Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-01-25
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.

Auo mdJOIitJ rcp0Eb u Tue coutrct
committee was presented to b..
Legislature last week,-d;stribnies!
in pamphlet forn,-and declares
Fleming elected BY 237 majority.
What becomes then ofthe thousands
of imported and fraudulent voters
I'VE heard so much about ever since
the election. The report itself proves
that the West Virginia electiou
was as honest as could be. The
whole proceedings OF the contest and
the special session SAVIOR of political
trickery. The session was delayed
for nearly year, the majority OF the
committee seems to.have been boss
ed about by the Wilson Walker ring
until not even their report was
written by themselves but by polit.
ical sharper. The evidence at hand
Iiustifies the belief that the three
Democratic Congressman fron this
state we're only too willingly sacriic-
ed without opposition so that the
effect might be used to keep the
Democrats together in the Legisla-
ture and secure Governor aud the
State patronage. Whether Secre.
tary of State Walker gained his
point aud is to remain under Elem
ing will be seen in time, though the
Principal of the Normal School at
Fairmont long since resigned with
the understanding that he IS to take
Walkers place under the new Gov
ernor.
The minority report was read By
Senator Morris and claims fair
election, failure to show frand,
supported by the election and other
laws OF the State, and protests
against the throwing out of good and
lawful votes as was done in Brook
County, for the purpose Of overcom
ling Colts majority. 1t calls on the
members of the Legislature to sus.
tain the will of the majority, declares
} COTS majority to be 140 over Elem,
ing, and urges OH the Legislature to
seat the lawfully elected Governor.
Bills were introduced last Friday
for ballot reform, to prevent trusts,
to protect lives in mines, to reduce
passenger fare on railroads, to pro
tect the interests of towns and
counties, to fix the time of holding
Circuit Courts.
The school book question came up
again, Governor Wilson taking the
D floor against the present contract
a system. The governors plan to re.
ceiye proposals from authors OF
school books and have the State
q print them is absurd. The State
could not improve their character nor
reduce their cost. Jobbery!
Another bill under consideration
II is to authorize the Superintendent
u of Public Schools to make all con.
g tracts for school books. A better
e plan is embodied 10 bill creating q
l. commission of five to select school
books.
n Yon don't often see the Governor
E OF any other State take the floor to
!. advocate a pet measure of his own
g One duty Is to recommend, --that's
y the Governors another duty is to
Y enact that's tue Legislatures.
9 Bills against railroads and their
: rights are piling on top ofeach Other
y in the Legislature, backed and
e encouraged by the Governor (WiI
!, SOM and his political lieutenants
IS There will be strong fight to push
N some antiTailroad legislation
!. through, but it will not pass, and
e should not at this special session
u made necessary to settle one thing
y only, THE CONTEST FOR GOVERNOR.
g The reasons why no fight should
), be made against railroads are strong.
b ly and briefly Get forth BY the In.
IS teiligencer, and we think every enter.
J, prising man and public spirited clti-
5 zen will agree with them on business
) principles regardless of party or poll.
ties,
There has been MARKED change
:. of sentiment since the last session in
every county 10 the State. Town
! property and mineral and timber
: lands are advancing rapidly by
reason of the building and the pro.
lection Of railroads, certain to be
t built in the near future. Members
who have heretofore favored legisla
/, tion against railroads say that they
must now change their position be-
cause the conditions are changing !;
r that their people who have no rail
: roads want a chance to get out of the
woods before the Legislature begins
to regulate railroads already in exis.
tence. The present activity in the
,, State has started such a tiow OF
, money into counties about to be de.
veloped as never has been known.
Eastern buyers are thick in these
counties, buying land and the timber
as it stands, in anticipation of the
coming railroads, Members are not
willing to stop this aoE of ready
money, nor do they want to turn
back the tide OF men who are coming
in with it. The few who come from
counties long developed by railroads
are unable to meet this practical and
: reasonable argument.
Arguments on the Gubernatorial
contest were begun Tuesday. The
; Democrats would not agree to Gen.
Golf speaking in his own behalf, nor
would they allow the committee on