Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-04
Decision Is With tho Voters

\ DECISION is with tho voters. SBut two
days remain, one OF them Sunday, before
they will be offered tho opportunity at the
polls to- say whether they approve the pro-
posed changes i'll the City Charter, drawn so
thal itichmond' may take its rightful place
among progressively governed cities, or prefer
TO continue under the>-present system which
has proved totally. inadequate to civic needs
and burden OF expense and dissatisfaction
TO the taxpayers. The campaign for ard
against the changes is. practically ended
I While Monday will witness continued efforts
to mold opinion and gather votes, all the
arguments have been made, all the facts have
been revealed, and the verdict is with the
people.
1t been peculiar campaign. So one
sued has 1T been from tho standpoint OF
public effort, that to asdisinterested onlookcr
i might have Seemed that only one side,
that~favorng the changes, had been in any
wise active. That is far from true. The
battle that has been waged by the opponents
oI tire ,chalter changes has been no less
bitter and effective because it has been con-
ductcd. bepeath the surface of the municipal
waters, with only here and there periScope
showing. The Administrative Board, the
stormy 'petrel about which the fight has
waGed, has done practically no fighting in the
open. BY its silence before The people il
seems to have convicted itself OF the charges
which have been brought against it. In fact
another will vote for its retention, privately
admit that tho charges are true that the
system OF which ii is Il part has failed or
expected results and should be abolished;
t!iat the board Itself has failed to grasp such
opportunities as. il ha9, and instead OF de-
'Cung the time aud efforts for which it is
PAID to thee properS management .of Rich
mord's affairs has stopped TO the playing OF
politics and the -upbuilding of a machine to
insure the permanent retention sof its per-
sonnet III Office. It has not even played man
sized politics but has used the peoples time
and money il HAT OF the peanut variety by
! its ATTEMPT TO aRSn the voters in its sfayor.
Z! The board has not been inactive Far,
from it, Buttresse<, as il believes and uote
without solid reason by the vote of the citv
employees and their friends, The members
have made Rn aH,sious' personal campaign
ihey nave presented no arguments, based on
reason or municipal efficiency and the well
iaTe OF Richmond apparently has been lost
slght OF in the effort to ~lold on TO the old
system with lis close connection with the
pay roll. That is the kind sof campaign 10
which the board rcsurtcd. and unfortunately
II Is effective with voters whose Jobs arc AT
stake or who for other reasons best known to
themselves place the interests Of the few;
above the good of'thc many
The City Council, aided By the Civic As
ISOLATION, has made al open fight. It's cam
paign has been based on what il, believes n
DC best Tor Richmond, and that belief has
"eeh reached through q careful aud exhaus-
i've stNdy OF legislative experiences OF other
cities The effect OF the proposed changes on
eihH 4ssli. or i1R1-a o. mn this or that ciyin
h'f''HT has not entefe'l into its consideration,
Ihere Is, and has been, no animus AGAINST
mo Administrative Board or any other
'Fahch Of The municipal government. It
SIMPLY has laid the two systems before ,ho'
peopic' explained fullyNthe advantages 70 .ba
derived from the changes and -fpointcd opi
WheTe the ether has failed. IT has taken the
voters into its fullest confidence and now !,
Is thfirs TO decide =.