The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-05-30
WHO IS ELIGIBLE
UNDER THE Law?
The Commissioner Of Agriculture
Must Be a Practical Farmer.
WHAT STATE STATUTE SAYS

Candidate, to Be Eligible, Must Aavo
Made Agriculture His Chiof 1usi-
ness For Term of Ten Years Pre-
ceding Election to Office Of Commits.
sioner Of observation-disclosures VIII
lams, Progressive Farmer, a
Candidate For the Position.
On Tuesday, June 4, the RepubN-
cans will hold the first statewide
primary election ever held In this
state for the purpose Of nominating
candidates for state Offices. There
will be quite a long list Of candidates
voted for, but so far as we know Rev.
Arcmhald Moore. d. D., pastor of the
Second M. E. church, Parkersburg,
and Howard E. Williams, a progress
S1Ve Greenbrier county farmer, are
the only candidates for the office of
commissioners of agriculture. Section
or the law creating this new office
provides that, "He shall be prac.
teal farmer and learned in the SCI
ence or agriculture, having made agri-
culture his chief business for a term
OF ten years Immediately preceding his
election to said Office. "A practical
farmer' is. clear enough. Learned
In the science Of agriculture" Is a lit
ITO more obscure, but business" is
specifically defined by Webster rs
constant employment; regular occu-
patton; work as the business of life;
any particular occupation or employ
ment habitually engaged in for a live
lhood or gain" ETC., and Worcester
defines business" briefly as that
which one does for livelihood,
Then "cEief business for a term of ten
years. means the occupation or bust
ness engaged in for a livelihood for
the ten years preceding election.
The Law
BE it enacted by the legislature Of
West Virginia:
Section I. There is hereby created
and established department Of the
state government to be hereafter
known as the department Of agricul-
ture, which shall be constituted AS
provided In this act and shall have
the powers and perform the duties as
are herein set forth and such other
powers and duties las may hereafter
be prescribed by law.
Sec. 2. The chief officer of said lie.
partment shall be denominated the
commissioner Of agriculture. He shall
be elected by the qualified voters OF
the state at the general election to be
held on the first Tuesday after the
first Monday in November, one thou
sand nine hundred and twelve, and
every four years thereafter, on the
same ballot on the same day and in
the same manner as other state off,
Gals are elected, and he shall be Dro-
vided with an office at the seat of gov
eminent
Sec. 9. He shall be a practical
farmer and learned IN the science OF
agriculture, having made agriculture
his chief business for term Of ten
years Immediately preceding his cleo
tion to said office
Sec. 4. He shall take and subscribe
to the oath of office prescribed by the
section Of article Of the constitu-
ton of this state, and such oath shall
be certified by the person who admin
listers the same and shall be filed in
the office Of the secretary of state.
Sec. 5. His term Of office shall be.
gin on the fourth day Of March, one
thousand nine hundred and thirteen.
and continue for a term of four years
Or until his successor is elected and
qualified. Vacancies in the office of
commissioner Of agriculture shall be
filled by appointment by the governor,
such appointee to hold office for the
unexpired term, or until his successor
is elected and qualified.
Sec. 6. He shall be a member OF
the board Of public works, and shall
have all the powers and perform all
the duties as are now, or may here
after be, prescribed by law for mem
bers Of said board.
Sec. 7. His salary shall be four
thousand dollars per annum, and It
shall be paid out Of the appropria-
tons made for the payment OF sal
aries Of state officials. He shall give
bond with good security to be approx
ed by the attorney general, in the pen.
atty Of five thousand dollars, for the
faithful performance OF the duties Of
his office as they are, or may from
time to time be prescribed by law.
He shall at the expiration Of each
month pay to the state treasurer all
the moneys received by him that
month and shall at the same time
transmit to the treasurer and auditor
OF the state an itemized statement Of
all moneys so received by him during
that month, which statement shall be
duly verified by his AFFIDAVIT.
He may employ such clerks, stem
ographers, chemists, analysts, insti-
tute instructors, pomologist, entomol-
ogist and veterinarians, and such
other employees ae may be necessary
in carving out the dutiaa of his nfica