The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-10-15
SENTIMENT
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49, -
Public sentiment, the most potenS,
factor in the enforcement OF INV
stands behind the deteriainSAioa y 81
Captain S. B, Avis, as Announces In
his statement of Tuesday. to enforce
tthe provisions OF the Corrupt Prac-.
| tees act, which will forever prohibit
the buying and selling OF votes, a
common practice in West Virginia,
and which further provides drastic
punishment for both the man. who
buys and the man who, sells. ~ Il,
The time for buying and selling
| votes at elections in West Virginia
of Democratic and Republicans alike
and all endorse the statement OF
Captain Avis that he will prosecute
| Offenders Of both political parties,
friends and foes alike, at the coming
election in November. a~..,% -, nsf
An aroused public conscience has
| made it impossible Cor men to be
elected to Office through the sole, use
| of money and the neiarious system OF
purchasing and selling votes, either
prior or after the election, Will not
| be countenanced or tolerated longer
III West Virginia. Any violator,
either buyer or seller, will be prose-
cuted in Kanawha county before "a
special grand jury. but for the large
majority of Kanawha county citizens,
| . sense of right rather than the fear
of heavy punishment, will deter them
| from violating the law. The Mail in
terviewed number of prominent cit
liens, Wednesday, with reference to
the enforcement of the Corrupt Prac-
| does act, and here Is what they say:
Congressman Joseph Holt Gaines
! was very glad to see Captain Avis
| statement. Public Indifference to the
enforcement of the election laws is
perhaps the most fruitful source Of
| the disposition to disregard the law
on the part Of the rich and poor,
| which, in my opinion, Is the worst
phase Of modern American life. AS
| chairman of the committee of the
House Of Representatives to which
bills relative to Federal election laws
are referred, have not been in favor
| Of the passage of laws. which 1 other
wise would have favored, because
OF the wide public Indifference to
| the enforcement Of such laws. r.. :;
A law on the statute books which
public sentiment will not permit to
| be enforced results in l,othing but in
| creased contempt for law. The peo-
| Nle OF this county, OF this State and
| the whole country3 will, in my opin-
ion, make great mistake If they do
| not take advantage of that Quickened
public conscience, which, Theodore
Roosevelt has done more perhaps
than any other American to arouse,
| to accomplish permanent better
| meht o. election methods. I corgrat-
! ulate Kanawha county and con graf
ulate- Captain Avis, -. ..,...s,
T." w: b., Wilkinson--Enforce such
laws to the letter, and punish the
| most prominent men, Democrat and
Republican alike. The bigger the
catch the better. ...~,- IT,"
Attorney Buckner Ciay-There-a are
not two sides to d question like that
EOf course such laws ought to be en-
forced. ,.'s, -.
| Clerk G: L. Topping am thor
oughly convinced that it is a wise
thing to do, to enforce such laws,
and believe the people should re-
| spect such laws in the minuteSt de-
tail. The enforcement Of such laws
will have tendency to elevate poll
tics and put men in Office whom the
people want. Corrupt practices in
politics has seen It's day and must go.
Both parties have used corrupt meth
DDS to win and it Is commendable on
the part of the prosecuting attorney
TO enforce such laws against all Of
tenders. -. ....
City Recorder J. S. Ross-Enforce
the laws to the letter. The time to
start Is now during the registration.
Judge u. 8. Albertson-The buy
ing and selling of votes is the most
coTruptible thing in the body polite
today and the laws should~be cnforc-
ed
Col. Fred Paul Grosscup---It was a
very courageous and sincere state
ment in the interests of purity in pol"
itics, for the enforcement Of Repub-
Hcan legislation along that line.
have heard many expressions that
Captain Avis warned his best friends
that they would be prosecuted just
, as quick as any foes. a.
\ City Auditor John NJ. Collips-I
am in favor Of the enforcement Of all
the laws, those relating to election Of
lenses and all others, and l hope that
if anyone is found guilty of violating
the election laws at the coming cleo
ton or any other election, will be
punished to the full extent of the Law
regardless of politics.
Hon. d. e. Gallaher---I believe 1T
to be a very salutary law and the
| merit Of the law is in 1t being exe@
| cuted. / think it would be a nlisfor-
tune to enact such law and not
carry tt out, for the failure to~enforee
/ one law tends to make some disre-
gard ali law.
>-4--------.--s..5l.-.9ea--- ..
| The Democratic arguments are be.