Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-06-27
FARMERS AND SENATOR KNOTT.

Mr.. Editor-At meeting held in Martins
burg on Saturday last, Senator mas. IL.
Knott was roundly handled ana severely
criticised for his actions in our recent Leglsla-
ture The charges preferred against TINS
woull-be Farmers friend was that he, dur
ing the election campaign, made promises 10
advocate legislation for the farmers interest,"
but when the Chew railroad bill came up
(after passing the House he would not even
give il a vote for reconsideration i'll his body,
the Senate. DEMoCRAT.
The above speaks for itself. The farmers
had the matter in their own hands at one
time to elect representative who would
serve their interests, but they let the oppor-
tunity pass. and their censure OF Senator
Knotts past action amounts TO nothing
The Democrat endeavored TO elicit from Sem
ator Knott answers 10 certain interrogato-
ries of interest to agriculture prior To his
election, and If our farmer friends had united
with us. we could have forced at the point Of
the bayonet satisfactory replies. We had
almost come to the conclusion mat th"lr
long silence was vindication of his lesisla-
tive course, and had Joined hands with MS
party organs IN this county, that proclaimed
I'm season and out OF season, there's nothing
the matter with Charlie Knott; he's all
right"
The writer intends TO discuss only
that part of the communication which
refers TO Senator knott's action on
the State commerce bill, commonly
known as the railroad bill. If Dem
ocratn knew what he was talking
about, he probably would not nave
used the word reconsideration for
a vote upon such a question could not
occur until after some previous vote
on the bill. Ii is likely he refers to
Senator knott's vote Oh the last mo
ton TO suspend the rules and take
the bill up out Of its order. There
were three such motions before the
Senate, during the session OF 1857, on
two of which Knott voted aye, ana on
the last, nay. This the writer Will
show further on in this article by rel
erence to the printed journal OF the
Senate for that session. Let 1t be
stated here, however, that the bill
was not before the Senate at all, or at
any time, or i'll any manner. during
the extra session of 1890; SO the word
recent in the above communication
must refer to the regular sessicn or
1889.
When the actions of u public OIL
cial are attacked, justice demands that
the whole truth shall be told. Dem
ocratn tells only part OF the truth,
and tells that in such manner as to
cast an imputation of falseness to his
pledges upon Senator Knott. A part
of the truth often has the force OF a
false charge If democrat had
"a
would have the reasons for Senator
KNOTS action and would see that he
was not false to his charge or derelict
in his duty.
1t is not necessary to speak OF the
remarks by the commentator OF the
Democrat upon the communication,
further than to say they are entirely
uncalled for and serve only to add
fuel to an already malicious fire.
The purpose of this article is not to
praise Senator Knott, but to give the
whole truth, as the record furnishes
il. to show his action upon this par
ticular bill, and let the people Judge
for themselves whether he has been
false or true.
After considerable effort, the writer
has obtained "a copy OF the Senate
Journal of 1899, and makes his state
luents from facts taken from that
record. The railroad bill blouse Bill
No. g3) passed the House on Feb. IL,
1889. and was communicated to the
Senate by the Clerk of the House on
the same day, being only eight days
before the Legislature adjourned.
On Feb. IA. Senator Elournoy moved
4 Il nd "A a
bill out of its order. The vote was
rird rOce and the motion was lost. The
following day the same Senator mace
a similar motion, which was carried,
the vote being taken by yeas and
nays, and Knott voted for the motion.
Immediately after this vote Senator
Flournoy moved that the constltu-
tional rule requiring the bill TO be
read on three different days be dis
pensed with, and an aye and no vote
was taken, Senator Knott voting aye;
but the motion did not prevail, be-
cause four-fifths of the Senators vot
ing did not vote in the affirmative.
AT this juncture of the proceedings,
the Senate went to the hall OF the
House of Delegates to vote upon the
election of a L. s. Senator AT 3
O'Clock on the same day, the Senate
resumed the consideration of the bill
and it was read u first time and re-
ferred to the Committee on Railroads,
where it remained until Feb. Is, only
four DAYS before adjournment, when
it was reported back with the recon-
mendation not to pass. Senator
Knott was not a member OF this COM
mittee. On Feb. 20, two days before
adjournment, Senator Flournoy again
moved to take the bill up out OF its
order, but pending the motion and
before a vote was reached, the Senate
adjourned for the day. The next
the Senator called up his motion of
morning, the day before adjournment,
the previous day and vote was
taken, but the motion was lost. This
time Senator Knott cast his vote
against taking up the railroad bill out
OF its order. Five Democrats voted
for the motion, six against it, and
two were absent This is the last
that was done with the bill in the
Senate and the next day the Legisla-
ture adjourned for the session. The
writer does not know the reason why
Senator h0OJU SO cdSJ Ills NOle, Dul
he has heard that the Senator is not
opposed to the spirit of the bill. There
were pending before the Senate when
this bill was last up for considera ton,
the two appropriation bills, the bill
for the establishment of an agricul-
tural experimental station for the
passage of which the farmers were
clamorous), and some fifteen or twenty
other bills of urgent Importance, and
it is fair to presume there was not
time for an intelligent discussion of
the measures embodied in the pro-
posed law. 1t is well known that not
a member of the House of Delegates
expected the bill TO pass the Senate,
because they knew the Senators
would not have time for debate, as
the discussion had occupied several
days in the House However, be this
as it may, Senator Knott did not vote
against a reconsideration" OF the
bill, but voted Con the day before ad-
journment only against taking the
bill up out of its order, when other