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

TO amend the act relating to the school
district of Wheeling. The following
bills were passed: ".. ~
Senate bill No. 5S-A bill to amend
the chartero of the Pan, Handle Railroad
Company.
Senate bill No. ia bill to eneour-
age Immigration into the State of West
Virginia. .,.r.,.
House bill No. "a bill changing
the boundary lines of the Morgantown
Independent School District. u..-.
House bill No. GA bill authoriz-
ing the Morgantown Female Seminary
to confer literary degrees.
House bill No. GA bill to amend
and re-enact the charter of the town Of
New Martinsville, in the county of
wetzel. .-...-. .. pill. 49,
On motion of Mr.. Baker, the message
of the Governor, relating to the cost Of
the proposed Convention, was taken
from the table. ,..f
Mr.. Baker then moved that the mes
sage be referred to the committee on
Finance and Claims. and on this motion
he said: a
Mr.. PRESIDENT: make this motion
because conceive the Governor has
been singularly unfortunate in some Of
his statements and estimates. Isay I'M
fortunate, because l cannot believe the
Governor Of the State, for whom, per-
senally, I have a very high regard,
would intentionally attempt to deceive
and impose upon the people.
AS the message is now before the
Senators, will ask them to glance at
the estimated cost of the three elections
which the Governor AYERS become ne
cessary for a Convention. They aggre-
gate $50, 1892, or SlS,664 each. But by
reference to the Convention bill now be-
fore this body, it will be observed that
but two extra elections will be necessary.
at best. 1t provides that delegates to
the Convention shall be chosen at the
regular election in October. This re-
duces his estimate $lS,664; leaving
$37 1898 as the cost Of all the elections
necessary. The Governor estimates the
cost of registration for each election at
$500; but thanks to God and the
Democracy of West Virginia, the peo-
pie are no longer to be disgraced with
the infamies, nor burdened with the
expenses of his registration inquisition.-
This makes another reduction for the
two elections OF $4,000 making the
whole cost Of the elections, according
to his own figuring, $lS,32S. He further
estimates the cost Of taking the vote at
each of the 522 voting places at $l2, or
an aggregate of $6264, for each election.
In this, it is assumed that the Supervis-
ors and Inspectors of elections will be
paid for their services; but if Senators
will refer to the bill they will find that
only the clerks receive pay, and they at
the rate of Sl.00 per day. This makes
the cost of taking the vote at each
voting precinct, two clerks only being
necessary, $500 for each place, making
another reduction in the cost of the
two elections OF so, 440 from his first
estimate. This brings the Governors
figures down to $7SSS. AS the Conven:
ton Ibill proposes neither mileage or
per diem to members of Boards of Su-
pervisors in attending the meetings to
count and return the votes in each
county, further item Of $500, for
each election, $1,000 IN all, must be
knocked out of the Governors bill Of
costs; and at least one half of the
5000 for each election-$l200 for the
two--put down for registration book,
pole books, &c, must be de-
Quoted, on account of the repeal of the
registration law. The last named az
gregate must, therefore, be lessened by
$4,000 more on account of these two
items leaving the whole cost Of all the
elections made necessary by the Con-
vention bill but $45SS-ab0m one cent to
each iahaJitant Of the State. This is all
there is left of the Governors original
and extraordinary estimate of S., 1892.
Mr.. President, Isubmit to Senators
that my figuring is fair, just and right,
under the bill now pending before this
body. And if this be true, how shall
we properly characterize the figuring
with which the Governor has favored
US? 1t would appear that he set out
for the purpose of making himself
ridiculous, and ] will not deny but he
has succeeded admirably. This very
much regret, for I have high respect
for him personally, and for the
distinguished office which he occupies.
But, Mr.. President, a still more extra
ordinary specimen of the Governors
figures is found in his charge Of sos, O54
for the time that the voters Of the State
would lose in attending those elections.
Think of i'll The voters of the State
are to be credited with $98,054 for
exercising the right Of indicating their
wish upon the most important ques-
tons that can come before them.
Ninety-eight thousand dollars for
exercising a privilege that we have been
taught TO regard as high and sacred
one; the privilege which makes ours
the freest and the best government On
earth. need not expose the fallacy
of this item further, for I am sure its
absurdity has struck the mind of
every Senator who has examined the
message. l will be glad if the Governor
will favor the Senate with an official
estimate of the value of the time and
money that has been expended in pre-
venting $4,000 white men in this State
from exercising the franchise which he
seems to regard as burden to its pos
SCISSOR, and the time spent by filthy
swarms Of sneaking spies and perjured
iuformers which that system spawned
upon the community, to deprive their
superiors of the sacred rights Of free
men .a-
will now pass to the consideration
of the cost of the Convention itself,
This the Governor puts down at $685.,