The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-11-21
Legislative Program IS Not.
What They Sol Loudly Cried
Out That It Would Be.
BOTH HOUSES ARE UNITED
Legislation to Be Enacted Vgiil
Prevent Democratic Theft
Of Minor State Offices.
tsrEe,Ar 70 T4r TTLronAs,,

CHARLESTON. W.. Va. Nov.
Democratic leaders and neWspn-
pers who have set up the cry that
the governor called the legislature to-
meet In extraordinary session. IN or
der to perpetuate q Hatfield ma
chine IN otEce. and to shear Gov
ernor-elect CornweIl Of his powers,
We're sorely disappointed when ut the
opening days session. it wna proved.
us heretofore declared by Governor
Hatfield and other Republican Lead
ers. that the purpose or the session
Is only to protect the Inherent II ghts
Of Republicans elected and appointed
to Office from arbitrary political rape
and to amend the primary election.
and registration laws, so as to COR,
rect existing flaws In those laws.
At the session late Monday afternoon
following Republican conferences
bills We're introduced showing the
line of legislation the RenubIis
will ennct. None of these bills "a
my way shears the governor
his power of appointment or
moyal but simply give elective 81
GERS In cGse Of contest, and
Dointlve officers In case OF attempted
removal, the right Of appeal to ttI
supreme court from the arb ftfaTs
findings of a ''drnmhead court
which settles all cases Of state off
GERS.
Under the present law, when
state elective officer ta conteste
being declared elected the case
to be heard and finally determined
by a special court, one to be apputnts
ed by the person declared eIected
one by the contestant and d third
tho goeyrnor. Under this law t1f
Democrats threatened to remove
Republicans elected to state 0ffape
IA bill introduced ut THIS sesst ON "a
the person contested the ri ght OF ans
peal to the supreme court Ills he
Ing the only chang PROPOSES the
law.
Under present laws, goyernpr
can remove elective and appotntiy
officers before their terms expire A
bill provides the right Of appeal r
such cases to the supreme court and
prevents the governor from dlling
the vacancies until the contest IS
finally decided.
A bill was oduced that has tnt
1t tpurposes the amending Of the regiss
ltratfon law changin ng the registration
of voters on e1ectt lon day as was done
in the recent election and which re-
suited in gross fraudsS in some co1ne
ties.
Another bill intends to amend the
primary election law to email snninot-
fty parties such as the Socialist
party to have az ticket In the primary
election. There iB consid derab1e Aenbe
ment In favor Of repeating the prt=
mary law altogether. but 1eadera he
lieve that u satisfactory Law can ne
agreed upon.
Such Is the pro gram ofa a1egfaIa tIon
by the Democrats as reye-
After learning the pru-
gram the Democratic leaders. who
have been sos cioua In Sth heiT attacks.
had tile to say, but admtt tied ttat
no fair person could object 10 amy
OF the bills introduced.
The Repub1 leans of# he house and
senate are united III heir support of
the esprogram ant dsvote ed solfdIy IN the
testSYo otes taken In the two houaes.
while the Democratic Opposition Is
In the senate the vote
was eighteen to nine while IN the
house the vote was gorty=ntne TO
twenty-five.
u The Repub 1ican caucus was adj
dressed by governor field e1-Goy@
ernor, White and United
States Senato ator-a1ect Howard Suthef
land. all Of whom gave the progtam
AA44Ekk
will Gust every Repnbli-
can possible was shown by their at,-
ton oday I'm r1testing the Seats OF
three Repub b1fcanS members OF each
house. Ia the senate Democratic
Leader Fox offered RESOLUTIONS to de
clare vacant the seats OF Senator
A. Bliss sMcCrum OF Preston s. O.
Billings, OF Tucker. and e. Dennis
steed, of Lincoln, because these
members have accepted state posi=
lions since the last sessions.
ii In the house resoIuh tons were of
Tered Intended TO declare vacant che
seats Of Delegates L. lyerhart. OF
Upshur. because Of alleged removal
man, OF Grant, and carIeton G.
OF Preston. because they have
accepted minor state positions. no
action was taken on the reso1u 1utione.
hey going over for aonesday.