The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-06-13
Innl Conrt of lhIs county.

inal Court of this county.
They should pledge themselves to
u bill providing for reform, In the
manner Of selecting jurics. II should
be made impossible to pack" jury
Tor any purpose.
They should be pledged to election
reforms.
If West Virginia wants reform in
the manner Of holding elections she
can get II II the election laws are
made In the interest of the voters
and not by the politicians.
Vote buying and selling is almost
Impossible without collision with
tleOfficials inside the election rooms.
The greatest election frauds are
made possible from the inside and
not the outside.
a corrupt election board can dis
franchise whole precinct and there
IL grave suspicion that such las been
done many times in Fairmont, IN
tho past.
Every politician knows how ii is
done. The officers appointing cleo
ton officials Rim this city have re-
fused TO appoint the election officers
selected by the committees and tho
Supreme Court has had TO step in
by mantlamus aud compel this recog-
milton Of law. But even wien ap.
roiutments are made according To the
Recommendations only two parties
have anything TO do with holding
tho elections. When an election Of
fetal is bought by the opposition. or
is IN collision with the opposition.
as Is now made possible with the tIuu-
bic alliance now prevalent here
abOuts, the other parties have moth
ing TO say although they may see or
believe that fragrant wrong is being
dope on the inside. There IS Il SIM
pie an dcasy way to forever put an
end to this damnahle practice, this
wholesale theft of the rights of citi-
zcns, this process of DISTINGUISHING
law-abidims citizens and taxpayers,
and it can he stopped by amending
the election law so as to permit all
political parties TO either be repre-
ScMtcd on election boards or TO have
watchers on the inside Of the clcc-
tiOn rooms. And 1t could even pro-
vide that as many as Ten agriGvcd cit
liens who suspicIoucd that the fair
thing was not being done on the in
side might put q watcher there to
see that the vote is properly Deposit
ed in the ballot box, that no stuff
ing" Is done, that no voting lists are
padded that no ballots are taken out
Of the bOx and changed after they
are deposited. and that they are prop
crly counted when the polls are
closed.
Is not this Offering a square deal
tc every voter? Can any party In
! or out Of power complain II the polls
are thus protected? Can they, com
plain If people are thus satisfied that
81 square deal is to be given at the
voting precincts:
We believe that no man who wants
an honest election and fair count can
complain ut such liberal election
law.
We believe that men can he elect
al to the legislature pledged to these
reforms.
DO We want honest elections? The
present laws are stringent enough
against offcnses. The penalties for
buying ana selling votes are heavy
enough. but these. penalties are, not
Inflicted because 1t is impossible To
5utch or convict those on the inside
when they shaVe formed collusion
to commit an election fraud.
Tile members Of the legislature
should also be pledged TO Il county
alary bill eliminating the large fees
hat are now paid county officials.
The people are strong enough Ia
get all these things II they will lay
IsidG partisan politics long enough
to get about these matters in "a lngi-
al manner. Think about 1t. Thor
act.