Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-02-20

amendment authorizing, in addition TO the
| amount now levied by law, a tax Of 20 cents
on the 500, to be expended in discharging
the Indebtedness of the State, was defeated
by party vote.
Mr.. Donehoo moved to amend by striking
out the year 1884, confining the tax OF %
cents on the 500 to 1888. Mr.. Dawson OF.
fered substitute of the same terms as the
amendment voted down, providing an ad-
ditional tax of Is cents.
Mr.. Byrne said the gentleman had very
Peculiar Notion
| in insisting that this SI27.5l1. Is should be
| levied for and paid off in the manner this
amendment suggests. Why should they
| levy tax upon the people now for the pur.
pose of raising this money due the school
| fund to loan out at 3 TO per cent? The
| gentleman seemed TO be enthusiastic. He
seemed 10 press this idea at every turn to
| raise this money to be invested at an in.
| terest far below the legal interest now be-
ing paid. Mr.. Byrne said he did not see
the sense of it. 1t seemed to him suicidal
| and detrimental to the best interests OF the
| State. He was opposed TO levying any FAX
| not absolutely necessary to defray the ex-
| penses of the government He hoped the
amendment would be voted down unani
see its improperly.
Mr.. Dawson said the gentleman hoped he
| would see
The Errors OF His Way.
| He did not think there was any hope on
| that point. lie thought the constitution
authorized them TO pay that debt, and that
was the reason he wanted it paid. He un-
derstood the constitution demanded the
debt should be paid, and having taken an
oath to support that constitution he pra-
posed TO exhaust all means to make this
| legislature pay that debt. The senator
| from kanawba says that debt was incurred
| 10 meet deficits in the revenue, and the
constitution permits the State in that case
| to contract a debt to pay it, but the next
| legislature shall levy a tax sufficient TO pay
| that debt of. He asked the Senator from
| Kanawha if this were not the language OF
| the constitution, and il il were, he was sur
| prised that he wanted itpaid of.
Mr.. Byrne, continuing the discussion,
said in the opinion of many OF the best
| LAWYERS of the State the school funds in.
vested
In State Securities
were constitutionally invested. That it
was yeIed question. Being veXed
| question. the Senate should let ii alone.
| He candi dly stated that if it were new
| question; if the question were to take this
| step and make these investments, he would
| oppose it because of the doubt existing.
The hour having arrived the general ap-
propriation bill came up,
Mr.. Floyd's amendment providing
that per cent. be paid out OF the gem
eral school fund after the provision for the
salary of the clerk in the office OF the State
Superintendent Of free schools, was
ON motion of Mr.. Lobban the salary of
Clerk OF PenitentIary
| for 1854 was reduced from 81, 100 to $1,000,
| to harmonic the two years.
Mr.. Byrne's motion TO increase the SAL
ary of the Commissary OF Penitentiary
| from 1900 to 81 900, was carried.
MIR. Melvin's motion TO appropriate 500
| for the Supreme Court library at Charles
| ton was defeated.
Mr.. Harvey's motion to appropriate
| s., 300 instead OF $500 to repair Marshall
College on account of the damage caused
by the floods was pending, when on mo-
| ton OF Mr. Coburn, the Senate took re-
| cess till 2:30 o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Senate reconvened at 2:30 o'clock.
On motion OF Mr.. Dawson leave OF alb
sense was granted to Mr.. Scott for yester-
da and to-day, and to Mr.. McGrew for yes
| terday.
Mr.. Harvey's motion TO amend in con-
nection with the appropriation bill being
pending Mr.. Lobban amended the motion
| by making the amount $500. Both motions
were defeated in turn.
Mr.. Doneboos motion to appropriate 500
instead Of $3.50 for the contingent expenses
| Of the Senate was adOpted
Mr.. Nanmeter'S motion to
Increase the Appropriation
| for the current expenses OF the institution
| for the deaf, dumb and blind from S21,ooO
| to S23, 450 for 1883 was adopted.
Mr.. Dawson, with q perseverance trn'y
| admirable, came forward with an amend.
ment providing for the refundment to the
| school fund of the money due II from the
| State, which was defeated by n party vote,
| Mr.. Hays voting with the Democrats:
| Mr.. Prices motion to appropriate 800 TO
provide the Hospital for the Insane with
| telephones was adopted.
| Mr.. Smith, OF Tyler, moved TO appropri-
ate 81 ,2iT 10. with interest, TO he refunded
to the school fund, accruiDg from the tar
on the
Revenues OF Corporations
| devoted 10 that purpose.
| Mr.. Price took advantage Of Mr. Smiths s
resolution to make an extended argument,
| ulSCuSSlDR tue VI
present investment OF the school funds, af.
| firming that many OF the leading lawyers
of the State gave 1t their appreciation. and
while he was not decided that it was prop
er neither was he prepared TO question it
and at all events did not believe that be-
cause preceding legislatures had not re-
funded this money and had come to that
conclusion, that they were forced TO impose
an exorbitant tax upon the people, in ac-
cordance with Mr.. Doyeners construction
of the constitution. Mr.. Price claimed
that the expenditures, which had created
| an Indebtedness TO
| The school Rupd.
were extraordinary, and hence ,he present
investment OF the funds in State securities,
which enabled the State TO meet those eI-
penditures might be constitutional.
The debate continued for some time,
sustained by Messrs. Dovener and Price.
Mr. Smiths amendment was agreed TO by
q vote OF Is 10 4.
On motion Of Mr. Burgess, the rules be.
ing suspended, the bill wss read third
time and passed.
On motion, it was voted TO take effect
from its passage. .,
House bill III, authorizing the Council
OF Wheeling to reduce the corporate limits,
passed and was voted to take effect from It's
passage. Az, :
o'clock.
! MONT SESSION.
The Senate recon rened at o'clock.
Senste bill No. s5, levying q tax OF twen'
/ ty-five cents on the taxable values OF the
State for general State purposes, which had
been tabled and made a special order for
10 day, was taken up on motion ef Mr..
Burgess.
Mr.. Donehoo's amnedment increasing the
rate to tventy-hy cents on the 800 for one
year only. which bad been voted down In
the afternoon, was renewed.
Mr.. Burgess. in a brief and pointed
speech, referred to the decision Of the State
Supreme Court sgsinst the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad in q suit brought by tbs
State for taxes, granting the State $3O,0y
and interpreting the constitution to 10
clude in ts1sble property 3 vast amount o.
per,onsl property OF corporations, hitherto
excluded and sagrrgating $40. 10000 In
rough estimate, which would increase th'
revenues of the State so ne S5, 90