The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-04-25
&1oarHENT MARSHALL COUNTY
NAN DISCUSSES THE USUAL
NurHOD OF SELECTING
iEGIyLATORS A D
THE RESULT
oxNrs OUT THAT ISSUES SHOULD
HI INFINITELY IDENTIFIED
WITH CANDIDATES BE-
FORE = TN AIRY
ELECTIONS
Wheeling. W. Va. April 81. 1872

roRE PRIMARY
ELECTIONS
Wheeling. W. Va. April - l?S2.
Motor. Pro Inteligcnrcr.
Dear Sir: In mos: counties ma pa
scularly IN every senatorial distric; IN
The state candidates are grooming t""n'-
selves or being groomcd for the mouse
OF delegates and state senate. aud II
N. usual order OF things prevails tho
Electorate will he called upon once more
the Angus. primary 20 take tho
Nance % being represented or mis-
represented IN tho legislature.
1: Is nothing less than rank stupidity
md does not refact any credit on those
believing IN popular government 20 per-
NIT another primary - taHa place IN
Ms state without those candidates
being oHeniy Inquired % IS 20 ta"'r
stand on questions ~ taxation Ant
state policy and each candidate h"'nS
required 20 state his position in al
vance OF ths primary. ForIiar Enrcr"-
mont means government by public op'n-
Ion. ard e the electorate enterta!Hs n
axed public opinion on questions nt
taxation and state policy and Il falls
10 express tina. public opinion by select
Ing those candidates FOR leE's'attNe
ofice who will carry into effect ny
appropriate legislation that public orin-
Ion. then popular government TO that
extent has failed.
In = Representative democracy roru-
lar government can only be attained
BY keeping before the electorate well
fAhnel issues to the end that public
sentiment to be expressed at tho polls
will crystalline for or against those
issues. Has the electorate in West EIr-
kinla In past primaries In the selection
Of legislative candidates given any
thought. except IN isolated cases. az 10
whether or not any particular candi-
aats would favor legislation for which
there was q welt crystallized public
One Example
BY way OF illustration there Is not
Z county IN west Virginia where there
does not exist a we'll crystallixed pub
Tic sentiment IN tavoring Of taxing the
depletion OF states natural resources
Tor the support Of the state govern
uhent.
This proposition was before the last
session Of the legislature IN the nature
OF . substitute bill for the gross sales
tax bin which only lost by a very smaii
majority. Why not make the candidate
state his position on this policy Of leg
islatlon before nomination and election
and thus give the Ssctorate q chance 10
express itself on legislation instead Of
on the popularity OF such candidate:
Would not the result be different
Millions OF dollars In natural wealth
Ia being transported from the state
every day untouched by any tax at all.
and as a result tho state IS being de-
pleted Of its taxable wealth. The time
10 close at hand when the farm land
and improved areas will have to bear
ell Of the burden OF taxation because
tho state viii be depleted Of It's natural
taxable wealth. II made N issue upon
which :he people could vote: For De-
pie;ioa Tax; Against Depletion Tax
s"ee OF tho people would vote for de-
o,etion tax.
They Don't Know
FL. under the presen, method 81 cam
pa gnluE for legislative office, except in
Sew Instances he peop,e don, know
and what's worse dou't seem 20 car"
~Hethe- the candidate they veto ""-
sands co. ;Se:r principle OF taxation
Or not. Tnr result Is the candidate gets
though without havtnE..aie his posi-
lion known or having pledged himself
% any certain program 90 legislation.
4 candidate who Viii not commit him
zee q a course .: conduct In favor OF
legislation for which there Is n vel! de-
nred public sentiment is an unsafe can
d.date for whom 20 vote.
Tho public receives .he sauna c,ass OF
representation from t"is sort % Il can
dldate as they do from the candidate
who docsn', know where he stands and
who Is no. sufficiently Informed OF
public issues 10 state what hc is for
q n lIN
,orate allows Nselr 70 DO imposed upon
by this sort o: candidates just that
long will public sentiment Ia favor OF
certain legislation DO defeated How
can the electorate expect legislation
that will lift tire burden Of taxation
from, those lcas. able To bear II when
evsrv tro years !, continues To vote
ror leg.siati,s candidates who are M;
even required 10 pl'bicly state their
position or even h,"c any opinion on
such questions and many Of such can
Grdates not being abe 10 form any In
t~uIxent opinion on such important
matters" The electorate can protect
itself against this folly only by de-
mandlnk Of candidates pledge in ad'
vance
At ne Last SSsslon
A. the last session OF rho Legislature
among others. bills were introduced for
tho following purposes:
First: To authorize gas companies n
charge a step UP rate for natural gas.
Second: To ralse the legal rate oi
interest from e., to ST. by leEslizins
contracts s:ipuiatinc greater ratio than
Sc. and no. to exceed 8H.
Third: t. exempt moneys. votes and
credits secured by specific len from
taNat,NN