West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-02-18


OF suffrage with the greatest posubl,
sanctity Is fully reflected in two speeches
made BY Senator Fred Fox Of Braxton,
the minority leader In the Senate. Sena-
tor Fox expressed the attitude of the
Democrats on the corrupt practice bill
when l,e said: ION behalf OF the minority
In this chamber, desire to say that
while We intend 10 vote for this bill we
do not feel that We ought to permit our
votes to be 30 recorded without a word of
explanation.
ION yesterday we presented our ideas
OF what we thought ought to appear ia
this bill. The gentlemen on the other
side oil the chamber did not agree with
our ideas and therefore we are confronted
with the necessity either OF placing our
selves against any corrupt practice act or
vote for this bill with an explanation. !.
I'VE are in favor of a corrupt practice
act and we are in favor OF great manv
OF the provisions of this act; but there
are two provisions, especially, to which
we most seriously object, and in voting
Tor this bill we desire to point out those
objections. One is that We are opposed
to the expenditures which this bill lepa.
Lies. Our contention Is that they are
too high; that il we are to have a corrupt
practice act that will reach the point 70
which we are directing our efforts, those
expenditures should have been made
much lower than they are. We are also
opposed to that provision in the bin
which legalizes the employment OF paid
workers at the polls. Our view is that
in the politics of this state there is no
place for paid worker at the polls ON the
part OF any candidate or party. With
this explanation vote AYE"
The attitude OF the minority toward
the primary bill was also fully touched
upon by Senator Fox in the following re.
marks; II desire to explain my vote on
this bill and have my remarks inserted
in the journal. / am authorized in max
ing this exploration, to say that the re-
marks shall represent the views of the
minority in this chamber. We propose
to vote for this bill, but in doing 40 to
enter our protest against certain provi.
sion contained therein especially that
provision which applies to to the assess.
ment OF candidates who desire to enter
these primaries. Our view is that this
primary election law enacted for all the
people OF the state, ought to be entirely
free to any person who desires to become
candidate; that there should not he
anything in the way fl ianciaI or orther-
wise, of any party who Is legally entitled
to hold office in this state having his
claims passed upon by the electors of the
party to which he belongs.
we are opposed to that provision of
the law which in its effects prevents all
oil the smaller party organizations in this
state from enjoying the privilege of enter
ing into these primaries. We contend
that certain parties in this state, which
ut the last general election cast less than
fve per cent of the vote OF the state, are
AS much entitled to the benefits of this
act as the larger parties, and to that pro-
vision OF the bill, cutting out these par.
ties from its privileges, We object.
I'VE also deplore the fact that the
gentlemen on the other side resisted A
provision for carrying into effect of our
efforts to have an initiative proposition
embodied in this bill. We believe that
there should be provision enab ling the
citizens OF this state, of the different
parties, to initiate the candidacy of any
persons in these primaries. That provi-
sion not being in the bill, we desire to
call attention to the TACT that the mino, ity
made an honest effort to place in the
Dill. There are other objections TO the
Dill which We might enumerate, but il
VIII take more time, think, than this
Senate wants to give us, and it will serve
no good purpose
Numerous bills now being passed no
the legislature vesting certain powers in
the Governor which when considered
separately are Of perhaps little signifi-
canoe, are when coupled with other bills.
oil good deal of import to the people of
the State because they give to a state
executive power which in the hands of
any INSCRIPTIONS man would be absolute
~ destructive OF sell government. and
they strike at the very roots of Republi.
can form of government. One of them
IS House Bill No. 1872 which permits the
Governor to appoint members OF the
county court OF any county in case of a
vacancy. Through the County Courts
the Governor can control the election
machinery of the State. Another sucb
Dill is the Williamson ripper bill which
clothes the Governor with power to name
hve commissioners for the city of William
son. Another is that provision in the
Public Service Commission bill which
iorbids more than public utility corpora
ton OF the same character in any place
without the consent OF the Commission
Still another is that provision Of IN.
Public Service Commission bin which
constitutes the Governor as jndve. Jury
and prosecutor in tie removal of com
missioners. These powers are being
asked for, are being insisted upon and
all efforts made IN abrid9e sdch powers
are resisted by administration forces.
Efforts we're made by the minority Of
the Senate and few Republicans 10 hold
down salaries last week but the admiuis
tration forces fixed the salary OF The
Secretary Of the Public Service Commits
sion at 5000 year. Instead Of reduc-
ing salaries now 80 prevalentiy large. the