The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-23
: TELEPHONE NUMBERS. q
Editorial Roons.........Sl3l Counting Roou ....617
THE INTELLIGENCER.
WHEELING. NOVEMBER 90, 1905
. Having Fun With Us.

The Louisville Courier Journal quotes
Wheeling correspondent Of the New
York Sun. who complains about the
length of ballot and the contracted
quarters the voter was furnished with
at the election, and then INDUCES in
some levity at the expense Of the people
Of this state. The article published in
the, Sun is as follows: i.,5 ,t.s
West Virginia Is preparing to adopt
q new election law. The Australian bal
lot has been fully tested In this state,
and has been found wanting. Through
number OF recounts demanded in dis
trlcts where the percentage Of literacy
Is extremely large 1t has been found
that hundreds Of voters deposited ball
lots 80 improperly marked that the
state authorities are amazed. In this
city. in one Of the best districts OF the
county. a recount was demanded on two
minor Offices A fair. percentage Of the
ballots were, found to convey no reas-
enable expression Of the Intentions of
the voters: West Virginia voted on
five state tickets. and the ballot was
over three feet long. The booths were
too narrow by foot or more. and the
result was the voters were cramped for
room in which to properly mark their
ballots. Data are now being collected
for the foundation Of new election
law which will save hundreds OF votes.
In many precincts the voters roamed
oil over the five tickets, picking out IA
vorites here and there. The result was
they lost their vote. 1t Is not unlikely
that the legislature will be asked to al
low the old-fashioned open ballot. shorn
OF its 'pasters.' with which the names
OF opposing candidates were concealed"
There is nothing wrong with the pres
en1 election law OF West Virginia. The
Australian ballot system has come to
stay in West Virginia. There are, Of
course. some minor imperfections that
can easily be remedied, and we have no
doubt they will be. The Sun cores
pendent Is somewhat flnicky about the
length Of the ballot. for the only way
we see to lessen It's length Is to decrease
the number Of Offices to be voted for.
The next legislature will not be asked
to return to the od-fashioned open BAL
lot" system. as the present method is q
most satisfactory one, with the excep-
lions. noted, and which can easily be
provided for.
g In q somewhat playful spirit the
Courier Journal remarks on the above
quotation from the Sun that while
West Virginia Is not very large state
1t seems impracticable to give every
West Flrginan ten-acre lot to vote
In, and then facetiously adds: Per
haps this necessity might be obviated
by setting aside few thousands Of our
islands in the Philippines for the West
V!rginians on election day. Indeed.
1t might be possible to provide one Is
land for every West Virsinian TO step
into and do his roaming over tsie ballot
though this would require more time
In transportation than Is economical In
this swift age OF steam and electricity
so as West Virginia can no: be made
larger and rs the West Virginia voter
can not be made smaller, perhaps the
only feasible remedy of the trouble Is
another election law"
The humor of our Louisville contcm-
porary Is ill-,imed. The West Virginia
voter had all the room he needed, and
old his duty right well according TO
our way OF Judging results. In West
Virginia the votes were counted for
whom they were cast, and when Ken
lucky can hold up Its head and make
the same boast there Is nothing left for
that commonwealth but silence and
shade. 1t will take years before It can
be mentioned In the same breath with
West Virginia.