Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-04
ABOLITION Of BOARD
FORMS Chief ISSUE
Fight Hard TO Hold
Their Jobs i'm City
Government.
ALL DEPENDS on SIZE OF VOTE
II Apathy Is Evident at Polls. City
Employees Controlled by Board
Will Win-Civic Association Urges
All to Vote.

VII w I'VE ASSOCIATION tFScS
All to Vote.
Abolition OF the Administrative Board
stands ou. as tho essential feature in
the charter changes 10 he voted on in
Richmond Tuesday. Created in 1918
TO fulfill an imaginary need" the
board has been from its first day d
bone OF contention. It's opponents
point TO it's open and acknowledge
efforts 10 organize the employees OF
the city into voting uni, for the per-
petuation in office OF the present mem
hcrsh!p OF tho board, 10 its failure 10
put in efficient men as department
chiefs and It's failure TO render the city
a businessi!ke government. It's advo-
Gates point to the achievements Of tho
pas; five years in street paving and in
the management OF the citys utilities
and Gpo!oGetioally assert tina, hamper
ing limitations have prcvcntcI a better
showing.
Prior 10 the creation OF this board
the City Council consisted OF sixty
tour members. with innumerablc stand
ing and special committees, tacn in
charge OF a city department, or activity
Circunlocutton, delay and inactivity
were the wa,chwords. Nothing was
done that could he put OF until another
meeting IA month or so hence. To
meet this special committee. headed
by Gilbert X. Pollock. drew up in
1911 an ordinance dividing tho city
into four instead Of eight wards. thus
cutting the Council In half. and Sc
ries Of charter changes creating
board OF fve adm Illustrators 10 be paid
$1,000 per annum each. TO take direc-
ton OF details hitherto handled BY
Council committees serving w!thou;
pay.
CREATION OF BOARD
NOT SUBMITTED TO PEOPLE
The plan passed the Common Coun-
Gil Il TO 10. and was concurred in by
close division in the Board OF AL
dermen. and was ratified by the Cen
era! Assembly without being submit
ted 10 the people. Asa first adopted.
the Fire. Police and Health Boards
were not molested. the Health Board
hrinE later abolished and its duties
conferred on the Administrative Board.
the Police Beard abolished and its
duties conferred on the Mayor, and The
Fire Board retained for no reason ad-
vanced other than pure politics. S.mi-
board was created for no reason other
than politics.
G AS originally drawn the charter
changes creating the Administrative
Board called for the nomination by the
Mayor and confirmation by the Council
AS the plan advanced. two r,cmbers OF
the special committee OF hv,, and a
number OF members OF the City Coun-
oil
created. and as the law forbade the
Council from electing one Of its own
members TO office tho draf, was
changed at the last minute TO provide
for election OF the Administrative
Board by the people
The change at once threw the board
into politics. With a restricted cleo
torate. probably not more than 10000
people being qualified to vote, and
in small election not more than half
mat number actually casting their
ballots. 1t was promptly seen that the
great body of city mployees-some
15oo TO 1000 in number-all required
by law TO he qualified voters. easily
held the balance OF power.
NINE CANDIDATES FROM
THE CITY COUNCIL
or the seventeen candidates who en- :
tered the race for the original board
IN the primary of September 10, 1912.
nine were members Of tire City Coun-
Gil. ono was former Councilman. two
held State Offices. three held city Of
fees, one was an eX-citv officer and
the one outsider who had held no Of
fice before. ran next 10 the bottom OF
the ticket.
The board took office OH January :
1918. The original board WAS composed
Of Robert Whittet, former member
of the Board of Aldermen. president
n contracting printer; Henry r. Back.
FORMER building Inspector. civil en-
,gineer: John HirSchberg. member of
the Common Council. president OF the
Central Trades and Labor Council. II
retail clothing salesman: Elb.n G..
Folkes member of the State Senate
from Richmond. lawyer and labor lead
er, aad Captain Carlton Mccarthy.
State Accountant and former Mayor OF
Richmond. The death o. Chairman
Whittct lee to the advancement O.!
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