Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-06-10
RESULT OF SPECIAL
SESSION ANAL YzED
west Virginia Legislature Furnished
Campaign Arguments and That
Is About All.
BY John c. Bond.


Charleston, w. Va. June Every
campaign orator in West Virginia who
relieves himself of the high pressure
IN the coming battle of the year 1912,
will have much to say about the spe-
cial session Of the Legislature of the
year 1911. Here is a democrat now
telling his tale:
@Glasscock, while acting as Govern
or, listened to the whisperings of
Caius Cassius Dawson, and called the
lawmakers together at a cost of some
$4,000 to enact primary election
law in order to maintain the re-
publican machine and perhaps elect
Dawson to the United States Senate.
The democrats wanted a primary law,
but the State Senate was half repub-
lican, and they were unable to get
the Campbell bill through at the reg
ular session of 1911. Fearing that
any bill which might be forced
through at special session would be in
interest of the republican machine,
the democrats, with the exception of
a few who were bolters and were not
able to see through the Governors
petty scheme, stood firm against any
bill the republicans offered. Mind
you, they were in favor of a primary
law, as witness the French-Dice bill,
which passed the House and which
the republicans Of the Senate refused
10 let become a law
The democrats believe in letting
the people rule, therefore, they in
serted the referendum clause in the
French bill, so that the people at the
election in 1912 coould decide for
themselves whether or not they want
ed thereafter to make their nomina-
tons by primary elections. The
respect, modelled after the Oregon
law. The democrats put it squarely
UP to the republicans, but the repre-
sentatives of that party, who accepted
dictation from Ex-Governor Dawson
on one hand, who wants to become
United States Senator, and, on the
other hand frcm republican leaders,
who are really opposed to any pri-
mary election law. repudiated their
platform pledge and refused to consid-
er any bill except that which smelled
of Dawso nism and meant the perpetu-
alton of the republican State machine
Yet, my fellow citizen, the democrats
were willing to leave the matter of a
primary lection law entirely with you.
The republican machine wanted to
dictate what you should do without
consulting you
From Republican side.
Just across the hill, in a little white
school huse, is republican spell
binder, telling it thusly:
my fellow citizens, what has the
democratic party done for you? In
the campaign of 1910 many of you
good republicans thought you wanted a
change, and enough of you voted the
democratic ticket to allow the demo
cratic mule to gallop into the legisla-
tive halls and bray dictation to the
lawmakers. The States only saliva
ton was in that the State Senate was
tie, thus preventing the party of OPP
position from abolishing many depart
ments, including the State Tax Com
missioner's Office, which would have
meant turning the State over to the
corporations. Not satisfied with what
they got at the hands of the voters.
the democrats tried to steal the Sen
ate, and for two weeks the republi-
can members had to remain away in
order to gain their rights.
Governor Glasscock in his wisdom
evoked the Legislature in extraordi-
nary session in order that laws might
be passed which would give the peo-
ple-the people | say-a chance to de-
eide who should be the party nomi-
nees and for whom the members of
the legislature should vote for Sena-
tors of the United States, thus sound
ing the death klell to the political
toss and political corruptionist.
"But what was the result? The
democratic senatorial combine feared
10 trust their chances to the people.
They tried to caucus to adjourn the
session Immediately after it conven-
ed The republicans, with the aid of
few honest democrats, who bucked
the machine, prevented adjournment,
and then in order to save Senators
Watson and Chiffon tried to refer the
matter of a primary election to a com
mission who should report at the next
regular session, This move was
thwarted by the republicans of the
Watson in 1912 the democrats would
only stand for a bill containing the
referendum clause so that the law
would not apply to the campaign of