Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-02-07
PROCEEDINGS Of THE LEGISLATURE


In the Senate, Saturday, Senator
Scott's co-education bill came up as
unfinished business. Senator Flour
ney moved to indefinitely postpone
it, but the Senate refused by a vote
of IA to IL, and afterward passed the
bill by the same vote.
The debate of the day before was
renewed, and Senators Coburn and
Byrne joined the forces champion
ing the cause of the ladies, several
of whom we're interested listeners to
the discussion. Messrs. Somerville
and Scott also again advocated the
passage of the bill, while Messrs.
McCreery, Smith, Flournoy aud Nor
ris returned to the contest on the
other side.
On the passage of the bill Messrs.
Arnold, Bond, Coburn, Dawson,
Morrison, McGrew, Scott and Wood
yard, Republicans, and Messrs.
Brown, Burgess, Byrne, Hays, Som
erville and Switzer, Democrats, four
teen in all, voted for it, and the 9th
ers, two Republicans and ten Demo
Gratis, against it. So that the polit-
zeal turn of the debate evidently
had no effect on the vote.
In the Senate, Monday, bill by
Mr.. Lobban providing that if an es-
tate of a deceased person be three
months without an administrator OF
executor except for good cause
known, the Court may direct the
public executor to take charge.
10 the House, Monday, Mr.. Dyer
offered House Joint Resolution No.
II, proposing an amendment to the
constitution of the State providing
that an assessor shall not be elected
for two successive terms, nor an as
sistant assessor elected assessor to
succeed his principal; nor shall any
assessor act as assistant to his sue
cess0r in office.
Mr.. Sayer presented a resolution
reciting the fact that a proposition
has been made in Congress to refund
to the States the war tax paid by
each, and that this measure, if carried
out, would place $685. S0 in the
treasury of this State, and calling
upon the Representatives and Sena.
tors in Congress from this State to
support the bill. On motion of Col.
White the resolution was referred to
the Committee on Federal Relations.
The bill authorizing the appoint
ment of county detectives, the bill
making it a mlsdemeanor to bet and
the bill making it unlawful to trap
or snare birds, or to kill cartridges
or wild turkeys between January l
and November /, were rejected.
No. 80, by Mr.. Melvin, to amend
the road law so as to compel the let
ting of contracts for the construction
and repair. of roads to the lowest and
best bidder.
No. 80, by Mr.. Dawson, to author.
ize the County Court to establish
therein a true meridian line and the
standard length of Gunther's chain,
and to provide that surveying done
in counties establishing the same
shall have reference thereto.
Senator SCOTS bill to open the
State University at Morgantown to
both sexes on an equal footing, was
taken up.
Mr.. Morris, in polished and fire.
quently eloquent speech, opposed
the passage ofthe bill, for the reasons
that the University had been weak.
ened by political fights, that this
step would increase the jealousy be-
tween the normal schools and the
University, and that the female por-
ton of the population Of the State
did not need the special higher edu-
cation demanded by the men.
Mr.. Dawson said that the Univer-
sity has Of late been miserably man
aged, and the Democratic party was
responsible.
Mr.. Scott briefly answered the ar
guments of Mr.. Morris. He said the
exclusion of girls from the Universe
ty was an outrage upon the taxpay-
er. One man might pay but little
taxes, yet send his whole family to
the University, because they are all
boys; while his next door neighbor,
paying twice the taxes, has to pay
for the educaton of his children, be-
cause they are girls. Mr.. Scott
read numerous sGrong expressions in
favor of CO. education.
Mr.. McCreery opposed the bill be-
cause he thought if it cost $4,000
apiece to graduate boys it would cost
8, 800 apiece to graduate girls.
Mr.. Smith thought il the Senate
opened the University to the ladies
it virtually said that the University
was fit place for them to go, and
he doubted whether it was. The
University is not success, and he
did not believe it could be made one
now, with or without oeducation.
He would not send his daughters to
it, nor would he advise any one to
do so, under the present manage
ment. He had not heard that the
ladies were making any great or en-
ormous racket 80 secure admission.
Mr.. Flournoy opposed the bill be-
cause it proposed radical change
in society, to teach the girls that
their sphere was not different from
mems.
Mr.. Gilkeson, Chairman of the
Committee on Education, presented