The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-31
The Penitentiary
for Progressives.

CARELESS or their election as SUCH, or
If they did act would run the risk Of
being sent to the penitentiary. In
other words they would be shackled
and manacled to Taft or else ground
to political pieces under the Taft
chariot wheels. Not even the man
dates of, the Russian government
could be more drastic, more inexor-
able or more autocratic than this
provision,
Would Reach Every Voter.
But the foregoing section only
reached the committeeman. Section
10 Of the same bill was destined to
reach every voter of Republican pre-
objections, tr stifle his convictions, to
destroy the secrecy of the ballot and
to violate both the letter and the
spirit of the Constitution Of the
State. This section will be found on
page 446 of the Senate Journal for
the session of 1909, under the head
of Senate Bills.
The section begins by making pro
vision for three election commits
sioners and two poll clerks to con-
duct the primary, but it adds new
feature; namely, "In addition to the
commissioners
be admitted to the election room,
during the election and counting OIL
the ballots and certification of the
results, two witnesses to be chosen
by the qualified party electors pres
ent, or majority thereof, at the
time OF the opening of the polls.
Said witnesses shall be permitted to
see the counting OF the ballots and
xf f1A
There follows Immediately the
fangs in the bill wherein every par
ticipant in the primary Is required to
make an oath that he will support
every candidate appearing on the
ticket, the language of this part OF
the section reading,
Any One May Challenge.
"Either of said witnesses, or any
precinct, is authorized to challenge
the right of any person to vote at
such primary election who offers TO
vote, and, when challenged, no per.
son shall be permitted to vote until
| he takes and subscribes an oath stat.
| ina that he is qualified elector and
that he will be entitled to vote at
the general election next ensuing IN
said precinct. and that he will, II
permitted to vote, vote at the cleo
ton, for every candidate for office
whose name appears upon the party
ticket of the party conducting said
primary election. On making SAID
affidavit, the person so challenged
shall be entitled to vote, and his vote
at the primary shall be received and
counted. Said affidavit shall be
placed in an envelope with all other
like affidavits taken at said precinct,
and shall be, by one of the election
commissioners, delivered to the pros
ecuting attorney of the county, who
shall file and preserve the same Tor
| the period of one year after the date
of said election.
Secrecy of Ballot Lost.
"Any person whose right to vote
at primary is challenged and who
makes the affidavit hereinfore re-
uuired may be challenged when he
offers to vote at the general election
by any voter of the precinct at when
he is offering to vote; and, II ehal-
lenged, he shall, nevertheless, be
permitted to vote at such election,
but before placing his ballot In the
ballot box one of the election COM
missioners shall write the voters
name on the back thereof, and after
the ballots cast have been counted
and tabulated, all the ballots bearing
the names of persons whose right TO
| vote is challenged shall be separat-
ed from the others, sealed in pack
age by themselves, and by one OF the
election commissioners shall be de-
liyered to the prosecuting attorney
of the county, who shall file and pre-
serve the same for the period OF one
year next ensuing said election. Safd
ballots may be inspected by the
ICounty Court as a canvassing board,
or whenever the same may be re-
louired in any recount or contest be.
fore the County Court Any person
lwho makes affidavit that he will vote
Ifor and support the nominees Of
particular party at the ensuing cleo
jtion and who fails to vote for all tins
nominees upon his party ticket, y
Iyoting at such election, shall DC
guilty Of perjury, and upon convic
ltion therefore shall be confined in the
lpenitentiary for a period Of one year
and shall forever be disqualified foi
IhoIdina any office or position OF trus'
or profit In the State Of West Viz
ainia."
Would Stop Votes for Roosevelt
Could anything be more drastic
and far-reaching, could anythint
strike harder blow at liberty ane
the secrecy of the ballot. The con
stitution OF West Virginia guaran
tees the secrecy Of the ballot, ye
:. this Hatfield bill provides that one q
the commissioners "shall write tht
voters name on the back thereof 70
, the BALLOT. If perchance the vote
: wanted to vote for Mr.. Roosevelt
|, and did so, he could be prosecuted
for perjury and not only sent to tn
, lpenitentiary but prevented from eve
holding any office OF trust OF prom
, in the State.
Surprising John Jones wanted =
support Roosevelt but had gone int
the primaries held by the Repubil
! can party and had taken this test
} oath. John Jones could not cast nj