The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-11
COMMON

hostile to the enforcement OF the law,
has supported the campaign against
vice since The Yirginian made the
fight and won the victory. This is the
third endorsement Of The virgtnian's
! position.
+ After receiving the report Of the
Vice Commission. the City Council ap-
pointe4 a committee of Invests ou,
which reviewed the ground aad eyi-
dence gone over by the Vice Commits
sion and brought in report. which,
although il was conservative. never
theless condemned the nonenforce-
ment of tho law. recommended the
removal and censure of members of
the Police Commission, and the CEN
sure of the Mayor, the Chief of
Police. and members Of the Richmond
Police Department for not enforcing
the law. This as the fourth endorse
ment and vindlcation of The Vir-
gininn's position.
At no time. however, has there
been an advance beyond the original
declaration of tails paper.
The Board of Alderman. as we nave
pointed out above. sought to modify
the committees report. in regard to
it's punitive provisions but the board
put the stamp of its condemnation on
the tacit permission which had previ-
ously been allowed vicious Influences
TO do as they pleased in Richmond.
The Virginian's fight. has, therefore
been approved once more, the fifrh
time in a public way in the city of
Richmond.
/ While the virginian believes that
the Board of Aldermen made = mis-
take in its modification of the report
; of the committee as regards Commits
sioner Well; while 1t feels that Mr..
Well and Mr. Goode are of no further
value to the city as public officers, and
that they should therefore resign, yet
the great and successful fight this
paper has made has been for the en-
forcement of the law. II has not been
a fight against individuals save as
they have prevented or opposed law
enforcement.
The city has now come to a position
where 1t has, through the Board OF
Aldermen, publicly censured the
Mayor for not enforcing the law. 1t
was his duty to enforce the law. It
has publicly censured the Chief of
/ Police for not enforcing the law. 1t
was his duty to enforce the law. 1t
has censured the Board of Police Com
missio,ers' for not enforcing the law.
1t wa leir duty to enforce the law.
The members of the Police Depart
ment charged with enforcing this law
have been censured because they did
not do their duty in this respect The
| final responsibility for allowing vice
conditions TO prevail IN Richmond
rests on the Mayor and Police Board
above any others, They give orders
| 70 others. The active officers OF the
police force, so the evidence shows.
were not supported in their work,
and were not directed by the higher
! officers to undertake the work of sup
pressing vice until after the Vice Com
missions report of those most to
blame for former conditions.
! Mr.. Mccarthy has been eliminated
from the situation. Mr. Goode and
Mr.. Well should present their resigna-
lions because they are no longer USE
full as public officers. but are
hindrances to the city's new policy.
Their places on The Police Board
should be filled by men in sympathy
with the citys determination TO sup
/ press vice.
! The final step In The virginian's
! night for a cleaner city Wilt be the
adoption of the committees report by
the Common Council. The best inter-
ests of the city demand that in acting
on that report the Common Council
return TO tsae original recommendation
In regard 10 Mr.. Well and with that
amendment adopt the report, thus
taking the final step 70 secure the
expression of the citys will