The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-05
rHREE STARS m our CROWN.


With the passage OF the corrupt
practices act now pending in the leg
isiature. West Virginia have
stepped out from among els galaxy OF
states 70 stand alone, unique in three
important achievements,
In 1909 the West Virginia legisla.
ture enacted d law aimed at the prac.
tice OF carrying gdeadlysw weapons. This
law, the most drastic ever made
effective In any state, wcni imme-
date recognition throughout the
country. It has, in its operation,
fully ytdicated the Judgment Of Its
patrons. IL has not entirely elimin-
ated the practice Of carrying deadly
weapons, but It has reduced the num-
Der Of cases to o very narrow minim-
UNI, and II has, In a corresponding
measure, reduced fruitful source
Of murder. In short, West Virginia,
for almost six years. has been living
under q law which penalties In tho
severest form the practice of carry.
Ing deadly weapons, and SO satisfac.
tory have been the results obtained
that no effort TO amend the law, with
the view Of abating its force, could
command respectable support.
In 1911 the legislature of West yir.
ginia submitted a constitutional
amendment forbidding the manufac.
ture or sale OF Intoxicating liquors
within the borders of the state. In
1912 the voters ratified this amend
ment by majority SO Overwhelming
as TO surprise the people Of the whole
nation, none more so than those who
had fought for ratification, with hope
Of success. II was said that no pro.
hfbition law could be enforced. This
was aid with apparent good reason,
since, prior to the trial of Sprohibition
In West Virginia, no prohibition Law
ever had been given more than In
different enforcement. Here again
West Virginia came forward with q
law which had no precedent among
the prohibition states, and so drastic
In its provisions as to attract nation.
wide attention. The state which had
successfully enforced tho most dras-
tic pistols oting law known to the no.
tion. WAS about to embark upon an.
other radical experiment, the doubt
ers said. But West Virginia went
ahead. Scoffers have been put TO
scorn. Doubters have been con-
WINGED and those unfriendly to pro,
hfbition have become reconciled to
the inevitable in the form Of pal
pable condition, which in effect says
that whether they like 1t or not, West
Virginia Is going to be dry. The law.
already stern In its provisions, Is
being rendered more SO by amend
ments, and court decisions have
sealed the last loopholes. West vir.
ginia Is going to be as nearly pro-
hibition State as law and vigilance
can render any state.
Another fruitful source OF evil, anil
certainly one OF the most democrat
izing Influences with which any state
or nation has ever had to contend.
IS corruption in politics, the. buying
and selling OF votes, debauchery OF
the electorate, and the making Of
fraudulent returns. West Virginia Ia
about TO add to the most drastic pis-
tol law and the most drastic prohi.
billion law a corrupt practices law,
stern In Its mandates and well calcu-
lated to uproot the evil at which It
is aimed. The first two of these laws
found inception In public sentiment,
and the same sentiment which gave
them birth has given them enforce.
ment and made them effective. The
corrupt practices act now in process
i perfection is a child of public sen.
Eiment, too. and sitswill, we have no
ioubt, prove as effective in pursuit
les own part ocular mission, as have
cher two In this trinity of stern
sirS the curling OF three of
saransa.ltss vices which are eat.
Ing Into the heart OF the body polite.
There lis a sentiment in West Vir.
gnia which says that men shall no
longer be herded and Their SURFACES
disposed OF as chattels. There is a
healthy demand for cleaner politics.
This sentiment has become the DOM
inant factor among the thinking men
and women Of the State, and 1t has
found expressionsi I'm the measure nov
before the legislature,
The enforcement OF the johnson
pistol law, the prohibition law and
the corrupt practices law will strike
nightly at D trinity of evils VIII h
have been closely correlated as {
moralizing influences in West Y1r.
ginia.-Herald: Dispatch.
Neutrality Is a good thing-as long
y ~ iioAtss