Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-11-02
SCHOOL BOARD yExED
now WILL THE APPROACHING
ELECTION BIC coEDuCTEDr
Commissioners Were at a Loss at Last
Nights Meeting 10 Know what to
Do-They Finally Adjourned
to study Over The Question.

| D0-They Finally Adjourned
TO Study Over The Question.
AT the meeting of the School Board
Monday perplexing problem in re-
gard to the approaching election came
MP before the school commissioners
and after spending more than an hour
trying to solve it, thew finally adjourn
ed to meet again on next FRIDAY night
at 80 O'Clock to again master the pro-
| blem. President Whetzel was in the
| chair and commissioners Paulding,
Evans and Wellinger were present.
| The commissioners were called upon
to establish a precedent in regard TO
the election to be held November 9th
and which way to solve it according
| to law and to the best interests of the
people. was a question which baffled
them The problem which confront
ed them was this: A Communication
| from the chairman and secretary of
| the citizens mass meeting officially
notifying the beard of the nominations
| for school commissioners and request
ing that their names be placed upon
| the ballot to be voted at the election
Nov. 5, was received. Heretofore the
two political parties or the executive
committees of the parties have nomi-
mated candidates and have had tickets
printed with the names of the candi-
dates on them. The School Board ap-
pointed commissioners and clerks and
the election was usually held at the
Court House. not according to the
Australian ballot system, at very little
expense.
The School Board this year doesn t
want to go to the great expense of the
Australian ballot system, which re-
quires forty-fve commissioners and
clerks at salray of $3.50 each, and
other incIdentals, but the Board does
not see any way of getting around it
in accordance with the law. The no.
LITIGATION of the nominations of the
citizens candidates was made in ac-
cordance with the Australian ballot
law, within twenty days of the cleo
tion. and several of the commissioners
believe that they will be comp elied TO
carry out the Australian ballot law at
the election. Heretofore no official
notification of the nominations have
been made in accordance with the Au-
stralian ballot law.
1t was, therefore, up to the Board to
either recognize the communication of
the citizens by ordering the election
by the Australian ballot system or ig-
more it bv ordering an election at the
Court House and let the people vote
for whom thew want, without an Of
fetal ballot. Recognizing that as
there is no exciting time for the cleo
ton, there will be only small vote
cast and anyone who wants o defeat
the citizens' ticket. according to the
old system, by getting together a small
else which would not be in accordance
with the wishes of a majority of the
people.
Commissioners Evans ana Paulding
believed the only legal and right way
outsof it was to conduct the election
by the Australian system, which would
prevent any other candidates except
those who were nominated twenty
days before the election, from being
placed on the ballot. Commissioner
Wellinger SAID he did not think there
would be any opposition TO the citi-
Gems ticket and was in favor of hold
ing the election any old way, not GO
ing to the great expense of the Aus
tralian system.
Prosecuting Attorney Pitzer was f.
nally called in to solve the problem.
Mr.. Pitzer said that there was but lit
tie law to be found on the subject, but
from his Interpretation of what little
could be found on the subject in the
code, 1t was his opinion that the right
way TO conduct the election was by
Tue AuNtldlAttH ~ sbNlus Iout tHt COui-
missioners did not care TO go to such
great expense if there was any sat
isfactory way out of il, so they DO st
poned their decision on the question
until next Friday night
Correspondence with the Wabash
Church and School Furniture Compa-
ny, of New York, was read by the Sec
rotary. The company furnished the
Board fifteen double desks, which
proved to be worthless and not in &C.
cordance with signed contract The
board refused to pay for them. The
company sent last communication
refusing to replace the desks and de-
handing the money for them, threat
ening to resort TO ''harsh" methods
of getting it. By a unanimous vote
the board refused to depart from the
stand il had taken and a law suit will