The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-15
.URGE AMENDMENTS
! TO ELECTION LAWS
FAIR ELECTIONS SOCIETY or
NINTH DISTRICT HOLD
MEETING.
IMMUNITY TO BOTH
ONE GRANGE WOULD ALLOW BRls
BIER AND BHIBED TO GIVE
EVIDENCE AGAINST EACH
OTHER.

The committee appointed sometime
since by the Fair Election society OF
tho Ninth congressional district OF
Virginia to draft amendments to- the
election laws met at Murphy's hotel
yesterday afternoon. Those present
were Senator r.. +. Buchanan rep
reeensa,ise). John w Chaikiey trep-
/ reese ntative). A.. r. Lincoln tsenatorl,
j. Powell Royal and a. r.. Buliett
They adopted resolutions approving
the following bills, and urging the
legislature TO pass them.
/. a bill 10 amend an l re-enacf Sec
| ton ssb3 Of the code OF Sirg ma, In
trodaeed by Messrs. Chaikley and Rob-
ertson at the last fession. but not
passed.
The section amendei is the section.
in the code prohibiting bribery Of
voters at eIections, and The object Of
the amendment 10 merely to make 1t
entirely clear that either the braber.
or the person brihed, can be made to
give evidence against the other, and
that upon SO doing he shall be i'm
mune from punishment for any of
Tense committed by him In connection
! with the same election.
Composition Of Board.
Q. A bill to amend and re-enAct
I section section Ga OF the code OF. Hir-
ginias
This In the section of the code which
provides for the appointment Of the
electoral boards, and OF the Judges
and clerks OF election. The object
OF the amendment is to allow the ma
sority and minority parties to recom-
mend three candidates tor the cleo
toral board each, and to require tha
judge To appoins the members OF the
electoral hoard from the candidates
recommended. unless good cause be
shown against such candidates. and
providing. further. that two members
Of the electoral board shall be selected
from the majority party, and one from
the minority party. and. likewise, that
the two leading parties shall havo
the right to recommend candida ten for
judges and clerks Of election, and thAt
recommended. the majority party ~
have two judges and one clerk. and
the minority party 10 have one judMa
and one clerk. This bill was likewise
introduced by Mr.. Chaikley ut the lAst
session. but failed Of passage.
5. A bill to make 1t misdemeaTlor
to give. lend, advance or furnish
money. knowing that the same h 20
be used in the payment Of tho poll
vide punishment therefor.
eseiety DAviAeA.
On this propagation the committee
was divided. but 1t was passed By =
majority vote. Tho bill recommended
Ii practically tho same 10 the one 1ns
troduced by Mr.. Montague Mt tho last
session.
The committee recommended also
that . bill be introduced amending
and re-enacting sections I, : and OF
what is known az the Barksdale law.
The chief features OF the amendments
are an follows:
a. The amendment makes II Z mis-
demennor to pay money to another Tor
the purpose Of getting some other per-
son 10 influence or try to inhuenc6
voters
In the prosecutions in the Ninth dis.
trict for illegal voting. defense was
frequently made on the ground that
money paid to voter had not been
paid to him to influence hts vote but
for his days work In behalf Of 4 can
didAte, and 1t was a.qacstion for thA
jurtes to decide whether it was really
paid for his vote or for his week,
The amendment win relieve the c6urtss
ana juries Of this difficulty and. fur
therfnore. makes II . crime to pay
money to another to work for cana
ttidate, even II the money IL bona adss
paid for his work and not to influence
hia vote. ne
/ s. The garksdaie act WAS not clear
as to the purposes for which q can.
didate or his friend could iegttimately
spend money, The amendment ssAi<e
TO make this clear and provides N.
frmativeiy the purposes for which
money may be spent the Intent being
to allow candidate to spend m0aSy B
fer the parpoAe of educating ana H.
ffucnrtuH v0ttfs BY GEEWMenf6, adVefss
ttsementA clrculArA pubic apsaIkiAn IL
md Ia eyefy other l1gttimnta waJs &