Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-02-28
LAST DAYS AT WHEELING.

the expediency of appropriatlng
money to encourage the volunteer
military force Of the State.
Mr.. Arnold presented the petition
of j. w. Hamilton and $50 others of
Taylor county, asking legislation to
exempt wages of laboring men from
attachment; Mr.. McGrew that of J.
N. Skinner and 81 others of Preston
county making the same request !;
Mr.. Melvin that of G.. r. Burke and
80 others of Jefferson county; Mr..
SOmerville that of A. G. Stewart and
A others Of Brooke county; Mr..
Bond that Of T. McNulty and forty
five others of Grafton and Parkers-
burg; Mr.. Unger that Of George w.
Dalwick and 33 others of Berkeley
county, that of John r. Sheet and 81
others of Berkeley county, that of
William 81. Wright and 30 others Of
Berkeley and Morgan counties; Mr..
Flournoy that of G. A. woodward
and 165 others of Mineral county /;
that Of G. G. Scribner and "a others
Of Mineral county, and that OF Ga
briel M. Dulin and 80 others of Min-
eral county.
Gentlemen, the Legislature has
no time to give the workingmen at
tention. All the good politicians
have for the workingmen is to be
very nice and polite to them about
election times. The party and their
own little schemes now demand all
their great powers of craftsmanship!
In the Senate Monday the consid-
GRAFTON of the General Appropria-
ton bill was continued. The Senate
refused to appropriate $4,000 for
an addition to the Hospital for the
Insane at Weston, and $4,000 to
substitute the flooring for wood floor
ing in the Charleston State House.
Both propositions created consider
able discussion, and Mr.. Price of
Marshall, again begged his fellow
Senators to call halt in this waste
full extravaganza. He said if the
taxes were further increased some
taxpayers would not have even wood
floOrings in their houses, and if there
was not a reform he would forsake
the Democratic party, though he
loved it as much as anything, most.
In the House Monday, House Bill
No. II, the license bill, came up on
its second reading. Amendments
were as follows: Reducing peddlers'
license to SD; imposing license
tax of s. on book agents selling
books not of a religious character !;
imposing license tax on agents of
sewing machines and musical instru-
ments; on travelling agents ofpatent
medicines, and on lightning rod ped
dlers. The House refused to tax
tree peddlers.
The most important change made
in the law was the adoption of an
amendment assessing a license tax
on all telephone companies doing
business in this State of IS on each
transmitting and receiving instru-
ment rented to subscribers. This
provision caused some debate, and
Mr.. Chew, of Jefferson, wanted to
reduce the tax to SO, but the House
refused.
The proposition to tax book agents
also provoked opposition. Mr.. Rob-
ertson and Mr.. Sayre each protested
against placing tax on intelligence,
but it was placed just the same.
The section concerning show Ii
censes was also opposed by many,
and after numerous amendments it
was stricken out and the present
law on that subject allowed to stand.
The consideration OF a proposition
to fix the State levy at 90 cents and
to lay an additional levy of five cents
for the extension and repair of pub
lie buildings, provoked considerable
discussion. The former proposition
was adopted.
The House voted $4,000 to re-
pair the Capitol building at Wheel
ing.
The Tax Levy bill was the subject
of much animated discussion. Mr..
Edwards had moved to table the bill
just before recess, but the House re-
fused. He moved to reconsider this
vote, but this motion was also reject
ed. The motion of Mr.. Chew to
levy a tax of five cents ON the 500
valuation for building purposes,n
was then adopted by vote of 81 to
25-a strict party vote.
Mr.. Hawvermale moved to make
the State school levy 10 cents on the
500 valuation. This brought up
the old school-tax fight between the
thickly settled and wealthy counties
and those in the opposite circumstan-
ces. The motion of Mr.. Parke was
finally rejected, and Mr.. Hawver-
males adopted. The bill was then
ordered to its third reading.
In the House Tuesday, the ques.
ton OF extending the session was
discussed. Mr.. Dean opposed the
extension. He though more harm
would be done than good, and de-
nounced the Democrats who were
trying to get the Mason Wall Street
syndicate tax bill through. The
Legislature has already cost the tax
payers over 100000. Mr.. McWhor-
ter said, about all the business that
had any show at this session was
something to increase somebody's
taxes. Mr.. Sayre said that bills had
been passed which would work vast
injury to the people of this State
The resolution to extend was lost by
a vote of Al to 23-all the Republi-
cans except Powell voting against
extension. Our representative,
Hon. J. III. Smith, sums up the situa-
ton when he says that the minority
m for \ -