Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-02-22
BUSY KILLING TINE.
The STATR LEGISLATORS STILL DISCUSS
ING THB ELECTION BILL.
HcOallistsr Indisputably Asserts his Views on the
Sublsct-Ths Bill Goes Through the Ssrais,
Amendments and All-0hanges
in the Game Law.
Snscin, r.,enrnn 10 he R,nisi.r.

both Democrats aud Republicans being in
the best Of humor, but loaded for any
bIeak that one or the other mi ght make.
Mr.. FlournoY moved to take up out of its
order, the Australian ballot reform bill"
but the motion failed, and Mr.. Slyder
asked that the joint Iesolutiou, authoriz-
ing the Governor to sell to the Grand Army
posts certain old guns and armory, VAS
taken up, and Mr.. Flournoy amended it
50 as to allow Confederate associations
THE SAME PRIVILEGE
in purchasing the guns as Grand Army
Posts The amendment and resolution
were adopted By q unanimous vote, after
which the ballot reform bill was taken up
in it's regular order and read third time
There wss nothing said by any member
until the question WAS asked at O'Clock
p. M: Shall the bill pass? There WAS a
deaih-like stiffness for moment, bat it
was broken by Mr.. Price, who gained the
floor and said:
The Republicans have by their amend
ments absolutely destroyed the whole
scheme and effect of this bill. They have
stricken out the provisions for printing ell
the tickets as one official ballot and in
serted provisions utterly inconsistent with
other provisions left in the bill so that the
bill is now
sENsELBsS AND VOID.
The bill as now amended provides that ii
shall be submitted TO the people and pub
lshed in every weekly newspaper in the
Stats for four successive weeks. A careful
estimate which have had made by al tx
pert, shows that at the rates allowed by
law it will cost $40 to each newspaper
By the latest newspaper annual there are
about 140 newspapers ia the State, so that
the whole cost OF publishing this useless
bill will be about $50, 600 Under these
circumstances, much as desire the passage
Of ballot reform law, must vote against
this bill
Mr.. Flournoy said he had no hesitation
in casting his vote sgAinst the bill in its
present emasoulsted form for the reasons
| that
| ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTIC
features had been destroyed under the
amendments incorporated into it by the
Republican msjGrity by strict party votes
When the Legislature met the Democrats
entertained the hope that the good men in
that body, irrespective Of party, would
Join hands in Incorporating into ore elee-
tion Law provisions securing free elections
by removing the voters Of tae State from
the influence Of the practical politicians
hangiog aIoaDd the polls, seeking by bri'
berry or intimidation to prevent freedom OF
action in the exeIcse Of the elective fran
chise. On the report of the Judiciary
COMMITTEES, in reporting back the bill with
favorable 1ecommer dstiOn, what had
beea hope seemed TO be en- assured fact.
Bat this
HOPE WAS DIssIPATBD
when it became apparent that in both
houses the Republican psrty srrayed itself
| in opposition 20 this reform, snd when the
supposed leaders Of that party in the SEN
ate announced their intention OF defeating
the bill 10 some way, if not openly, there
/ by loading il down with obnoxious amend
meuts TO the water level 60 thst its own
weight would sink it.
Tue true position of that party On this
great question Was disclosed and then, and
not until then, ballot reform be-
came 3 party question, the Democrats
accepted the issue, and will tight the pe1t
battle before the people on that issue, aud
the result Of the battle will be no uncer.
iaiu one. The official ballot is eliminated
and vet all the machinery applicable TO II
unniDg. Moreover the provision that the
bill shall be submitted 10 the vote OF the
people, besides being an
EVASION OF THE DUTY
imposed upon the Lsgislature, will cost in
the item of publication alone over 500, 600
The bill has been butchered Tuthlessly IN
other particulars. and is now the Get0rmed
creation of the Republicans, and to them
will be accorded all the credit and blame
for its imposition on the people. Fer these
reasons l unhesitatingly vote against the
bill.
Mr.. Morris was not certain that he
should say anything on the question, as
he had fully explained HE position and
did not believe the bill as 1t came from
the House was one suited to the wants OF
the people, but SIS it now is. with its
amendment, he said that he would vote
for it. .,,
In explaining his vote Mr.. Oxley said if
the Republicans in this body desired to
kill the ballot reform bill it would have
BEEN MUCH Drawer
10 defeat it's passage By vote directly
AGAINST the bill, but know no way by
which to compel a mfj ority TO support the
measures OF the minority. They well
knoyy tha. a Democratic House of Dele
gates will not sgree to the Objectionable
amendments which have been made here,
and that the bill will come back with
these amendments stricken out, and the
Republican Senate will then defeat the
bill, so, therefore, l shall vote against
this bill. because Of these Objectionable
amendments. The bill came from the
House as q Democratic measure, pure and
simple, easily defined, and well under
stood. With these amendments II becomes
a Republican measure to defeat the oiu
aud has bsen such since SO amended Toe
Republ;can members OF this Senate have
nv their action declared themselves
AGAINST BALLOT REFORM,
and no matter how unpleasant it may
II NAV sound to them to refer to the
method of the Quays and the Dudleys, yet
onlv by these methods, coupled With the
importation of negro votes from other
States. can they hope to carry the State,
and in view of these facts, no wonder they
are opposed to ballot reform. There are
but three issues before the people OF this
country, IS has been said by Grover CleVe-
laud-ciyil service reform, tariff reform
and bLlot reform-and upon these Issues,
the Democratic party stand united in thsir
support and the Republican party stand
against them.
Mr.. McCAllister, in voting sye, explained
that re wanted the bill plssed by the
Senate 90 that the House would have al
opp)ruoity TO
STRIKE OUT IHE AMENDMENTS
and return it TO this body in its original
shape, said his position was difficult one
as to whether there was enough good left
/ in this bill by our Republican friends, ss
to a choice between it snd nothing being
done upon this important subject. came,
sir. said be, TO the consideration Of this
matter ss presented to us by this bill, be-
fore the manipulations Of our Republican
friends, with great esrnsstness. Nov, sir,
NV whole heart and soul is in honest and
thorouen ballot reform. l believe 1t the
nsrsmouct question Of the day; one over,
above and beyond all others as affecting
tha hest interests of or country and lite
! i..;,rto,s regret the adoption of the