Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-05-06
REGULATE PRIMARY
ELECTIONS BY LAW
Ringing Interview in Favor of Primary
Election Leeislation--Ex-Gov
White States His Position.
From The World Of Friday.

WINE 0tdNCS tbs fo&iNtOn.
From The World Of Friday.
Former Governor Albert B. White
was in the city few hours yesterday
afternoon enroute to GAINESVILLE, o.,
says the Wheeling Intelligeacer, and
while here ran up against a rep
resentative OF the IntelIigencer who
Intercepted him as TO his views as to
a primary election law. He said: L
have been on record in favor OF such
a law for years. In my message to
the legislature of 1905 recommended
such Legislation in the following
language:
The time has come When we
should have general law regulating
the nomination OF candidates for
public ONCE by direct vote. At the
session OF legislature OF 1908 Senator
Harmer offered a bill, which was
drawn with considerable care, using
as model the Wisconsin law which
was passed by that legislature and
approved by the people to whom It
was referred, by large vote, last
fall. This bill is en- the general lines
of such measure as many think
We ought to have on our statue books
for nominating public officials All
will agree that there should be law
governing primary elections held in
this state, and such primary elections
should be held for all the parties in
the counties on the same day There
should be no primary election per-
mitted by any party in this state
which is net regulated by statute and
controlled by law
"If my advice had been taken by the
legislature the republican party, in
my opinion, would To-Day have been
N power in the state legislature, and
would have had its previous quota of
congressman and u. S. senators.
am not a stickler for compelling all
nominations to be made by primary;
but I have insisted and do insist that
every primary held by and party
should be regulated by statute AID
controlled by law. | especially favor
the determination OF candidates Of U.
S senators, congressman. state Of
ficers and legislators by primary
elections.
There are some counties which hold
so-called primaries in West Virginia,
which in some instances have been
so outrageous. unfair and corrupt that
they 'smelled to Heaven and yet
what could be done about it? They
were unregulated by law and not
held subject to control by state laws.
''West Virginians, irrespective Of
party, are sick and tired of primaries
unregulated by law. The people de-
mand that they have direct voice
in naming their u s. senators, con-
gressmen, etc, with officers Of cleo
ton slected by the county authorities
in the same manner as for general
elections, with the general election
laws applying and every safe guard
against illegal voting or the partici-
patton of voters OF one party in the
selection OF candidates OF another par
ty.
mo greater reform could be enact
ed into law in our state and, as both
parties have declared for the general
principle, there should be no real
trouble in finding common ground of
agreement and in enacting laws that
will cover all primaries held by any
political party The governor has
given the people the opportunity to
get justice in this matter and the
legislature the privilege OF enacting
this just and needed legislation