The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-10-03
Do the Democratic Bosses OF
the State as Shown by
Last Legislature.


and blacks. whose. suffrage was
threatened by that pronopncement,
Joined in voting to defeat the Demo-
cratic party that year.
This year, their platform con-
talns no such plank, but the purpose
in the minds Of the element dominant
ing the Democratic party In this state
Is just as emphatic for a disfranchise-
ment law now as 1t was four and two
years ago.
Two years ago, the Democratic
party secured the legislature.
The legislative program attempt
ed to be carried through at the
regular and extra sessions OF 1911 In
Guided Acknowledgement as one OF It's
special features. Senator d. E.
French, OF Blueneld.. was entrusted
with the direction of this vicious plan
10 deprive thousands OF citizens, white
and black. OF their constitutional
RICH, of suffrage.
At the regular session on January
81. 1911. Mr.. French introduced his
lSili in the Senate. The same bill had
already passed the House, The I'M
nocent title Of this bill was: a BIN
Providing for the Registration OF vot-
ers." The title should have read:
"A Bin Providing for the Disfran-
chisemeut of Voters" For in every
section It sought to make the act Of
registration as difficult upon the voter
as possible. The devil himself might
have thought of some additional pit
falls for the voter, but that is to be
doubted very seriously.
The bill provided (page 6, line -
that a registration for each election
shall be made and completed within
four days, at fixed place and at
fixed time of the day. This provision,
ito say the least, would be very incon-
venient for the voters in the farming
sections. where the majority OF them
would be required TO travel several
miles 10 reach the registrar; and the
time allowed is inadequate. 1t also
provided (page Il, sec. II, nae y that
the registration shall close five weeks
prior to the election. and no resistra-
ton or transfer can be had after such
closing until the general election to be
held two years thereafter, However.
If the voter moves>away, he is allowed
TO vote at the place he was originally
registered. provided he has the time.
inclination and the money to make
the trip back for that purpose. This
marvellous feature sets at naught the
provisions set out in the general cleo
lion law, that a voter must be a bona
| fide resident of the precinct in which
he offers to vote.
In another sectioa (page. 9, sec, 6.
line ~, II provides that II voter. can
not answer fully and 10 the satisfac-
ton Of the registrars, any and ali
questions put to him, touching upon
his rights 10 register, he shall not be
registered. Even after having an
swered this myriad Of questions salts
factorily. 1t yet provides that he may
be challenged, which would necessi-
tate his again going through the pro-
ceeding of proving his rights before
he would be permitted to vote.
Page 3, Sec. C, line 10: This pro-
vision Is too lengthy and complex and
damnable in its requirements to quote
at length. II amounts to about this:
If voters inability to read and write
lis due to illlteraoy." it requires de-
scrption practically equal with the
BertNlion system, as detailed. tedious
and vigorous as II he was a hardened
criminal being put through the third
degree" 1t practically provides that
tho voter must employ civil engineer
for he must file plat showing the
location Of his lot, the location OF his
house on the lou the room in which
he sleeps and a mass Sc minutae
equally as confounding and aimed
to disfranchise those voters who will
not cast their ballots as the bosses
at elections demand.
This same vicious and absurd pro-
vision. (pagc t6, Sec. 10, line y. pro-
vldes that II voter shall have re-
moved from the precinct in which he
was oriSinally registered. he must OBJ
tain transfer from the precinct in
| which he was located, to his present
voting precinct: and he must supply
additional prof to the registrar. by
his own affidavit and the sworn testi-
mony of two witnesses-the said two
witnesses must have paid taxes for the
preceding year-that he, the voter, is