Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-05-20

general law for commissioners of cleo
ton and poll clerks; there should be
a separate ballot or Dist Of candidates
for each political party which may
have fled proper petitions and re
ceipts.
Each county should have primary
ballot commissioners whose duty II
should be to prepare ballots to be used
at the primary election, including sam
pie ballots, and also publish the official
ballot at least two weeks before the
primary election day; no one should
be permitted to vote at primary cleo.
ticn who Is not registered.
Each candidate to be voted fol
should be required to pay into the
county treasury a small sum, so that
the aggregate would be sufficient to
defray the expenses cf the primary
and above everything else, every ster
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 and corrup
would be eliminated, and full effect
given to the expressed will of the vot
ers; every officer, party committees
man and other person having duties To
perform under the law, should be re-
quired by the law to perform them.
Corrupt Practices Act.
While considering a primary cleo.
ton law | hope you will not forget a
corrupt practices act. That candidates
for office have been spending large
sums of money illegally and corruptly
cannot be denied. | know that we
cannot legislate honesty into the peo-
pie, but we can and ought to have
laws that will disfranchise those who
corrupt the electorate and no man
should be permitted TO be the benefi-
ciary CT crime committed by him
against society.
A poor man steals property of the
value OF ten or fifteen dollars and we
send him to Jail IF the value of the
property stolen is twenty dollars or
more we send him to the penitentiary
for not less than two years. On the
other hand, man may corruptly
spend $4,000 or $4,000 for an office
and we reward him with the highest
honor that can be bestowed upon him
and wonder how it would be possible
to get along without him. This must
stop if popular government is to con-
tinue.
Virginia Debt Case.
l deem it my duty to call your at
tention to the opinion filed on the 9Th
day Of March. 1911, by the Supreme
court of the United States ia the suit
in equity brought and now pending in
that court by the commonwealth of
Virginia against the state of West Vir-
ginia.
Late in the evening of the 2ld in
slant was visited here in Charleston
by two members of the Virginia debt
commission claiming to act under the
authority of acts of the general as
sembly of Virginia, approved 1espec-
lively, March 6, 1894, and March 6.
1900.
| am met disposed to be hurried by
influences in this state or elsewhere
into action, without ample time for
consideration, upon matter which so
very greatly affects the interests and
homer of West Virginia Many peo-
sons, aware how seriously the people
Of Virginia have many times been d.
yided upon the Virginia debt question,
and how many and how bitter have
been the ordinations and recrim-
nations aroused by the consideration
Of this question from time to time in
the general assembly of that common
wealth, and hoped that through the de-
cision of the court we might, what
ever the money oEtcome might be,
escape the other and different perils
which the people OF Virginia have not
been able to avoid.
w utlllCi JOu Will NC O1 OPlulOu ludl
it is your duty to take action in this
matter before the general assembly of
Virginia has acted, or will deem thai
the former action of the later body in
appointing the Virginia debt commits
sion makes it incumbent now upon
this state to take the initiative;
whether you will be CT opinion that a
should be appointed to
meet that commission or some other,
are some of the questions which de-
serve to receive. and have no doubt
are receiving, the most earnest con-
sideration of every one of you.
1t shall be my pleasure to contribute
in any possible way to the success of
the work before you and I shall hold
myself in readiness to render you any
service within my power.
WILLIAM e. GLASSCOCK,
Governor.
Charleston, West Virginia,
May 16. 1911.