The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-01-02

preIDe court OF appeals, Candidates fOr
Judge OF the circuit court and candi-
dates for Judge Of the criminal or In
termediate court and such candidates
as are to be voted for at hpecial cleo
ton to fill vacancies, presidential can
dldates and electors, and candidates
for Office to be filed by cities,
towns or villages Of less than 5000 in
habitants) shall be nominated by d.
rect primary election"
This election will include nomina-
ton OF candidates for United States
senator, congressman, governor, audi
tor, secretary OF state. state treasur-
err, ETC., state executive committee,
state senatorial, judicial and congress
sional committeeman, sheriff, assessor.
prosecuting attorney, county commit
tee. Justices Of the peace and con-
stables and delegates to the national
convention.
Committees Defined.
The various committees are defined
as follows:
state executive committee: Two
members from each senatorial dis
trict, the committee to select three
members at large.
Congressional executive committee:
One member from each county.
An act, intended to eliminate fraud
from West Virginia elections, and
which goes hand in hand with the pri-
mary act, to be tried for the first time
next June, in what is called the Cor
rupt practices" act.
It defines In minute detail certain
practices characterized as corrupt"
and provides drastic penalties all the
way from Acknowledgement to fines
of $4,000, Jail sentences and dlsbar-
ment from Office.
1t protects candidates from solicit
tation by persons who want to use
their money in the election or for
other multitudinous purposes.
Also it provides for the keeping Of
expense accounts by each candidate,
and financial agent Of political COM
mittee, and directs that such candi-
dates or agents shall file two sworn
statements, with the secretary of state
or county clerk, as the case may be.
The first Of these must be filed not
less than seven days nor more than
fifteen days prior to the primary and
the second not less than thirty days
after the primary.
The act provides expressly what a
candidate may spend his money for,
but limits the total amount to be
spent by each candidate. For instance,
a candidate for the United States SEN
ate may not spend more than $75 in
each county, even for lawful purposes.
The schedule for maximum expenses
is as follows:
u. S. senate (per county ...$ IS
State office (per county, -. rs
Congress (per county, ...... rs
Legislature per county, -. 1875
County office ............... 200
other offices (per district =. 200
| Lawful Expenditures.
This section defines for what can
didate may spend his money:
Section 10-No candidate, financial
agent or treasurer of political COM
mit.ee shall pay, give or lend or agree
to pay, give or lend, either directly
or indirectly, any money or other
thing Of value, for any election eX-
penses, except for the following pur-
poses:
Flrst-For rent maintenance and
furnishing of offices to be used as po-
litical headquarters and for the pay
ment Of necessary clerks, stenograph-
ers, typewriters, janitors and messen-
gers actually employed therein.
Second-For printing and distrib-
uting books, pamphlets, circulars and
other printed matter relating 10 po-
litical issues and candidates, and
painting, printing and posting signs,
banners and other advertisements.
Third-For renting and decorating
halls for public meetings and political
conventions, for advertising public
meetings and for the payment and
transportation Of speakers and musi-
clans at such meetings.
Fourth-For the necessary travelling
and hotel expenses Of candidates, po-
litical agents and committees, and
for stationery, postage, kilograms, tel
ephone. express, freight and public
messenger service.
Fifth-For preparing, circulating
and filing petitions for nomination of
candidates.
Sixth-For examining the lists Of
registered voters, investigating the
right to vote of persons listed there
in, and conducting proceedings to pre-
vent unlawful registration or voting.
Seventh-For conveying iniirm OF
disabled voters to and from the polls.
Every liability incurred and pay
ment made shall be at rate and for
a total amount which is proper and
reasonable and fairly commensurate
with the services rendered.
Here are some Of the things which
are forbidden:
Corrupt Practices.
Section 12-The following persons
shall be deemed guilty OF corrupt
practices and upon conviction shall
be punished in accordance with the
provisions Of this act.
(a) Any person, other than finan-
cial agent or member of political
committee, duly appointed and desig-
mated as provided in this act, who
shall solicit from any candidate for
nomination or election to any public
office any money, gift, contribution,
emolument or valuable thing, for the
support, assistance, benefit or expense
of any person or persons, society, as
ISOLATION, or for any other purposes
except as herein provided, or for the
expenses of any primary or other cleo