The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-16
EPISTOL VAR
Confined from page one)

nd vas anxious 20 give you my view.
Iu1l d detail, but for some reason
|II lIl not avail yourself Of the op
oIIun|ly thus afforded. and n you
.1I luno-GO think could have con
IIncll y0u that the act in question
II not AFFORD the West Virginia sol
'.Ir end sailors "ealled % the colorg'
~ IlIht % franchise.
TIE vote O. the primary IS not the
EI|1 way o. making nominations 'oI
Me-: there % another method set og'
- uhioh nominations may be made
UI'rh are entitled TO so upon the Of
1cI1l ballot for the general election
VIM 90 much legality. sanctity and
Iolto q those made by the ballots
east q TIE primary, and 20 ignore tn.
m9lhod by having the ballot comm.s
UIontf8 % make up the official ballri
q Dool 90 the results OF the primar
afo oOcoTtained would be legal rap
q re political rights OF q large an
respectable par Of the electorate. Sec
uonS ; and q Of the present primaTy
Nv expressly pOVide how such nom!
nations may be made afte the primary
~ certificates or certificates signe.
tya certain percentage OF legal voters
md tho voters who participated in the
primary are prohibited from partici
Dating n making nominations IN thi.
giy under severe penalties This Ger
hllcato Of voters, or certificates. q
ne case may be, shell be filed with r
Iho time and with the same Office
q q described by law for the max
- % the official ballot, and all can
ialoS nominated by the signing
luch certificates. shall have the.
oames paced on the Official ballot a.
candidates, otherwise nominated un
Ter the provisions OF this act
Now what Is the time described BY
NV for fling such certificates will
ne proper officers? Section "a, chap
- 5, acts third extraordinary session
4 The legislature. 1916. tour present
Urinary law, provides:
IAN provisions OF chapters three
lnd five Of the Code OF West Wright
% Car % the same are not in conf
Win and are not modified by this
hall 80 far as they are germane
~ 10 and are hereby made app
De % the primary election"
Certificates Of nominations must
ned q least twenty days before O.
lay fixed By aW for the election. S.
IeetlOn g. chapter OF Hogs Code
olS, and this Is the time fined by law
b. that purpose What other tim,
prescribed BY law? should BIZ
realty pleased II It should be pointed
Ut 70 me. The Supreme Court Of this
tate has held that the voters have
BE- right to nominate candidates fol
dllco and file evidence Of such nomina
ions OF and including the twentie''
az before election The prima'
lection law, as amended in 1916 doc
0t specifically provide when certi'
alos OF nomination must be filed. bu
haptof Of the Code. as set out aboy.
loos apply so far as germane and mad.
ppllcablo TO our present law. The
ne for nominations Is not. therefore
Used until twenty days before the
sctlon day.
L 8 true there Is no time fixed by
etute when the ballot commissioners
han make up the ballots, but they
eftalnly would not be warranted II
lfepafing the ballots for the gone
lection before the time 10 rail- no
'atlOna was passed This being
would be less than twenty days
IRE election day before the be-
lnld Be sent to the soldiers and
N-a time insufficient to prmit th
s. vote, even IN many Of the car
cents IN this country. 10 say moth"
bout our boys Scross the waters.
therefore very manifest that th-
all0ts cannot be made u sooner than
Nenty days before election day. and
here u no provision requiring the hal
q commissioners to prepare and
ause 10 be- printed such ballots a. a.
s1rtlcular time. They could ~
amo prepared only a few days be
lection day and meet all statut
equifements. Another weakness
1is statute, 7 might suggest Is N
fhese ballots are sent TO N sold'o-.
" registrar OF each precinct and o..
ore sending such bale. ne must g.
'ertaln whether or not the apple
registered. These regisiratf-r
,ooks win be on flo IN the coun =
onrt clerks Office. Re must thc7
ragel 10 the ecunty.sea, upon receiv
y On application from q soldier for q
sllot for the purpose CO ascertaining
neither OF not such applicant IS regis.
fed, before sending him a ballot
he Is true, regardless OF how remote
~ voting precinct is from the count
bsidoS, the registration for the Gle
Ion q not completed unit! the thi,
tonday next prior TO the electic
ghon the registrars sit in the Pre-
inctsAtWo days and complete then
.ookS, and then return the same 20
le county court, which sits on the
Oesday next preceding any general
lection for the purpose OF adding TO
substracting from the lists. See
eeti0n o8,XII (2) Of the acts OF the
bird extra session. 1917. Another
cost Questionable feature Of this last
his: The soldier must apply to one
Z the registrars at his voting pre-.
met for q ballot. Now is he 10 find
nc who such registrars are? Then
" The people and for the people" Il
would have but little semblance to a
uro democracy, which we hear so
ulch talk about at this hour Of ma