The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-10-22
has no tendency to >rstard the deyel.
opment Of the state.
Honest Elections,

1uu again. AT this same extraor.
binary session we passed what /.
known as 1.-THE Corrupt Practice,
Act" ran act to prevent corrup,
practices in elections, to limit the ex.
penses of candidates, to prescribe
the duties of cantIdae.a and political
committees and to proy.ae penalties
Tor the violation Of the act.
This act makes 1t unlawful for
any person directly or Indirectly, BY
himself or by another on his behalf
to give, lend, or agree to give, lend
or offer promise. or promise to pro.
cure or endeayor to procure any
money or valuable consideration OF
any place of employment public OF
private. to or for any voter, or to or
for any person on behalf OF any voter,
or to or Tor any person, in order to
induce any voter to vote or refrain
from voting. or to vote for any par
ticular person or candidate, or object,
or to refrain therefrom, or to cor.
ruptly do any such act as aforesaid
on account of such voter, or candi-
date. or object, or to refrain there
from, or to corruptly do any such act
as aforesaid on account OF such voter
having voted or refrained from yot-
ing at an election, or having voted for
any particular person or candidate or
object. or refraining therefrom.
And It further provides that every
person who shall in consequence OF
any gift. loan or offer, promise OF any
place of employment. public or pri-
vate. procurement or agreement, pro-
cure or engage promise or endeavor
10 procure the election OF any person
to public office, or the vote OF any
voter at any election, or who shall ad-
vance or pay OF cause TO be paid any
money to or from the use OF any 9TH
er person with the intent that such
money or any part thereof shall be
expended in bribery at any election,
or who shall knowingly pay or cause
to be paid any money wholly or in
part expended in bribery at any cleo
ton shall be guilty of misdemeaaor
and may be punished by imprison-
ment in the county Jail for term Of
not less than six months or more than
enc year at the discretion OF the court
and be fined not more than $1,000. 90
and shall in addition thereto forfeit
his Office.
l have not the time to discuss as I
would like the provisions of this law.
In my judgment It is drastic and
wholesome. and II the tendency OF
this law is to retard the development
Of the state, then say and so,do you,
let 1t be retarded. We must not for
get in this country that God reigns
and whaever we can do to purify the
ballot and make our people better,
morally and spiritually, should be
done.
I wish had time to show you how
our school law, or what is known as
Chapter as of the Code, has been
amended. am friend Of the free
schools, as well as of our boys and
girls who attend them, and having
for several years Of my life been a
teacher in our common schools my
heart goes out to them. Senator
Charles Sumner once said: The
school teacher and good roads are the
most important agencies to advance
civilization. And / would noto YER
look our University and state normal
schools. The work they are doing
today for the betterment of our
physical, mental ard moral condition
cannot be estimated and they should
have liberal support.
And again: At this same extra
session of the legislature about which
have been speaking, we passed a Law
prohibiting railroad companies from
.condemning land along both banks OF
the navigable rivers Of this state for
parallel lines; the taking whereof fol-
such purposes would unreasonably in,
terfere with another company. exist,
Ing or hereafter to exist, desiring In
good faith to construct competing
or main line Of railroad upon or along
one OF the banks OF such rivers. Dc
our Democratic friends refer to this
law as being legislation which has q
tendency to retard developments? Il
they do. co the voters of West vir.
glnia agree with them? We believe
In railroads and want to encourage
them in every legitimate way in ex.
tending their lines and in reaching
the wealth of this state. but we
should and do oppose every effort
they make to hinder, delay or pre-.
vent the building of competing lines
of railroads.
Public Office Inspection.
And again: We, passed an net tc
provide for the inspection and super.
vision Of public Offices. and to estab.
lish uniform system of public &C.
counting. auditing and reporting
rrh;. 40 N, nrovi5o. that Ill D,h1;o ~