evident that he had In mind the por-
tion OF the Police Board now under
fire.
DR.. Maclachlan keeps his fingers
closely upon the public pulse. His
intimate connection with the city's So
cial service forces and his familiarity
with the political situation gave weight
to his charge that forces are already
busy undertaking the work of the Vice
Commission and seeking to perpetuate
in office the authorities whom the COM
mission has denounced
In the remainder of his sermon DR.
Maclachlan avoided further specific
reference 10 the charge His hearers
were left to work out for themselves
10 what degree the indictment could
be substantiated. While a few social
workers and pessimtstIc citizens have
FOR some time professed to see dis
ttnct tendency on the part of certain
political forces In the city to discredit
the work OF the Vice Commission and
to vitiate the charges preferred by II
against the three police commissioners
under fire, DR.. Maclachlan last night
Tor the first time gave this suspicion
public voice.
ENLARGES ON TOPIC
AT EVENING SERMON
Or. Maclachlan, in his evening SER
mon, entitled The Parting OF the
Ways.' enlarged upon his reference of
the morning TO the local vice situation,
enuinerating what he thought the fund
amental causes OF the present state OF
affairs. and pointing out the remedy
for existing conditions
There has been a threefold failure in
Richmond. he said--a failure on the part
OF the authorities to carry out the lave
they had sworn to execute a failure on
the part of the citizens TO fulfill their
civic duty In registering their will at
tho polls, and failure on the par, or
the moral and religious forces OF the
city TO keep alive the ideal OF a purer
life and n cleaner city.
Commenting upon the alleged inef-
ficiency OF :he city officials, Or. Mac
lachlan said that the people had been
hoodwinked into tho belief that the
laws Of Richmond We're enforced, where
as the findings of the Vice Cou,,nIs-
sion had proven conclusively that the
laws were openly and fiagrantly vio-
lated, for which no valid excuse could
be given
"LfIGAIIZED LAwLESSNESS,
FOUND ON EVERY HAND
The laws provided for segresated
district, said the preacher, yet nearly
"a
poses were found outside the limits OF
this district were within it's con-
fines. Gambling was more prevalent
than they had ever dared think There
was "legallzed lawlessness" on every
hand. he said. yet the people fancied
they had Board of Police CommIs-
sioners whose duty It was to appoint
police force who would see that these
things did not exist and would run
them to earth when their existence
was detected.
But, DIR. Maclachlan said, people nj.
ways get the government it deserves
The power Is theirs to have a clcan. un-
polluted city. and II they have one
where there is not only lawlessness
but protected lawlessness. nobody Is to
blame but themselves. The God given
privilege OF the ballot Is theirs. and
they may have whom they choose to
write their statutes and administer
their laws.
There were in Richmond, said Dr.
Maclachlan. $4,000 men eligible to reg
istration. Out OF this number only
$4,000 were registered voters. and never
more than 5000 cast their votes in any
election. These nonvoters he said
were not always q lawless, irresponsi-
BILE set. who knew little OF civic respon-
sibilities and cared less. but many Of
them were reputable citizens and con-
sstent church members Fine senti-
ments. said the preacher. were never
known to win an election. Votes. and
votes only. were OF the utmost import
ance.
HARD TO SECURE
DESIRABLE CANDIDATES
The minister said that no recognized
the fact that II was sometimes hard to
find desirable candidates Men who
would make good officers. looking al
ways to the wishes and the welfare Of
their constituents, were usually OF
large affairs. who deemed 1t unfair to
themselves and those dependent upon
them to rclinuuish lucrat tive nositlnpa