The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-08
.ponsib,uty upon the citisens them

selves.
Looking over the audience As he
Il spoke. he pointed out the presence Of
bankers, doctors, lawyern, preachers
business men. employers and employees
} as evidence OF an awakening public
conscience.
! 1T is sunrise in Richmond today"
ne said. and turning upon the preach
ers. he expressed the thought tina;
sometimes they are little too eau
tious. NO man in fight,' he de-
clared, can walk a hair-line."
No Better Than Men Governing.
He pointed to present conditions In
Ri hmond as the explanation for the
meeting. Referring to government
ne declared that no system OF govern
ment is better than the men who are
put in to operate It, III you put bad
men at the helm, they'll wreck the
ship on the first rock. Remedy the
system. Make il impossible for any
set OF men to bring us face to face
with the disgrace we've had to face
for the last few weeks.
We want to hold them to stricter
accountability" he urged; we want
when thsy ought to be beheaded
There has been a degeneration Of de-
Cency in this community. We have
emptied some seats, but haven't emp
tied all that ought to he eE1ptied.
RisIn. Hurricane.
Il hope this meeting means no sum-
mer thundershower. but a rising hurri-
csne that Will sweep ont OF ONCE those
nen who betray their trust and bring
disgrace upon the city"
Bishop Denny commented on the
resignations that have been received
and continued Now. We haven't had
another resignation that ought to come
and ! hope that you will see that It
does come quickly"
AS the bishop characterized the eff
fort of Commissioner We'll in his sta te-
ment as Justification for hts action in
voting against krengel he asserted:
= You might 1ust as well put Judas
in niche az a saint; or Benedict Ar
mold on a pedestal as a patriot"
shouts Of go on 20 on came
from the crowd as he indicated he
was about TO conclude. and the speaker
came back with:
Il don't need to go on we need to
/ go on and we need to go until some
things are cleaned out. Let us show
the evil In this city: the evil in this
state. that we haven't broken our vow
| as citizens OF Virginia. Let us be
ready for the Philistines. They're here.
We need the cry. The Phtlistines are
upon you, to keep Richmond one of
the queenliest cities in the land"
DR.. Anderson, of Richmond Col
iege, member Of the charter study
committee OF the Civic Association,
next presented said in part:
| The men wi o have ,iefied the nub-
lie conscience of the city OF Richmond
have seemed to be under the impress
sion that we are slow to anger and
plenteous In mercy. They are not mis-
taken in this assumption as the whole
history OF this vice question IN the
city of Richmond during recent
months plainly proves
Why Were Such Men Chosen?
Why were We'll and Goode chosen
to their places? Were they men OF
such character and ability as ia
designate them in a peculiar manner
to be the custodians of the morals OF
our city? We accepted these appoint
ments without murmur. WHY has
the law OF the State been systemati-
caily disregarded in the city of Rich
mond? We have no law AUTHORIZING
the esta blishment of a segregated dis.
trict How did it happen that under
the guise of allowing to continue the
,, ao-calied red light district that vice
could still remain rampant, and thai
vice could still exist in our beautiful
city? We did not rise in our mixht
because OF these conditions, a Vice
Commission wos appointed by on,
Mayor. and this commission did thei,
work honorably, fearlessly and well
When their report was published ane
emasculated by the city OF Richmond
we did not rise to express our amaze
ment.
I'VE have seen commissioner
who, under the most fatora BILE con
ditions, was asked to resign. and de
ned the will of the Council who mad,
the demand, and yet we did not stir
Took Cowardly Vengeance
We saw that unexpectedly in tn
absence OF two commissioners tina
: four members Of the Police Boar,
took cowardly vengeance on two 20
= lice officers who had told the trutl
= about the city and about these com
= rniss!oners and not until this did tn
:, cup OF our wrath become full 1t |
;, now full and to overlooking and W.
: wish to express ourselves against tn
a unseemly conduct on the part of me
holding such places OF honor and re
| sponsibility. We demand now action
A and immediate action, and we are go
a ing to get action. and we intend T.
n stand no further trifing with the vita
/. interests OF the city.
Now Ia Time For Repentance.
There are, we are told. some 80,
2 or ten thousand voters It Ia said tina
|. men in our city fail to pay thei
t poll taxes for fear that they be foun
y out and In consequence have to pa
: their other taxes.
o We know that there are me,
I qualified to vote who find themselve
e too busy to give the time or to go L
I the polls and cast their votes w
wish to say In the name of this mas
s. meeting to all OF the citizens Of Rich
= mond that we cannot have a repre-
= sentative government without the par
e ticipation by a large majority of TIL
4 citizens in public affairs.
r We are not denouncing any maj
Y for his past sins, either of omission
- Or commission, but we proclaim witt
4 great earnestness that now is the tim
d for repentance.
Q We not only intend to run thi
Q city. as ! have stated but we intent
! to run 1t in decency and order.
must be understood that this must b.
I a clean city and not filthy and i'm
moral citq. and as citizens we shouit
strive for such IDEALS
9 Resolutions expressing in no uncer
tain terms the will OF the citizen
gathered. II the applause which greet
! ed them and the vigor with whicl
the citizens voted their adoption b.