The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-09-10

government iDy the people, AS Lin
coin said, 1T Is a royernmsst Of the
people, by the people. fc.. the peo-
pie. We make the government wha,
is. but we do 1t through those whom
We select &c administer 1t. The ono.
ers are our agents. selected by us to
direct It's affairs in accordance With
the public win as expressed through
the majority vote OF the electors.
When they fail to obey the will So
expressed they are replaced by 9th.
ers.
I'VE are now In the midst OF
quadrennial campaign whose purpose
1t is to ascertain and determine which
policies and what candidates will best
subserve the public veal. On this
question. OF course. there Is a differ
ence OF opinion. division OF belief,
but when the public will is ascertain
ed and the successful candidates an
nounced, we cease to be partisans and
acquisce as American citizens and
submit to the will of the majority.
The statute o. this state seeks to
protect the electorate from imposition
OF any kind or character, to protect
the. legal voter In the preparation of
his ballot, in its reception and deposit
In the ballot box, and in Its subse-
quenE disposition by the election COM
missions. and others who are author
lied by law to Insure Its due care and
preservation. II requires each bal
lot to be counted as prepared by each
voter or by his direction. that 1t mag
give expression to his will and his
will only. 1t pronounces severe pen
alties and punishments against the
Illegal and fraudulent voter. as well
as against him who by fraudulent
means causes or seeks to give an ex-
preston to any ballot differing in any
respect from that intended by the
voter. From these provisions will
appear the legislative intent to keep
intact and free from extraneous in.
reference the will of the voter as
expressed sby his ballot. and thus to
preserve to him the right to declare
in his own way his preference for
the principles he desires to obtain in
governmental affairs and for the per-
sons who shall be charged with the
duty OF obeying his will when so ex-
pressed and determined by a majority
of all the votes SO cast.
mot only does this statute thus
protect him in the exercise of his
right. but it also provides penalties
and punishments against him who
seeks to.make 1t a matter OF trade
and traffic, sale to the highest bid
der. That conduct ON the part of the
voter or on the part OF the purchaser
merits and should receive the most
severe censure. and criticism OF every
true American.
Nor is this crime, for crime 1t is,
against the electorate limited to any
particular class of voters though per.
haps more prevalent in some classes
than in others. II, exists where 1t
may at times be least suspected. Not
infrequently men, who would be In
dignant If detsominated criminals.
say it is matter of Indifference 10
them who are elected to office or
what party succeeds at the polls ami
that therefore they will not take the
time necessary to vote unless they are
paid for their services. That is not
an uncommon remark, hut in its last
ANALYSIS 1t means this and this only.
that they have their price without
which they will fail to exercise one
of the greatest privileges of an
American citizen, or that with the
price in hand they are willing to sell
their birthright for mess OF pottage.
No condemnation is too severe when
applied to any voter who so lightly
prizes so high privilege"
Judge Lynch then dwelt at consid-
cradle length on the license laws and
especially on the necessity Of en-
forcing them. pointing out that at
some saloons there were two annexes
one where lewd and lascivious
women are found, and the other.
WHY 6ohuI1u6 10 SA6u6Gu ~. 1Ae
charged the grand Jury to return In
dictments for illicit selling, for the
harboring of lewd women and for
gambling.
The fish and coal mining laws were
also explained in detail to the grand
Jury and emphasis placed on the NJ
cessitS of melting out punishment fer
infractions of these laws.
Murders and other crimes were
called to the attention of the grand
jury also.
Tho common. error OF blaming
judges because violators go unpunIsh-
ed was exploded, as judges can not
punish until after the violators have
been indicted by the grand jury. tried
by petit Jury and declared guilty.