The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-02-07

ed to purchase these hooks Of retail
dealer in Ohio will readily see that the
West Virginiau has the advantage of
them, in this particular, OF least; and
whyP Simply because the Legislature
OF the State of West Va. took this mat
ter in hand and determined that the peo-
pie of that State should not be imposed
upon by the school book nen. Ii seems
10 me, 10 view Of these facts, that it
should require no further argument, or
statement, to satisfy any one that leg,s-
latiou on this question is necessary, and
is necessary mo,c Yet it ia perfee' ly
useless to attemp, it in the present Ger
eral Assembly; it would simply be a
waste Of time Already the House has
"killed" one hill, by Mr., Miller-a Dem
oeratic member from Mercer County
providing for reform in this matter. N1t
only was his bill defeated in the House,
but his resolution TO investigate, and as
certain what means, il anv, had been
employed by the School Book Ring to
influence the members Of the Legislature
to vote in their interest, met the same
fate at tie hands Of the Republican
House of Representatives. 1t seems to
me that the people have right to know
il anv improper means have been made
use Of to inf renee their r presentatives
to vote against their Interests. | has
heen charge that the House was organ
= 4 ;.~ko Of rinno m
the truth of this statement | do moi
know.
There is one thing at least in connec-
tion with the formation of the Sthoo
Committee OF that hodv, which to say
the least that can he said Of it, seems 8
little strange. 1t is this: Mr.. Maury i,
the only teacher in that body, and was
as certainly entitled to position on thai
committee as is LAWYER to position or
the ldid ry Comm tie, or an editor
and publisher OF newspaper to a posi-.
ton on the C,m nittee on Public Print.
ing. In addition to the fact OF his being
the only teacher in that body, he has ha
the bench. OF two years experience -ht
was a member of that committee in the
Six'y-'hird G neral Asaemb.y-ret he
was not given place On that committee
in the present House. Could it be pos
sibe that he was left off for the reason
that he advocated the passage Ct, and
voted for what was k1own as the Per
kins schnol bill, which passed the House
10 The 63l General Assembly ard wa'
defeated in the Senate? The object o
that bill was to reduce the price o
school books in this State.
Although no apportioament bill has
Jet been passed by Congress for redis
tricting schemes are beginning to appear
and several plans have already been sug
gested by the Republicans. The laes
will give the Democrats hut three mem
bers. There are seventy R 'pubiicans il
the House, and twenty-one, at present
In the Senate, and it is said that eacl
and all of them have Congressional as
pira'ions and are determined, if posii
BILE, to be placed in Republican districts
1t has been discovered that the fire q
the Imbecile Asylum, on the l8 h Of No
vemher last, by which the S;ate los
about 100000 worth OF property, wa'
the work of two imhecile boys confner
in the Asylum They wanted to see {
big blsza; they saw it. The discovery
of the origin of the fire was made by
one of Pinkerton's detectives, who work
ed six weeks before be succeeded
Senator Sayre, of Champaign county
is the Youngest member Of the Senate
He is 80 years old
Senator Kirby, of Wvandot county
is the oldest member of the Senate. HI
is 81 years old he says he can hear AMI
see as we'll as ever. This is perhaps &C
counted for from the fact that he has al
ways been Dem )crat, AMI of course
has lived temperate and virtuous life
He vas Secretary OF State in 1880 ant
1881.
Henry Smith, Infrmarv Director o
Monroe county, and L ,uis Oblinger
Superintendent of the Infrnarv, wer'
here last week attending a meeting o
the Directors and Superin,endents o
the different counties. The session wa
an interesting one.
C N. Allen, E1i.or of the Bellairt
Democrat, was in the city on Friday o
last week He looked in on the Senate
and House and spent some time in stak
ing hands with his many friends in boil
branches.
| The Senate will adjourn on tomorrow
until Tuesday, Feb Z A. j. P.
Guite AN Weakeninp