Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-11-17
Important Laws.

1t is generally understood that there
will be considerable important Leglsla-
| ton at the next session of the State Leg
isIature. Some of the actions considered
are given in an article taken from the
State Journal.
The first and most important piece CT
| legislation that will be enacted will be a
new election law, that will be modelled
after the best laws in vogue in other
States. The best portions of the best
laws Of other states will be used in franz
| ing the West Virginia election law which
the Republicans propose to pass at the
next meeting of the Legislature. One OF
the requirements will be registration and
extremely severe penalties provided for
persons convicted of giving or receiving
money for votes or exercising undue and
| improper influences to secure or control
votes at elections. Ii is believed that the
law can be made so strict and the penall--
ties for It's violations SO severe as TO prac-
ticaliy eliminate boodling from the politics
of TINS State. The law will also provide
for the counting OF the ballots from time
to time during the day that they are be-
ing cast. and yet with all these provisions
it will be law that will make the voting
of the ballot easier than it is under the
present election law.
| Another law that the Republicans will
father and pass, will be law redlstrictlng
the counties of the State. This, the IN
formant of the State Journal declares can
be accomplished without great injustice
to any of the people in the counties OF the
State or to the opposite party. The re-
dislricting will be done on geographical
lines, as we'll as political lines, but the
counties lay better for the purposes OF the
party now in control and hence there will
be no need for party benefits to do any
unjust gerrymandering. The membership
of the Legislature will be increased. The
Republicans will give each county in the
| State at Leaf one member OFT the House OF
Delegates, and as many more as their
popu alton entities them to. The men,
| bership of the State Senate will be IN
creased to nearly twice its present size
Twenty-six Senator'S for State OF the size
of West Virginia are too few. The dam
ger to the people in small legislative
| bodies, is the readiness with which UNI
scrupulous corporations may control them
For that reason, and for other ones, the
Republicans propose to enlarge the mem-
bershp of the State Senate.
| Another law that is of Importance that
will doubtless be passed is one increas-
ing the salary of the Governor from $1,000
per annum, which it is now, TO at least
$4,000. 1t is recognized by all fair-ininded
people that the present salary OF the Chief
Executive is entirely too small. Indeed,
it is looked upon as disgraceful in its
niggardly stinglness. The social require
ments OF the position alone, consumes all
the salary at present paid the Governor,
and much more. So, it is likely that the
salary will be made large enough to beht
the dignity of the place and the size and
wealth of the State.
These are merely some of the really i'm
portant pieces of legislation that the Re
pubicans will assume responsibility for
and there is no denying the fact that all
of ii is needed and is just