The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-10-24


! Governor has the power to veto, sc
that there can be no objection to the
passage of primary law which might
be Objectionable from a Republican
standpoint because the tie vote of the
Senate and the power of veto by the
EGovernor. Nor can there be any OBJ.
lection from Democratic standpoint
elby reason Of the large Democratic
majority in the House of Delegates
All they have to do is to pass a fair,
just and impartial Statewide pri-
mary law, with the same restrictions
of our general election laws, and
thereby give to the people at large re-
1gardless of party that which they
want and demand and have been
promised By both the Democratic and
Republican parties. A MEMBER OF
THE LEGISLATURE WHO DOES
NOT VOTE FOR SUCH A LAW, IN
MY HUMBLE OPINION, is NOT DIS
POSED TO DO RIGHT"
Even James w. Weir, Democratic
leditor and former member of the
House of Delegates, who has since be-
come the private secretary of Senator
Clarence w. Watson, admitted that the
Governor was right in assuming that
the people wanted direct primary
election law, In the Issue of the
Wheeling Register of March 10, 1911,
Mr.. Weir wrote:
I'm assuming that there is a de-:
mand on the part OF an overwhelming
majority OF the people for primary
law, the Governor is entirely correct.
Taken by and large in recent years
the people-the voters have been de-
frauded in the choice of their public
servants so many times that they are
clamoring for just and fair primary
electlon-one that will afford poor
man the opportunity to become a can
didate for State office and that will
insure the protection OF the law IN
holding such primaries and in count
ing the vote"
With the exception of those news
papers under the control of Watson
and Chiffon, the Democratic press OF
the State reflected the sentiment of
the rank and file of that party in urg-
ing the enactment of a primary cleo
ton law. The majority Of these news
papers urged the fuIfllment of the
plank in the Democratic platform
which declared unequivocally for a
primary election law. The Hunting
ton Advertiser, a progressive Demo-
cratic newspaper, made this pertinent
observation:
Whatever may be the attttade of
the politicians of both parties in re-
gard to the primary election law,
there can be no doubt that vast ma
Jority of the people of the State, re-
CARELESS of party affiliations, favor
such law. And they should favor it
for it is a measure intended to restore
10 them the power that has wrongful
ly been taken away by the political
bosses"
The Tucker County Democrat could
see no reason for the attack made on
the call for the special session by the
Chilton-Watson allies. 1t inquired:
why such hue and cry about
Governor ,Glasscock calling an extra
session of the Legislature to enact a
primary election law? Have not all
the States, eYen the great boodler
state of Pennsylvania, primary law?
Have not both the Democratic and Re-
publican parties of this State in their
platforms promised the people and
pledged their parties to the enactment
OF a direct primary law? Is it the
reason that neither party has carried
out the wishes of their party as prom
ised in their state platforms. because
they find it easier to purchase the
United States Senatorship by purchas-
ing the individual members of the
Legislature, than to purchase or try
to purchase the majority of the voters
at the polls? OF course the old brib.
ers and boodlers in both parties are
against n primary election law for
the reason that If we had fair prl-
mary election law their occupations
wonld be gone"
The shepherdstown Register, a
Democratic newspaper and edited by
i a man OF character, remarked:
The chief opponents of the primary
election law are those who find profit
in these juicy times when a United
States Senator is to be elected-wheu
rich candidates give up freely and
cash and offices and other good
things generally are shed out in ex-
change for the votes and influence,
For these very reasons the people at