The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-02-20

slstants, at a cost of 5000 for the ses.
sion; the Convention would have but
thfee-another saving of $2270. The
two Houses have seven pages. at a cost
of $3.50; the Convention would have
bat three-saving again $3.50. The
Two Houses have two sergeantsat.arms
and two door-keepers, at a cost Of $500
--one-halfof which will be saved, because
the Convention will require but one
each of these officers. Here we have
an aggregate saving Of 1875. This
taken from the cost Of a session OF the
Legislature ($2i,400) leaves $1S250 as
the cost OF a Convention. The Govern
or puts down the cost of printing for a
session OF the Legislature at $4,000.
This isanother most extraordinary state-
ment to come from an official so high.
i had occasion. just before the
meeting of the Legislature, to
get the State Printer to take the pains
to examine his books, and give me an
accurate statement Of the amount of
moneypaid him for the printing for the
two last sessions of the Legislature.
And Senator'S may be astonished, in
view Of the extraordinary statement Of
the Governor, to learn that the entire
cost of the printing for the last sessions
was less than $1,000 and about the
same sum for the preceding session.
The whole of the printing for all the
State Departments, including the large
annual reports, letterheads, envelopes,
and everything that was done for the
whole State for the year 1870, amounts
TO but $4,000. As l said, the printing
for session Of the Legislature is about
$1,000 but there are more bills intro
duced in the Legislature id single
week than would be introduced into a
Constitutional Convention during an
entire session. The printing for a Con-
vention is a most insignificant item
That body has no bills; it has literally
no printing; one thousand dollars will
cover the whole OF it. This makes the
entire cost of a Convention consisting
of IS members, only $l9, $50 including
printing and every other legitimate ex'
pense. -,
Here the expense ends. This is all
there is Of it. For all election ex-
penses $46SS; for Convention expenses
Sl9,25O, total, $23,93S. But, suppose
the Convention should remain in session
twice as long as have calculated, and
would thus add another $l9,25O to its
cost, we still have the modest sum of
$43, lSS, As the whole cost Of a Con-
vention.
The Governor adds to the cost Of a
Convention the expenses of a session
of the Legislature held two years after
the formation OF the constitution Of
1861, another session held in 1868;
almost seven gears after and the ex-
pense of code of laws which is still
unfinished, almost ten years after the
constitution was formed. In the name
of all that ia honest and just, ! ask is it
tair to charge all the expenses Of legis-
lating for the State for years after a
new constitution has been formed to the
formation OF that constitution !? But l
will add, that against the present con-
stitution much more formidable array
of figures may be brought, when we
take. into account the hundreds of
thousands Of dollars wrung from the
hard earnings Of the people in the
shape OF township and local taxation,
upon which the 5000 petty officers who
now howl their opposition to new
constitution which will destroy their
occupation and make their thrift at
public expense impossible, have fat
tened. 1t is these consuming burdens
that are driving the people. to demand a
change of their organic law. Under
the expensive township system and
irresponsible local taxation, with an
office for every voter in many conf
munities, local taxation has increased
five hundred and in some instances one
thousand per cent under the present
constitution. The saving to the people,
in the wav of local taxation alone will,
in q single year, more than pay the
expenses Of a Convention. But to this
and other features of this discussion |
may refer hereafter. ,
Mr.. Foreman said he thought the
gentleman from Ohio was rather pre-
mature and in hot haste in this matter.
The message referred to had been laid on
his desk whilst the Senator was speak
ing how the Senator got hold Of it in ad-
vance, in time to prepare his statements,
he knew not. The gentleman had
thanked God that there was no registra-
ton law now, and hence that portion Of
the Governor message referring to reg
istration was inappropriate. He
would inform the gentleman that no
bill repeating the registration law had
yet passed either house. The simple
fact of a majority of Democrats being
elected to the Legislature, did not, as
matter of course, enact laws. The
Governor had to make his estimate
from the laws in force, and whilst there
was bill pending in the Senate to do
away with the registration, it had never
been acted on, and but few days ago
it had been reco,nmitted to the Judi
ciary. .f..-...
Mr.. Patrick said the question OF a
Convention did not depend on the
Governors or "any other mans" esti-
mate OF its cost, but upon the exigen-
cies of the case, and the will Of the
people.
Mr.. Davis said the resolution con-
templated a report from the Governor
and Auditor also. As the Auditor has
not joined in the report, We did not
know whether he concurred with the
Governor or not With all due respect
10 His Exellency and his opinions, he
thought he had gone further in his in,
quries than theresolution contemplated,
or than was expe ted o. him,
Mr.. Scott, OF Richie, said:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: don't understand