The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1916-11-24
POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS
ARRnentD BY hatfield
Desperate and Unseruplous Efforts
to Get Psssessiea Of Executive
Machinery Of West Virginia Ap-
Parestly Has Sueeeeded--Bn-
berry, Open lsiinidaiion and
Open Repeating,

Charleston, W. Va. Nov. u.-Two
brief meetings Of the West Virginia leg
islature, called into extra ses-ion b.,
Governor ii ID. Hatfield for the purpc-.
of amending the election laws and pro-
yiding for All Investigation into the cher
ges Of fraud growing oct Of the election
on November Z, last, were held today.
The governors narsssge wss read in both
houses at the opening session, which All
j,urnesi immediately aiter~ards To- ~
convene later, when the organization
was psrfefted and eight Of the bills 10y
which tie state executive hopes to carr.
out his program were introduced
One OF the firss acts OF the Legislature
Vas the amending oi the rules which
governed the session Of 1915, 80 that com
plete control OF business MAS placed I'm
the hands OF the majority, which sd
minlstration leaders declared would shut
oil any possibility OF filibuster, rither ~
the senate or the house. In order to
simplify the work OF the session a resp
intion We adopssd preS,dlnx ior the ap-
pointment in the senai< of a comrpitt-
II eleven which Will he in charge of IA.
business to he transacted. This CON-
mittee will take the place Of ali commi.
tees except the one On privileges al q
electiops.
In his message Governor Hatfield ar
raigned political corruption, whirh, n l.
charged, was prevalent in the election II
November Z, and recommended snend-
ments 10 the electioa laws which he hope.
viii remedy the situation.
by nIetlrods as reprehensible a. the,
are corrupt, by bribery, open intifnida
ton, and open Repeating oi unlawful yo-
ters IN certain counties of the state" thu
governor SAID In hrs niesssgc, "a de-per.
ate and unscrupulOus effort To get pr~-
session OF the executive mzchiney of thu
state apparently has succeeded. Invest
CATION Will be made that citizens of We-i
Virginia may know just hO~ bad thsss
conditions really are. Ii has come o.
ny e'ee ~ - Sic purpose Ol
those who have made efforts u SEIZE. al
all costs, for thesr own base Uses. the ex-
ecutye power Of the STATE, to ruthlersly.
and IN violation OF all law, continue tier
purpose by contesting the seats Of the
duly elected Republican officials ami
wrongfuily dePnvIng them OF t,seir oiiier,
% removing appOinuve officials, with
liked terms Of Oilice, regardless of iitne--
or former service u Tire state. and by
Other similar ats suDversive 90 good
government, and S,ntr4ry " the ,eIfare
Vi the state.
Il believe my plain duty after reading
oi sacn revolutionary thr.at. from On,
Who sspires - lie governor, " risk Do
chance Of what the Iuture has in store
tor those who have resp0n-sDe e.e,tIv.
and sppointive p,sitions"
kepJrt- are curr-st % the eject that
fund of sl0,Vv all t- available o. ~.
- the lobbyists see nc IN sB attempt L
Vtsts net ali legislation. NJ sttesnut A.
bribery OF k-puD.Iczn memi~r. h.v.
teen reported aud clo-- ~atch = being
kept for such action.
Ibs alleged lobby - Oi,sirnct lezria-
ton y ssid o. have among it- memser-
DemOcrstic slate Chairman T.. l.. ~ha.
yer, OF fsrInOnt; tseOrgr Neal. 81
HontIngtOD; Charles ". O@nt n. Of
fsyestevilie, democrats ami JAMES A
Hughes, of Huntington, formerly Re,ni,-
ilcsn congre--msn. There are said o. -.
d' zen- Of le-er hgi,ts on the srouna
ready b. do t.r bidding - tire wat~on.
CDrn~sll msciIDe.
Az the -e--i"n late this afternoon. fol-
lowing . k~publicsn conference, hill-
we're intro-luoe'i showing to- inc of leg
islstion the Repabllcsn- pr"rO-e o. pa--.
Tbe-e bills we're considered by the H.
publican Bem'er- of bpth branches To-
day
None Of the-e bills in any Wy sbeare-
tie governor of bs power Of appoint
ment or removal. They simply give elec-
tive officers IN cs-e OF consest and sp-
pointive officers in case of st,empted re-
movsl the right Of appeal W the -uprpme
couS, from tho arbitrary hndine Of .
"crumhesd' court which srsslss ell con-
Sssas of state officerx