Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-05-25
Concerning Fraudulent Voting.

Nearly every citizen OF the State has
long realized that fraudulent voting is
the crying political evil OF the day. 1t
began several years ago and has In
creased by leaps and bounds in the last
three or four elections.
The settled conviction OF all thinking
people has at last grown to be that
there is but one way to solve this diff
rulty-the enactment of a registrat on
law that will let no one vote whose
name is not registered before election
day and will require the list to be COM
pleted and closed long enough before
that to allow ample opportunity TO in
yestigate all doubtful cases.
The constitutional provision prohib-
iting registration as a prerequisite to
voting that long stood in the way Of an
efficient registration law was solemnly
repealed by the people three years ago.
And this repeal was then universally
understood to be a demand on the part
of the people that law should at once
be passed that would put an end to
fraudulent voting as far as the best de-
vised system of registration could do 1t.
In what manner have the Republican
leaders obeyed this mandate OF the peo-
pie, and what has inspired the course
that they have pursued on this ques-
tion
In the legislative session of 1903 they
refused to pass any bill at all. And now
the Legislature of 1905 has given us a
measure that it would hardly be posi-
BILE TO make more abortive or unefect-
i've. 1t simply makes confusion more
COMPOUNDED. What was cloudy before
is now densely dark. No one can real
ize how impossible it Is to describe the
liCtle that the act does until he has read
it, and then he will understand that he
is little more hazy on the subject than
he was before. The only conclusion
that can be arrived at with any unani-
nifty of opinion is that it makes it lit
tie more difficult for the honest voter
to get his name on the voting list, while
fraudulent voting is left where it was
before. If any voter Of the second con.
gressional district doubts this, let him
observe what is being done TO get the
voters on the voting list by the 9th of
June, and let him note on that day the
experience of the voter whose name is
still of the list. Ifthls does not set him
to thinking why the Republican lead
ers have persistently refused to give the
people an Ineligible, practicable and
efficient registration law, nothing else
will.
Of course, the real reason is that they
do not wish TO put an end to fraudulent
voting. They profit too much by it.
Under an efficient registration law the
fraudulent voting, which is now dis
grace TO certain sections of the State,
would cease TO be the potential factor
that it is now and has been for several
years past in West Virginia politics.
Hence this reckless disregard OF the
will of the people as solemnly expressed
at the polls in the constitutional amend
ment requiring an efficient registration
law.
Will the people continue to put up
with this indefinitely Or are they be-
ginning TO realize that the only way TO
secure obedience to their behests is to
vote down at the polls whenever they
have a chance all those who openly and
boldly refuse TO obey them If SO, the
first Tuesday in June will not ohly dem
onstrate what a miserable makeshift
this registration measure is but will al
50 give the voter an opportunity Of ex-
pressing himself on this registration
question, as well as on the assessment
Of real estate and other kindred ques-
tions of taxation that vitality concern
the welfare Of the whole people. His
vote for Colonel Davis will show clearly
that he does not approve of the increas-
ing of the taxable value of the farmers
property nor what has failed TO be done
to check fraudulent voting.
C.