Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-05
VOTERS WILL DECIDE
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Tomorrow They Will Go To Polls
and Approve or Reject Pro-
posed Charter Changes.
LAST DAY OF HOT CAMPAIGN
Citizens at Last Are Given Chance
by Ballots to Simplify Their Form
OF Government and Do Away With
Administrative Board.

by Ballots to Simplif, Their Form
of Government and Do Away With
Administrative Board.
What Is regarded as one Of tho most
important elections in the history OF
Richmond for the past 100 years brings
% the popular vote of the city to-mur-
row the opportunity OF simplifying the
municipal government; o! co-ord.na' :
ing the heads OF the various depart
men;s into sort OF cahine; 20 the
Mayor. on whom the responsibilities for
the exercise Of governmental functions
are made to rest for the benefit OF the
people and OF relieving The taxpayers
Of $50 600 IN salaries paid 10 the mem
hers OF tho Administered re Board.
which experts have said nils an ina :
!nary want and should be abolished at
the earliest possible opportunity. and
which Captain Richard NJ Taylor. for
rer Mayor. described as a "damuable
ubiquitous and outrageous imposition
perpetrated without their consent on
the taxpayers Of this city.
HAMMER ON NECESSITY
or GOING TO TUE POLLS
Every speaker on the public forum
in behalf Of the charter amendments
for the past week or more has ham
.nered on the necessity of voters going
10 the polls. Without exception. they
governments Improvement would be
lost If the average good citizen. who
is usually unequivocally in favor Of an
Improvement. did not shake off any
possible lethargy and inclination 10 let
lad enough alone and 60 TO the booth
TO mark out the words against amend
ments with energy and conviction
The fact that the politicians--that is
those opposed TO the amcndmonts--arc
going 10 be there to save the Admin
istraiive Board is the one thing the adj
vocates of the proposed amendments
have been ding donging on for weeks
They remind the public daily that the
amendments will be lost If the good
citizens don't outvotc the opposition,
and every vote looms big in the eye OF
member of the Administrative Board.
Let your frs; patriotic duty. they say.
he TO vote tomorrow for tho abolition
Of the administrative incubus. And
they remind You that General GocthalS
said all boards are long. Wooden ana
narrow.
The main feature Of the proposed
charter is the abolition OF the Admin
istrative Board and in lieu thereof the
formation Of u cabinet OF the heads Of
four OF the various departments. which
cabinet VIII have the duty Of confer
ring on all matters tina; are OF mutual
interest and responsibility with the
Mayor. who vii! be. ANA now rs by the
Constitution, the head OF the municipal
government. The CITY Attorney Will
'emhin and bc elected - al present;
so Will the city Auditor remain and
the directors OF the rity gas electric.
water, health ANA other Gcpartmcnts
IN the absence OF the Administrative
Board, which amounts 90 iiyo addition
IL bosses to tn" Mayor. on none of
Whom responsibility can bc placed the
heads OF the departments. Who must
be men equipped with reasonable, rdu-
the posi- ns VIII serve as an advi-
S"fS boaid with the Mayor in order
NAT the whole cabinet may know what
y gong on In each department and
mus prevent The spread OF such fires
10 destroyed the SpotlcSs War.hous,
through the lack OF co-operation of
ne water and Fire DEPARTMENTS
iAioH WILL NOMINATE.
Subject TO TIE COlNCI,
IN place OF the Administrative BOARD
'hIEe VIII hc One ucw man, or position
The director of the public welfare. lie
ma tAe Ciiy Auditor are elected by the
Connci! outright. In the case Of ~.
otner directors who arc TO make Tho
Mayors cabinet, the Mayor may nom.
mate suitable men subject 10 the con.
H!inatlon oi the Council, the same h,d,.
OF men who, with courage. passed ~
70 :, the amendments proposing Inc
abolition Of The .idminisira,tyc -,
moss who nave been so Frequently 80"
ierred 10 lately as the nve cir f,,h
RS VINO pave obtained monopolv on
the patrio:..sm and opposition to one.
Ia. an RUE IN the hearts OF Virsinians"
Inc campaign OF the advocates ~,
been conducted on the platforms -, , ,ns
puoHc school. They have taken nm ANA
answered every argument SO far al
NahCea b! the opposition why ~.
Hheho!neh's should be defeated. and in
meeting the audience has been
enthusiast ca!ly with the speakers for
the adoption OF the charter ,h,rras
az some q! III" meetings the apnIause
mas oNFs' inio tumuit and shouting over
.ne prospect OF seeing the Admin;s-
Fa'Ne board go out OF existence
CAMPAIGN OF BOARD
MADE " or RIMORS
the campaign Of TIE Administrative
board has consisted chiefly OF ,nr,nrs
relating TO the disastrous .nS,,, -
adopting the amendments Tn, lac,
propaganda card Of the ouLosuio, GO,
Out s.riatin the very reasons fo,
defeating the changes tina, the adyo.
Gates OF the changes hav. been preach
ing from the school stages for the ms,
ten days Each side IS busy SHOWN,
that his scheme is democrats and mo
other mans side one man rule /, is
the simplicity Of the new scheme and
It's nxinG the finger OF responsibility
on the Mayor and department heads
that form his cabinet that has caused
the Administrative Board to cant
talize, as has been repeatedly said. to
the the delight o! the hearers IN.
blood Of the American soldiers in
France for cheap ana selfish political
reasons. when the point is not at issue
at all the greater part Of the
speeches IN favor of the amcndm cnts
has been devoted TO pricKinr the buh-
bles OF argument against the amend
ments, TO critcizing the sub rosa cam e.
paiEn OF the Administrative Board and
TO showing the Democratic simplicity
and efficiency cf the .-,,,cre5 ....,x,s.