Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-11-01

CARELESS OF their election as such, OF
| il they did act would run the risk o.
| being sent to the penitentiary II
other words they wsuld 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 ausosratic 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, t. 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. gnder 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 and clerks there shall
be admitted to the election room
during the election and counting Of
the ballots and certifcation 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
the certiAcation of the results
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
ing that he is a qualified elector and
lthat he will be entitled to vote at
the general election next ensuing in
said precinct. and that he will if
epermitted to vote, vote at the cleo
lion, for every candidate for office
whose name appears upon the party
ticket Of tho party conducting said
primary election. On making said
affidavit, the person 80 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 tha election
commissioners, delivered to the pros
ecuting attorney Of the county, who
Shall file and preserve the same for
the period Of one year after the date
-of said election.
Secrecy of Ballot Lost.
ANY person whose right to vote
at urinary is challenged and who
makes the affidavit hereintore re-
CURED may be challenged when he
offers to vote at the general election
by any voter of the precinct at which
he is Offering to vote; and, II chaI-
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 voter
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 10
vote is challenged shall be separat
ed from the others, sealed in pack
/ age by Themselves. and by one of the
/ election commissioners Shall he de
/ Iivered 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 said
/ ballots may hs Inspected by the
( County Court as a canvasslng board
Tor whenever the same may be re-
iuuired in any recount or contest be
/ fore the County Court Any person
Iv,ho makes affidavit that he will vote
| for and support the nominees OF q
particular party at the ensuing cleo
I tion and who fails to vote for all the
nominees upon his party ticket u
voting AZ such election, shall be
guilty Of perjury, and upon eonVlo
| ton therefore shall be confined in the
pententiary for a period Of one year
| and shall forever ss disqualified for
holdinq any ofrcs or position Of trus'
or profit in the State of West VIr
ginia."
COuld ANYTHING be more dras' ID
and farreachius could auy.h.H-
4 strike a harder blow al liberty ami
| thp secrecy of the ballot The con
stitution %. West Virginia guamn
tees the secrecy of the ballot }'
Ithis Hatfield bin provides that one o.
The aolau,i -st0ners shall write 'N'