Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-01-16


ton she takes; and no woman can
be appointed upon any board con-
nectedl with a public institution where
there Is a tenure of service.
/ believe that these two constitu-
tional amendments FAILED of ratlfica-
tion because the people did not un-
derstand them which was the result
Of want of discussion In the public
prints, and this occurred because the
amendments were submitted 10 the
people In the midst of an exciting
presidential and state election, in
which other questions absorbed the
thought and energies of the people
and the newspapers. ! trust you will
consider the propriety Of re-submitt-
ing one or both of these amendments.
Certainly the discrimination against
women In the present constitution
in the matter referred to is unjust,
Ungallant, and not such as bespeaks
a high degree of intelligence and
liberality. Is any citizen proud OF his
state because of this discrimination
against it's women?
The Supreme Court OF Appeals.
1t is urgent that you devise some
means 10 relieve this court OF its
heavy burden OF work. This can be
lone by limiting the jurisdiction and
thereby is@sening the number OF
cases that come up to the court, or
by decreasing The rTaibe~ o. 3ld1es.
9r by establishing an intermediate
court OF appeals
The Children.
An uncared for child appeals to the
pity OF every one. The knowledge
that there are hundreds of children
in West Virginia who are destitute
and dependent or both, brings to us
a problem for solution that peculiarly
touches our sympathy We mus
first Of all care for the children. We
have not been doing that In this
state in the way we should, and we
are behind many other states in this
respect
Board of Agriculture.
The well considered report of the
board OF agriculture discusses in
strong and sensible manner the pre-
oti AdAlbA VI OuI lDItSlS, our SOlio dliu
our streams; better farming, and
other subjects of kindred Importance.
Il is gratifying to learn that Increased
interest is shown in Farmers institu-
.es.
The Virginia Debt.
Full Information of the proceedings
n the suit, in the supreme court of
he United States, of Virginia against
his state. respecting the ante-war
iebt of Virginia, has been given the
public In the publication of two vol
INES by the attorney-general, if my
Message to the last session of the leg
stature, and in the last report of the
ttorney-general.
The Traffic in intoxicating Liquors.
The platform of the dominant politi-
al party of this state, adopted a few
months ago, declares:
"a large majority Of the citizens OF
the state believe that the traffic Ia
liquors is an evil, and de-
sire TO mitigate and eradicate the
evils of such traffic as far as posi-
Bile. But we recognize that there is
an honest difference of opinion as to
which is the better method whereby
this result may be obtained, whether
by statewide prohibition through
to the constitution of the
state, or by what is known as local
option through a vote of the people
in each county. We believe that the
people are capable of settling this
question, and that they have the right
to settle it. Therefore, we favor the
passage by the next Legislature of a
we'll considered and am adequate local
option law, and also the submission
to IA vote of the people of an amend
ment to the constitution prohibiting
the said tralc."
This promise should be kept. In
referring you to the promise OF the
dominant party of the state | do not
mean thereby that the members or
the minority party should be absolvei
from responsibility in the matter.
Every member of the legislature
takes an oath to fulfill the duties OF
his office: as a representative OF the
people il is his duty to carry out
their wishes; and he is under just as
much obligation to do that as is
member of the dominant party. 1t is
also to be presumed that the domi-
nant party is such because 1t repre-
sents the desire of the majority;
otherwise it would not he the domi-
nant party. 1t has been chosen as
the instrument to carry out the peo'
pies will, because its promises and
program were in accord with the pub
lie will
Choosing Public officers.
In free government the people give
effect Ia their will through the agen'
cies of political parties; hence, such
parties are instrumentalities of gov
erlment, and the officers thereof are
quasi-public officers, and their acts
should be supervised by law. Gen
eral elections are the last act in
choosing public officers-the end oil
the series. the first being the choice
OF candidates (for our public officers
are chosen from political party candi-
dates). In aiding the people in the
choice of their officers, we should be
gin at the beginning-'with the initial