The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-05-16
RA SESSION ON
Democratic Leaders Are Try
ing Their Level Best to
Adjourn the Body.
DEMOCRATS r E Sc
To Attend the Conferences
Held by the Leaders and
Other Democrats.
EMOCR!A1s R EFU Sc

CEzlAlRIMItcN. May 1e.-For tn,
A purpose cf considering primary
\ election lazy and amendments to thu
corrupt practices act the West VIr
ginia legislature met at noon today II
lextraordinary session upon the cal
Iof Governor Glasscock.
While the Democratic leaders are
lighting any measures backed by the
ilRepEblfcan state administration and
3Ihave held several conferences, no def
Unite plan of action has been decided
upon because nearly score OF DEM
Iocrats have refused to attend the
meetings. One OF their plans Is to at
'Itempt an immediate adjournment.
The House convened at noon with
seventy-two members present and
after adopting the rules of the last
session sent committee, with
Speaker WetzeI presiding, to notify
the Senate.
The Senate was called to order by
President Hatfield at 1890 O'Clock.
rules of the last session were
adopted and the House was notified.
A joint committee was appointed to
wait upon the governor for any
Communication he might have.
Both Houses Convene.
Both houses received Governor
Glasscock's message at 1 o'clock.
Governor Glasscock. In his mes
sage, states that he was acting under
profound sense OF duty in calling
the legislature in special session.
points out several urgent reasons for
the enactment of a primary election
law, calls attention to party platform
pledges upon the subject, discounts
several OF the principal objectlonsI
against the proposed law and says:
scope of Primary Law.
II recommend that primary cleo
ton law be passed which Will provide
for the election of all state and coun-
ty executive committees as well as
all candidates of political parties to!
be voted for by the people. including
for United States senator,
and excepting candidates to be voted
for at special elections to I'LL vacan-
cIes, presidential candidates and cleo
tors, and candidates for office to be-
allied by cities. towns or villages of
less than two thousand inhabitaQts.
.'Every commissioner and clerk OF
primary election before entering
upon the discharge of his duties
should take and subscribe the oath
prescribed by general law for COM
missioners OF election and poll clerks;
there should be a separate ballot or
list of candidates for each political
party which may have filed proper pc
titIons and receipts.
Each county should have primary
ballot &C E7m!ssioners whose duty 1t
should be to prepare ballots to be
used at the primary election. includ-
ing sample ballots, and also publish
the oRcial ballot at least two weeks
before the primary election day: no
one should be permitted to vote at
primary election who is not regis
tered.
Safeguards Essential.
sSEach candidate to be voted for
should be required to pay into the
the aggregate would be sufficient to
defray the expenses of the primary;
and above everything else. every step
and act in the primary election should
have thrown around it at least all
the safeguards that are now provided
for our general election. to the end
that all sharp practices, fraud ana
as far as wise laws can do
80, would be eliminated, and full ef-
feet given to the expressed will of
the voters; every officer. party COM
mitteeTnan and other person having
duties to perform under the law.
should be required by the law to per-
form Them
The governor also hopes that while
consid ering a primary election law
the legislature will not forget a cor
rupt practices act.
After presenting the present status,
of the Virginia debt question and the,
conferences Just held with represen-
Ia tlves from Virginia, the governor
concludes:
Would Call Another. Session.
The constitution provides that the
governor may convene the legislature
whenever in his OPINION the public
safety or welfare shall require 1t, and
that he shall convene it on appllca-
ton in writing of threeLhtths of the
metnlbers OF each house. II, however.
without such formal action by three
Afths of the members of each house,
D majority OF the members OF your
honorable body should In manner exc
press to me the opinion that the Leg
lslature should be called into extra
ordinary session to consider the con-
ditto Il presented ny the opinion o. the