Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-18
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS
ARE OFFICERS or STATE
- such. Must File Statements of
Their Expenses With Secretary
OF Commonwealth.
ATTORNEY GENERAL Decides
huiing Is Given ut Request of Carr
ter Glass, National Comniittc cman
From Virginia, and Strict Compile
ancc Is Requested.

Attcr ruling that Il presidential clcc-
tor in Virginia is deemed under the
law. II state officer, Attorney General
John Garland Pollard yesterday sent
I" each uf the states twelve electors
Il copy of the opinion. which was given
at tn" request of Representative Car
ter Glass. national committeeman. and
urged them. in view ot the cluScncSs
Of the presidential election. 10 .ilc AT
once their expense accounts with tho
Secretary Of the Commonwealth. as is
required by the Virginia statute Of all
stat" officers. The law gives them un-
~ December Z, or thirty days after
thr election. IT, Tile these accounts.
1t has been contcndcd in some quar-
'crS that a presidential clcctur. Ivy rca-
son Of his duties, * not a State officer
hut IN agent of the United states. In
diSposinG Of this argument, Mr.. Pollard
quotes the following excerpt from an
opinion handed down by Justice Gray.
of the United States Supreme Court.
i'll 4 case which arose in South liich-
moud:
The sole function Of presidential
electors is to cast, certify and transmit
the v"t" "f the state fo- President and
Nicc-rrcSidcnt OF the natio'I. ALTHOUGH
the electors arc appointed. and act nm :
dor and pursuant to the Constitution
Of the United states. they are no more
officers or agents Of the United States
than are the members Of the state
Legislatures when acting % electors
OF Federal Senators, q. tia e--nDlc OF
the states when actif.< as r.,-tstors of
Representatives in CC.,rrcs..'
WRITES LETTER TO
ALL TWELVE F:lECrORS
The Attorney letter to the
electors reads as follows:
AT the request OF Hon. Carter
Glass. the Virginia member OF the Ma :
tional Democratic Committees am
taking the liberty Of suggesting to
YOU. rs presidential elector, that. rs :.
matter OF precaution. you proceed n,
once to file your expense account with
the Secretary Of the Commonwealth.
under the provisions Of Virginia code.
1905. section li5a.
opinion that il has been decided that
a pres idcntial elcctor * Il Stat" officer
and YOU will observe by consulting
the aforementioned statute that all
state officers are required Within thirty
DAYS after thar election to make out
and file With the officer or board en-
powered by law to issue their ceriif-
Gates OF election, u statement at cN
pcnscs duly sworn to. and that = dupli
cate thereof must he filed with tho
clerk of the county or corporation
court Of the city in which the caudi-
date iisidcs.
The act also provides IN section I
that no officer or board authorized by
law To issue commissions "r rcrtiii-
Gates OF election shall issue amy such
certificate or commission 10 any such
person until such statement and oath
shall have iccn 50 made, verified and
ilcd by such persons with said officer.
The closcncss OF the presidential
election makes il important that this
statement lie filed at once. For your
convenience. ann sending YOU. from
the Office nf the Secretary Of tho
commonwealth. forms provided by him
for such statements. la ease YOU have
made no expenditures, that fact should
he set out aud duly sworn to-"