Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-02-01

years age I did not advocate a pres
ldential preference primary law, but
/ do not hesitate to make such a rec.
ommendation at this time. | think
this primary election law should
provide for the nomination OF all
candidate Of all parties, including
candidates for United States Senator
and an expression OF a preference Of
the voters for candidates for pres.
tdent and vice president OF the Unit
ed States, on the same day, held by
one set OF election officials. and the
result certified and returned just as
the result is certified and return
made in the general election. One OF
the dangers of a primary election
law is the nomination OF candidates
by a minority of the votes. This. 1
think. a be avoided by providing
for a first and second choice. That
is done in this way: The voter votes
for TWO candidates for the same off
ice, one as his first choic easd the
other as his second choice, and the
candidate whose aggregate of first
and second choice votes is greater
becomes the nominee OF his party for
that Office. In some states they pro,
vide for even a third and fourth
choice, but that makes it more diff
cult for the voter and / believe it
would be best to only provide for a
first and second choice at this time.
Corrupt Practices Law.
One of the things badly needed in
West Virginia is a stringent corrupt
practices law. The Act OF 1908 is not
satisfactory except to those who are
willing to take chances on the viola
tlon, of the law. ! think an act of
his kind should provide that any vot-
er who sells his franchise should be
deprived OF it's use, five years for the
first offense and for life for the sec
ond offense. And any candidate who
violates the law should not only be
punished by fine and Imprisonment
but he ought also to lose any nomina;
ion thereby gained and he ought to
be made ineligible. at least for q
time, to be a candidate for any off
ice or to hold any Office.
Agriculture and Good Roads.
/ suppose there has not been a
message sent to the legislature since
the formation of the state that did
iot call attention to the importance
VI agriculture. And yet am afraid
that agricultural conditions in this
state are probably worse today, than
they were twenty years ago, I'm
ioubtedly we have not kept pace
With other states of equal pc ssibilit-
les. The creation of the office OF
Commissioner of Agriculture by the
last elegislatut; was a step in the right
Il ltlGtllOl- 4 L To oiNkh A&i6SN
1T will be his duty to look after and
devise means of advancing the agri.
cultural interests of the state and to
promote and encourage the organiza-
don of societies and associations for
! the purpose of improving and deyel-
oping the agricultural, horticultural
and kindred interests. He is also
charged with the duty of inducing
capital and immigration to come into
This state. The gentleman elected
10 that office at the recent election
IS an intelligent and enthusiast
farmer. He will bring to the Office
4 knowledge of the subject and an
experience that will make him a safe
leader for those interested in agri,
cultural pursuits. | believe that the
powers and duties OF his office should
be so enlarged as to induce the con.
s~truction and maintenance of better
roads. 1t is hardly possible to i'm
prove our agricultural conditions to
any great extent unless We also i'm
prove our public highways.
According to the best statistics |
cam final about twodhlrds, OF all the
toodstuffs nov raised ia our State
are consumed on the farm and ac-
cording to the Board of Regents at
least sixty-ive pei cent. of the food.
stuhs consumed by people in the
towns and cities is imported. Indeed,
it is said that we are expanding prac-
tically fifty millions of dollars a year
for imported food. The figures are
alarming. For the year 1912, the net
amount disbursed by the state for
the support OF the state government
IS s1,7z7,4GS,0 oil about 1-29 of the
amount we paid for imported food
ST lifts for the same period. | feel
certain that II we would spend Is of