The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-11-16
CHARLESTON, w. VA, Nov. IL,


Correspondence OF the Register.
Having heard and read much pertain
ing to the ACCESSIBILITY of an extra ses-
sion of the Legislature, and knowing the
feeling already manifested throughout
the upper portion of the State, we met
Speaker Gibson, who is IN attendance on
the United States Court, now in session,
and asked an interview upon the sub
iect. The Speaker informed US that he
hardly felt ike declining so courteous
a reQest, especially as it related to mat
ter OF great Importance, and is one on
which he had thought much, bat he
hoped, as he had already published his
views, that we would be short. This we
assured him, and at once began to apply
the interviewer's pump, with the follow
lag result:
Correspondent-Mr. Speaker, what do
YOU think Of the probable success OF your
circular call?
Speaker Gibson-l do not think it will
succeed, as the members OF the Legisla-
ture are all men of unusual business en-
gs.ements at home, and many OF them
sorely averse to public life, and while
troy would yield their private interests
for the public good, if pressed, they do
not feel called upon to do more than they
have, unless required.
Correspondent-Then you co not think
the call popular one with the people?
Mr.. Speaker-Hardly. In my own
and adjoining counties the people are
not only for II, but are urgently so. We
have sgitated and examined the matter
in every aspect, snd find that an extra
session would save us very heavy taxa
ton. In my own county, Cabell, II
would reduce our county levy over
$500 per year. But in other portions
o. the State this has not been done The
members themselves have not cared to
,Itate the matter, and the newspapers,
so generally on the alert to expose bur.
dens, have refused TO look at this matter
in any other than mere partisan light;
when, in fact. 1t Is matter OF great re-
fDrm-an actual saving to the counties
OF the State of over 1911 900.
Correspondent-- " hat do you mean,
Mr.. Speaker by an extra session being u
matter of reform and economy II Is
generally supposed to be quite the re-
verse.
Mr.. Speaker-That is the fault of you
literary fellows. An extra session would
surely adopt the Judiciary bill, and this
would save the cost OF jurles, the per
diem of Justices, and the salaries OF the
officers OF the County Court. For these
things, the county levies over the State
average over $4,000 per year. The
extra session would put this reform
into operation in 1878; otherwise 1t can
not be accomplished before 1880. So
you see that, taking this average, IN two
years our people would De saved over
S3ll, 900 OF taxation, after paying for the
extra session. Now you see that you lit
ary fellows have not called the atten
ton Of the people 10 this tact, but have
simply sung OF the $4,000 the session
W uld cost.
CORES pondent-But, MIR. Speaker, if
you abolish the County Court you would
still have to have some other court to do
the same business, and would not the cost
b. the same?
Mr.. Speaker-No, sir. The judiciary
bill gives the magistrates jurisdiction OF
$500, with trial by iuries of six. No.
oae-thIrd of the law SUITS in the State ln-
Volve that amount, so that less business
would be done IN the courts. it would
nearly sll be done at home, quickly,
chesply snd satisfactorily. Before JUS
tlce, the Jury would cost the sutton $500;
in a court the county pays each juror,
thirty in number, $3.50 per day. Now
let the people figure on these things and
they will see where the reform and econ.
omy come in.
Correspondence this the only bust
ness for which you would have an extra
session called2
Mr.. Speaker-No, sir; we have hardly
decent chapter of law in our statute
books. Our laws are uncertain, con-
dieting and extremely expensive, and
they will always be SO until carefully re-
vised The man is simply q fool who
imagines that this, with other necessary
current legislation, can be done in y
forty-dve days session. Sooner or later,
this cx .ra session is bound TO come. The
sooner it comes the more the people will
be saved.
Correspondent-Mr. Speaker, if the
requisite number of members fail to sign
the call, do you think Governor Mathews
would issue an order convenIng an extra
session.
MIR. Speaker do not know. l never
converscd with him on this subject; but
l know VIVA. l would do were l in his
plar.: l would call it, ard keep it to-
getaer until we had better laws, more
slice and less oppression.
Thinking, perhaps, that Speaker Glib
spr, Judging from the emphatic manner
in which he answered our last ques-
snn, was getting little tired, we
thanked hun and left, wondering if this
matter would not make disturbance in
the election next year. Before leaving
the gentleman, we asked him if the Capt.
Ia question would be agitated, He as
SIRED Us that such would not be the case,
~ no member would So stultlfy himself
as to endeavor 10 aCi!&tc the question: OF
speedy removal from the place where
il now rcposeth.
PETROLEUM.
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