The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-08-08
Election Law Reforms. s.,

Elect1on Law Reforms.
we most respectfully recommend
to our nominees for the legislature
II they are elected. that they seek Il
provide such amendments to the elec.
tion laws of the state as will discour.
lage and prohibit, in as far us 1t Il
possible to do, corruption and brib
cry at the polls. To this end W,
would recommend as evidence in oul
belief in fair dealing at the polling
places, that in addition to the reg
ular election officers provided for. b,
the general laws of the state, tina;
any political party which has nc
representation on the election boards
may select representatives to act AZ
watchers, without pay. on the in
side OF the polling places, and that
when as many as ten voters of any,
precinct, demand. or request it, that
they! may also select watchers. whc
may have access to. the polling places
during the3balloting and the COUNT.
Ing of the votes, and that said watch
ers when thus appointed shall be-
clothed with authority TO arrest; any
voter or election official who may be
guilty of violating any election law
OF the state. We believe that such q
safeguard will have the effect, Of dis.
couraging and breaking up the
practice of bribery and corruption,
which is so often followed by collu.
sion of two or more officials Of differ
ent political parties, and that 1t will!
prevent the fraudulent Changing OF.
ballots after they are cast, and will
make stuffing Of ballot boxes impos.
sible. To prevent the padding Of,
poll books by using the names OF fic.
tttious voters we would recommend
that the poll clerks, in recording the
name OF voters be required TO Civ.
the street address, or residence, O.
each and every, voter SO that lilpo,
Investigation t4Gf legality Of SUCH vote
'aay, be tested .s6s..%. ,s, ~
,sMfGreeqmmend such amendments
70 the, election laws as, viii prohibit
thel practice. Of challengers and 9th
er election, Officers, from. handling
mrqney-at' the polls acting as party
workers or giving brihes to voters
/, !. Grand Jury Reform. '&a
we teHoNneey the too:cominou
praqGtisq Of padding grand jarics In
thei several counties, Of THE state, and
would recommend that the law ppo!
viding for the drawing OF grand jul
ries be so amended that partisan
clerks, when they belong to the same
political. partyTcannot select. or pier.
men for grand jury service with the
aim and purpose OF preventing In
dictments by fraudulent methods.
anu especially should this precaution
be exercised when charges of politi-
cal corruption are to be investigated
We would suggest that all grand ill.,.
rors be drawn by the CLERKS after nd
yerttsing the time of drawing, in the
presence OF witness; or that mem
Der OF another political party be
added TO the list of grand Jury COM
missioners where the two clerks Of
me- courts belong, TO 4 one political
party@D iIHstV.4 vi I,a64 II
Statewide Primary Election Law.
we favor a general statewide pril
mary election law Nand.iIrcduest;our
representatiweyin thei.lesislature I'D
make it'treiraimla and purpose to SCI
cure tlIeH passage of such a,law. mo-
yiding that nominations for offices
snail 'be'made'b all political parties
on the same day. thatiithey be con-
Quoted under the safeguards of tho
general election laws of the state
and that the expense OF holding the
same be borne by the public, there.
by giving the poor man the same on
portunity to be n candidate for 4
nomination that is now enjoyed by
those who are able to pay the entry
fee. which is at times, for sinister no.
litfcal purposes, made prohibitive TO
the man Of limited means.
Good Roads.
Realizing the Importance Of en-
conraging agriculture, and the gen.
~ u ~