The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-31
HATFIELD BILL WOULD lMPRIS.
ON FOR ONE YEAR EVERY
REPUBLICAN VOTING FOR
ROOSEVELT.
SAME PENALTY FOR THOSE WHO
FAIL TO VOTE THE TICKET
STRAIGHT.
BALLOTS TO BE MARKED AND
PRESERVED FOR USE IN
PROSECUTING VOTERS.


PRESERVED FOR USE IN
PROSECUTING VOTERS.
If the primary election bill intro
duced in the Senate by DR.. H. d.
Hatfield had become a law, every
person who participated at the pri-
mary election at which he was nom
mated last June and who votes for
Theodore Roosevelt for President at
the election of November 5, would be-
sent to the penitentiary for one year
and would become forever ineligible
to hold any position of profit or trust
in the state.
Under the provisions of the same
bill, had it become law, every per-
ason who participated in the primary
election at which DR.. Hatfield was
nominated whether he voted for DR..
Hatfield or some one else, who re-
fuses to vote for DR.. Hatfield at the
November election would have been
liable to the same penalty-one year
in the penitentiary and disqualified
ton to hold public office forever.
That is the kind Of friend DR..
Hatfield is to the Progressives He
claims they assisted in his nomina-
ton, yet he would send every one Of
them to the penitentiary for one
year and disqualify them perma-
nently from holding public office Of
any kind In the state IL they vote for
Mr.. Roosevelt. More than that, he
would send to the penitentiary every
person who voted at the primary
election and who fails to vote for
every candidate on the Republican
ticket from President 10 constable.
Saved From the Penitentiary.
1t is merely because the legislature,
a majority of it composed of his own
party, refused to pass the Hatfield
bill that every Progressive in West
Virginia who participated in the Re
publican primary election before the
birth of the Progressive party and
who may vote for Colonel Roosevelt
for President will remain out of the
penitentiary, for the Hatfield bill, IL
it had become law, would have sent
every one of them to that institu-
ton, and for no other reason than
because they chose to exercise the
right OF an American and vote for
whomsoever they preferred on gen.
eral election day.
Under the provisions Of the same
bill, before becoming member OF
any political campaign committee,
man was required to make oath that
he had voted a straight ticket at the
preceding election and that he would
vote for every candidate on his party
ticket at the following election.
Language of the Bill.
Section IL of the bill (Senate Bill
No 1875, introduced January 30, 1909,
by DR.. Hatfield) provided: Every
person chosen, or appointed, as
member or chairman Of any state,
congressional, senatorial, judicial or
county central committee, before en-
tering upon the discharge Of his du--
ties as such, shall take and subscribe
an oath to support the constitution
of the United States and the consti-
tuition ,of he state of West Virginia,
and that he will faithfully discharge
his duties as such, and stating that
he did not, at the last proceeding
general election, vote against any
nominee OF his party He shall fur
Their state under oath that he will,
during the time that he acts as such
committeeman, if permitted to vote
at the regular election, vote for and
support all of the nominees OF the
party for which he is to act. Such
oath, duly attested by the officer TAX
ing the same, shall be filed with the
clerk Of the circuit court of the coun-
ty in which the person taking such
oath resides, and be preserved by
him; and any person who knowingly
swears to any false statement in said
oath shall be guilty Of perjury, and
upon conviction thereof shall be con-
fined in the penitentiary for one
year, and shall be forever disquali-
fed from holding any position, OF
trust or profit in the state OF West
Virginia"
Prosecution for Perjury.
II this bill proposed by DR.. Hat
field had become law, no man al
filiated with the Progressive party
could act as member of any Re.
publican committee, whether such
committee be State, Congressional,
Senatorial, Judicial, County or Mag
isterial. There are several members
of the Republican state committee
not to speak of numerous members
OF other Republican committees, who
are supporters of Mr.. Roosevelt and
who will not support President Taft
Had the Hatfield primary bill become
a law they would have been subject
to prosecution for perjury and IL con
victed would have been sent to the
penitentiary and forever disqualified
from holding any Office OF trust o.
profit in the state. If any of then
had been guilty of voting against an!
nominee OF his party, he would have
been prohibited from sewing on an!
committee without running the risl
OF being prosecuted for perjury.
AS Mr.. Taft was nominated by thu
Republican party. persons of Roose
welt affiliations, those who refused t.
support Taft and gave their supper
to Roosevelt would, under the pro
visions of section II which reads
"He shall further state under oat
that he will, during the time that h