The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-05
VOTE ON QUESTION
CHARTER CHANGES
At POLLS TUESDAY
Small Vote Favorable to
Defeat Of Proposed
Amendments.
WHAT is THE COSTa
That Is Question Upper
most in Minds of the
Voters Called to
Cast Ballots.
WHAT is THE COST2

the norls will be opened for business.
and all during the day. up TO s'Vt
o'clock in the evening, citizens VIII
be privileged TO vote for or against
the proposed new charter for the city
of Richmond.
II is conceded that the vote VIII De
small Owing TO the absence or nun
dreds of men who are serving their
country, and many others who are on
their summer vacation IT Is believed by
those who watch the trend OF things,
that the vote will not go over 5000.
The campaign has been unique.
There have been no public debates on
the most important question the peo-
PIE have had TO- decide for many years.
Advocates of the proposed charter
have. during the past few weeks. con-
Quoted hurricane canvass These
meetings have been in the nature OF
neigh Dor hood gatherings. rather than
general mass meetings. Little enfhu-
siasm has been evoked, for the Sim
pie reason that there was no excite
nsent incidental to bedate.
Opponents of the proposed meas
Ere have refrained from engaging in
discussion, preferring to leave the cia-
zens themselves alone to judge rs 10
whether at this time an experiment
should be made In a Transformation OF
the entire form OF city government.
with revenue ot ahUYt N, e. 900
10 spend, II IL auesfion with many
ii this sun, will be SUFFICIENT to cover
the expenses which will naturally In
crease under the proposed change.
None Of The speakers who have favor.
ed the change have pointed out the
cost OF the new form. They have
stated that it is impossible to estt-
mate such n cost, but that it will not
include the $4,000 spent on the Ad-
nsinistrative board That much, they
say, will be eliminated from the total
expenditure,
Sit still In the Boat.
Members of the administrative
board have been sitting still in the
GOAT. Naturally. they have display
ed signs OF uneasiness because If the
new charter prevails they must per
force step down and out Still they
have made no public speeches. nor
have they discussed the various phases
OF the situation in the open.
Many city employees, however, whose
positions may be at stake. have ac-
lively canvassed the situation. Their
method may be likened to that OF the
candidate who gets through his dis
trict kissing the babies and shaking
hands with the parents. In good old
gum -ghoetng." And it may as well be
admitted that the city employees and
their friends, and those who do not
see the occasion for the change of
form Of government, have been doing
some tall gum shoeing"
Somebody has been spending q lot
Of money. Both sides to the conten-
ton have spent much In mailing let
tiers to the voters. Every qualified
voter in the city has received two cir
cufar letters, one from each side: one
signed by oancers OF the Civic Asso-
citation, and one by fifty citizens, who
say they have no personal feeling In
the matter. except that they do not
20 why there should be a change in
tho form of government At one
home. ut least, where four voters live.
eight letters have been received.
It was remarked by one Of them
that AL this money might have been
spent Ia war savings stamps to better
advantage
Tho admission has been made that
the main reason for the tight At this
time 10 to get rid OF the individual
members Of The administrative board.
Many Of those advocating the new
charter. as frevently advocated the
experiment incidental to the instaila-
ton OF the administrative board. They
went to the extent of nominating ave
candidates for that board. and urged
all voters to elect that 1--WE. The vot-
ers elected two Of the Ave. AT vart-
GUS elections since they have sought
to defeat the incumbents.
Tho Original Idea
The original idea was to establish
the commission form Of government.
In Richmond With control OF several
departments to start with, the plan
was to extend the authority OF the
board to embrace all the departments
II was thought best in the beginning
10 retain the police. fre and health
departments as Independent bodies,
because each had its own board. Then
theie departments were to be gradu-
ally placed under the Jurisdiction Of
the administrative board. 20 that
Within few years the city would Be
governed on the commission plan.
The health board was abolished,
ana thAt department was placed under
I the administrative board This was
Accord5n4 to tho original schsdule ~
n teiieved w the city fathers 70 - the
II te9t form az eoSernMent Later the
d tclton hoard WAs anoltnAed, ana while
Inn department 49, mt placed under
- AnnintskfAt lv1 t0ard. II Wae turn-
Y II 5owoK ~ 1f1xo IN NC&o r. no ~
k4SSS 1X 49, ~