The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-14
PR|MAR|ESA CAME
FOR RICH MEN
THE OPINION OF STATE SEFA-
TOE HOUGH OF
wELLSBURG.
RELIEVES THAT STATE WIDE
PRIMARY Law SHOULD
BE CHANGED.
PROMINENT LEGISLATOR URGES
AN IMPORTANT
REFORM.

Hon. Elmer Hough of WellsburH.
member If the state senate from this
district was in tho city yesterday Tor
Il few hours. Mr.. lIouEh during tho las
session Of the Legislature made most
rnviablc record rs member OF tn|
State senate. He took :; lcadiaE par
In tho framing of good road Legislation
and the preparation Of the appr"pr'a't"n
bill and the revenue measures NAT.
mary election faw which he considers
TO be- essentially detective and VIII CHI
dcnr"r to hay some ch in;si,, maze H. a.
speaking with an lntcll!Scnccr rcporNT.
Mr.. IlouGh, said
! My Experience with tho state wide
primary has demonstrated Il great many
mary has merit. but it is absurd /" pre-
sent in the primaries of both parties
are cnncrrnrd. tickets with siNtY-hve or
seventy names on th"m and expect amy
Intelligent consideration To be given 10
! them. From the thought ! have given
to tho matter | am inclined To hcilcNC
that the combination Of the primary ana
the convention idea Will have me D'S'
results in securing candiuatrS. IcISpI'
ally | would not eliminate the primary
for such Offices rs the EnvcrnnrShip anu
tho United States S"nat"rShip. i "nu'H
max" Il primary ColnpuIS"T? rs ol'c't
condition arise in which primaries arc
unnecessary. ! intend To try TO frame
n bill that will give To party committees
q choice bet wccn the primary mctl','l
and thr convention method. lhihk.
MOREOVER. that all state Offices "th"T
than the governor should he nuininat"d
hv conventions and In many gases cor
rcntionS will give us better results i3r
both congressional and Legislative n"iIi-
inrrS.
WINGED thai the most Of the objections
To- he old conventions arose from. INC r.
regular proceedings connected win lhr
selection Of delegates 10 tho cnnvrnti"n
| think precision for mhgiStcrial PR
marics for tho election Of delegates Ia
the convention. and throwing abnuS ~.
those primaries the projection law Will
secure US very satisfactory rrSul -. l.
nm anxious I" sec some legislation ~
other public man VIII" has watched ne
opera ton nf the primary during the Ia. {
few years will hr nf the same MIND.
Under ordinary circumstances inc ""1
primaries are operated in most states
they arr mostly Il rich mans. game
Tho man Of moderate means cannot as
pirr fur public Office in Il state IKE
; West Virginia. and hr has absolutely
no chance whn;cv"r for fair consider
utiun Of his qualities and claims without
n large expenditure of money. TN" PR
marirS also operate tn p"rpctuhlc III ~
ncc. minor officials whu have been f"r-
tunatr enough to secure Il large amount
Of ADVERTISING. and To have built up an
organization thereby.
Legislative Reform.
Il have nutirrt.' said Mr.. Tough. -! NJ
| editorial in tho lnIclligcnrcr, proposing
! n reform in thr legislature. ] am con-
vinccd that this is a good idea and hope
10 -" it wnrk"d out. our l"Eisiatur"*
| are unw'rldy in size. They have on
! ,ir"ly ton littl" time Ia do their work
and the compensation paid Ia the m"!n-
, brr.; is ridiculous. y reduction in ti''
membership I" about nnr-third Of the
present number. very Liberal increase
( in IN" salary and provision for longer
sessions would. | am sure. pr"'lu"" good
results"