The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-12

automatic if-government, oblivious
of the fact that 1t Is to the men and
not the names which govern.
From all this, one might think that
self government was q problem which
the world had never faced: regarding
which there was no successful ex-
perience; which Amertca must evolve
de novo, by the most wasteful of
methods-that of trial and error.
"But, as a matter of fact, city
government has been the one sub
tect of mans best thought and ex-
pertinent since the beginning of
time. Although IL IL still q fail
ure i'm America, there are coun-
tries of democratic temperament
wehere It is highly successful.
Why not profit by their expert
cnce; why not copy their success
full practices?
81 need not dwell upon pres
ent conditions I'm Richmond. IL
you are satisfied with them, we
are naamfestly wasting our time
tonight. III you are not content,
you already know why; and
what you want is a remedy-not
post norton.
Experience in Foreign Lands.
This brings me back to my third
ard best qualification for addressing
you-namely, my knowledge of many
well-governed municipalities. 1 have
built gas works for hundreds Of towns
and in most foreign lands Half of
these gas works ere owned by munich
palities. In working for this large
number of municipalities. / have
naturally come into intimate contact
with their methods and practices. and
with their permanent officials and
organizations And the sum and sub
stance of my experience 10 this: That
the best governed municipalities are
those that have secured the best men.
That successful government depends,
nq upon elected politicians. who come
and go according to the mood of the
people. but upon the efficiency OF the
permanent organiZation--which In
turn depends upon the capabilities or
the head administrators and chief ex-
ecutive. That no scheme. however
subtle or adroit. can govern q city--or
any other business. That only skilled
men. who thoroughly know their bust"
ness, can properly administer city
or any other business. That the best
charter is the ore which affords the
widest opportunities for obtaining the
best men, and tho most sfficisnt means
for utilizing their capabilities.
How does our Richmond charter
measure up with these requirements?
You have now lived two years under
It's operation: ask yourselves II 1t at
fords, not the most certain means. but
even the barest possibility. Of obtain
Ing the best men for the most efficient
administration of our city. The es-
sential defect of our present charter
Is that it will never provide the best
men, It locks and bars the door
against the best men.
III you will only deal vigorously in
ways which will soon be indicated.
with this situation. IL can readily be
changed at the next meeting OF the
Legislature.
A Preposterous Limitation.
AT the same time. another pre-
posterous limitation upon eff6ent
local government must be removed.
The new Constitution of Virginia pro-
hibits the appointment to municipal
office of anyone hut local voter. We
can elect a mayor living in Lynchburg
or Roanoke, but we can't appoint
Colonel Goethais as Commissioner OF
Public Works, or Colonel Gorgas as
Commissioner of Public Health-even
IL they are willing to serve without
pay, or course we can meet this con-
dition by subterfuge: but that Is not
the best way. We should insist that
the Constitution be amended, and the
whole State benefited and regener-
ated.
Let us now consider an alternative
form of local government, based upon
long and successful experience. ana
not upon new-laid schemes of amateur
doctrinaries
AS practical men. we- must recog
nIze that, with our conditions anu
temperament. we cannot hope to sus-
tain a degree Of civic interest which
viii select, and elect, and continue 70
elect, at frequent intervals, the best
men for numerous administrative OF