Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-01-31

years ago l did not advocate pres
idential preference primary Law, but
do not hesitate to make such rec
,ommendation at this time. think
this primary election law should
provide for the nomination of all
candidates Of all parties, including
candidates for United States Senator
and an expression Of preference of
the voters for candidates for pres
ident 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 minority of the votes This,
think, can be avoided by providing
for 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 cad the
other as his second choice, and the
candidate whose aggregate of first
and second choice votes is greater
becomes the NOMINEES OF his party for
that oRiee In some states they pro.
vide fer. even "a third and fourth
cheice, but that makes it more diff
cult fori The voter and believe it
would be best to only provide for d
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 thoae who are
willing to take chances on the viola
ton Of the law. ! think an act Of
this kind should provide that any vot-
er who sells his franchise should be
deprived Of its 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 nomlna-
ton thereby gained and he ought to
be made ineligible, at least for q
time, to be candidate for any off
ice or to hold any office.
Agriculture and Good Roads.
l suppose there has not been a
message sent to the legislature since
the formation Of the state that did
hot call attention to the Importance
of agriculture And yet | am afraid
that agricultural conditions in this
itate are probably worse today, than
they were twenty years ago. TN
doubtedly We have not kept pace
with other states of equal possibiIit-
les The creation of the office OF
Commissioner OF Agriculture by the
last legislatur WAS a step in the right
direction He is given large powers
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-
ion of societies and associations for
the purpose cf improving and devel-
1ping 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
to that office at the recent election
is an intelligent and enthusia site
farmer. He will bring to the Office
\ knowledge of the subject and an
experience that will make him 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
struction 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
can find about twodhirds Of all the
foodstutfs nov raised in our State
are consumed on the farm and ac.
cording to the Board of Regents at
least sixty-five per cent Of the food
stuH's consumed by people in the
towns and cities is imported Indeed,
it is said that we are expanding prac-
tically fifty millions of dollars 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 $1,727,46S.O5 or about 1923 of the
amount we paid for imported food
st lfls for the same period, feel