The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-03-20
CHARLESTON.

Legislative Observation-Disclosures
and other Gossip At the Capital
Governor Jacab's Programme and
its Probable Defeat.
Special Correspondence Of the Register.
CHARLESTON, March Is.
DEAR REGIsrER:-The bright and
pleasant weather which we are now
enjoying, betokens the coming OF Spring
and causes that portion of the Legisla'
ture who are addicted to. agricu ltural
pursuits to look hopefully and anxious
ly forward to an early adjournment.
| THE PROGRESS OF BUSINESS
in both Houses for the past two weeks
has been very rapid. The Senate and
the House hold morning and afternoon
sessions, and the Committee work. of
which there is a great deal, is done
chiefly at night The Senate Calendar
is completely cleaned up, and that
body is now maturing the Appropria-
ton bills. AS you are aware the Con-
stitution requires separate bill appro1
pristiDg for the salaries Of officers; this
has already been reported and is now on
it's second reading. The general Ap
preparation bill will speedily follow
The items Of this bill will be scanned
with great care. There is a marked
disposition this year to exercise great
caution in appropriatug money for the
various institutions. The demands OF
several of them have increased from
year to year to an alarming extent, and
there is determination now to know
10 what use the money ls to be put,
before authorizing its disbursement.
Small jobs, for local benefit will not
be encouraged.
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
particularly, will be provided for with
strict regard to State interest alone. The
conviction has fastened itself upon lesdS
ing members OF the Hou-e and Senate
that the investments in this institution
have not been particularly remunerative
TO the public. The late State Super
intent Hon, w. K. Pendlelon, Presi-
dent OF Bethany CoIlege,) has looked
very closely into the matter and his
views are not favorable 10 extravagant
appropriations. until better results shall
be realized. | quote from his report,
advance copies OF which have just been
turnlsheG the Legislature.
This institution is said to be doing a
good work. We have no catalogue OF
It's last session. The board OF regents
report it as steauiIy gaining in the pat
ronage aud in the extent OF its work
rhe catalogue OF 1869 showed that there
were one hundred and fitv-four stud
ents, but there was no senior class and
but one junior, three sophomores, seven
freshmen aud one hundred and forty
three in the prepsr 4tory department.
The catalogue OF lS3n3- rfHorted l43
sud.n,s one senlor. t2ur rrts"HS.n r@t9s"iS; and
one hundred preparatory. The cata-
Iogue Tor 1871 reported one hundred
aud seventy-one students, two seniors.
twelve juniors, eight sophomores,
twenty-five freshmen and one hundred
and thlrty-four preparatory. ln the
report oil the regents for 1872, it is stat
ed there were one hundred and fifty
nine students 10 all for that year, OF
whom seventy eight were in the higher
classes, and eighty-one in the prepara'
tory. There have been in the five years
Of the University's operation, fifty three
State cadets in attendance. AS each
cadet is allowed to attend two years,
this makes al average Of about twenty
one per session, or one less than ls pro-
vided for in the charter. OF these ca
diets, the three catalogues before US aud
from which we take these statements,
show only fourteen that have attended
any ofthe regular college classes, and
from the complete roster OF the cadets
up to tie close OF last year, 1t appears
tha at only four cadets have ever gradu-
ated When it is remembered that H. ese
cadets are the only students Of the Uni.
versity that get the benefit OF tree educa
ton g. G. tuition, stationery and use OF
text books, it will be apparent that the
State is accomplishing but little tow
ards providing a free collegiate education
for her sons. The corps Of professors
appears to be ample, and the financial
su pport generous. The report shows
twelve instructors, and that tie current
salaries Tor the last year were $l2,OoO.-
90. besides over - 10000 for contingent
expeuces /; $500 for regents and $3.50
for insurance, or q total OF $l6,3lOOO
for the current expenses OF the year. 1t
seems to BE- reasonable to hope that this
large annual outlay may be made more
directly tributary to higher collegiate
education, and that the University OF
West Virgins" may be speedily freed
rom the duties aud functions OF high
or normal scbool Students emulous
of college distinctions, are not apt to be
attracted to institutions in which the
preparatory department prepondera,e-
over, or indeed, where it il comblned
with the college work, nor are prolessot
of eminence likely to remain content
with such situations, and this probably
ia the explanation OF the fact that the
University in five years oulv turned out
saven graduates, and also oI those fre-
ouept changes in the board OF finstruc-
ton" of which President Martin so
earnestly complains
Another matter which has worked to
the prejudice Of the University, is the
great opposition of its friends to the re-
solution OF Mr. Thompson, OF Putnam,