Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-02-26

Especial Corr. of the Journal.l

The Legislature since my last letter
would include the mention of vast
OF unimportant items, too
much for a letter, and besides in no
way interesting to the readers of
the JOURNAL.
The chief propensity of a legisla-
tive body seems to consist mainly in
the introduction of bills, relative to
any thing and every thing that the
intellectual faculties of an average
legislature is capable of conceiying.
A great many Of these bills of
course have some real merit, and
are designed to subserye the inter
est of the body polite, but the
greater number have no other virtne
than that of being the cheapest kind
of bunkum. l could not possibly
imagine a greater calamity to this
commonwealth of ours, than that
even so much as one out of every ten
of these bills should become a law.
Up to the present time there has
been introduced in the House about
300 and in the Senate 100 of these
bills, out of which probably one
third may have breathed into them
the breath of life.
DR.. Scott's deficiedcy appropria-
ton bill, which passed the House
one day last week, was the occasion
of rather lively political discussion
in that body. The Doctor arraigned
the democratic party rather severely
for their sham pretentions to econo
my, by refusing to make the neces-
sary appropriations for the running
expenses of the State, leaving thf
deficiency to be made up by the
incoming legislature.
The defense martialed their forces
and went for the attacking party
and thus ensued what might be
called the first real general engage
ment Of the campaign. The spirit
of discussion gets stirred up in the
House quite frequently, and theI
the galleries become interested.
The principal debaters in til,
House on the Republican side, sr'
DR.. Scott of Warren, Gen. Jones o
Delaware. Thorp OF Astabula, Lock-
of Madison and Covert of Cuyahoga
The Democratic champions arr
Bloom of Richland, Sawyer of Aug
lsize, Reed Of Ross and March o
Mercer.
The Senate so far has been $,
very quiet and undemonstrative IL
their deliberations that no Opportuni
ty has offered of judging very fairl,
Of the argumentatiye and oratorica
qualities Of its members.
On the Republican side of tn,
Chamber Messrs. Pond of Morgan
Eggleston and Kerby of Hamilton
Richards, Hitchcock and Pringle
are all good debaters. On the othe
side are Messrs. Saltzgaber, jackson
and O'Hagan.
The Senate. unlike the House
wastes no time in bunkum speeches
There is no one of either party tina
assumes the responsibility of ,
leader. Several reorganization bill
are on the docket; one introduced
in the Hohse recently, by Represen
tative Dial, proposing to change tn,
political complexion of the boards
by the simple process of addition
These boards at present are com
posed of three Democrats and twt
Republicans. By Increasing rh,
number Of trustees to seven, as Tia,
bill provides, they can then be made
to stand, four Republicans and thre'
democrats, and thus 10 the twinklins
Of an eye, as it were, this corrupta
BILE is made to put on interruption
Governor Foster is not very favor
able to this measure.
Senator Pond has introduced {
bill, which il 1t shonld pass, woulG
bring about q change in present
affairs, and have tendency in the
future to keep our public institu
tions free from political manipula
ton.
In the House Mr.. Young's temper
snce bill. to regulate the sale of in
toxicsting liquors. was defeated last
Wednesday. 1t will be reconsidered
however, and come up for passage
again. The bill provides that al
venders In the juice must first give
bond of not more than $500, mol
less than $500, which will be held as
security for all fines and costs, ad
judged against the sellers. Any
one violating the provisions Of this
act is fineable in a sum not more
than $500, nor less than 5000, and
imprisonment in the County Jail
not more than sixty nor less than
thirty days.
The Local Option question, in my
opinion, will not he reached this
session. A great many petitions,
however, have been sent up, praying
for its adoption. o1a y
Mr.. Beman's bill to authorize GER
tain cities to purchase certain real
estate for railway purposes, has been
introduced and read the second time.
One or two bills similar to this in
purpose have already passed this
legislature, and / see no reason why
this should not also.
There is delicacy, however, on
the part OF many in supporting
measures authorizing additional levy
of tax. ,.
/ would suggest that the friends
of this bill send good strong petit
ton in its favor and If possible, also,
the personal attention of few good
citizens.
The bill relieving our Democratic
friend 81 Hoffman Of his official
honors, as auditor of the great City
OF Cincinnati, passed the House this
afternoon, upon strict party vote.
This has been one of the bills