Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-27
REINFORCEMENT.
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS ADOPTS THE
SgvENTY-ONE MEMBERS PLAN,
And AdjOurns Sine Die-OhiO County Gets Four
Msmbsrs-Ths Democrats Will Have
Majority Of Elsvsn-Ths School Book Com
mission Bill IN the Standardization
Resolution Passes.
Special 7sisgram to The Rso.ster.

Special telegram 10 The Rs0tster.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, February 26. -
The Democrats caucused again tonight
on the re-appOrtiOnment Of represent
alton in the House. Three plans were
printed and were before the body fol
consideration. Que was the plan fol
sixty-Seven members previously adOpI
ed, another was for seventy-One and the
other for eighty. Each plan was dis
cusSed at length. Owing the fact that
reporters were not allowed to be any
where near the rooms, it is not hard tC
understand why the reporter who got
his information in mysterious way,
could not tell just what each speaker
advocated
AT 1890 a vote was taken on the
three plans. There were So present and
voting. The 67 plan received Is votes,
the Il, 30 votes, and the so thirteen, Sc
the II plan was adopted and the inter
esting part of the programme began.
Delegate Thompson said he had been
raised to believe in Democracy but he
could not support this plan in the
House, because it is utterly unconstitu-
tional. Gen. Watts said he came into
the caucus TO be governed by the deci-
sion Of majority of its members and
intended to stand by its decision.
Mr.. Thompson said he would go aS
far as any man OH the floor to serve his
conscience aud his county, but declared
that he would never vote for the plan Of
II members adopted by the caucus. He
said that the Supreme Court and the bar
of the State would say the plan was un-
constitutional. Can we 90 before the
people and ask them to ratify this ac-
tion? If you adopt any plan that con-
forms to the constitution l shall sup
port it heartily.
Col. White remarked that he had been
working in Democratic harness longer
than his friend Mr.. Thompson. II was
not here when the &c plan was
adopted. When | returned from
Wheeling found condition OF
affairs very detrimental to the
interests Of the party. My views Of the
constitution are right and will be sus-
talned by the lawyers all over the coun-
try. This plan is constitutional aud the
best one offered yet.
Mr.. ST. Clair said while il was not
what he voted for, yet ii was conStitu-
tional and he would support ii. He
said the constitutional convention that
framed the constitution had given US
an example in making delegate dis
trictS. That convention gave to Bar
bour, Harrison and Tyler each dele
gate and to the three one. Why can
we not do likewise with Tyler and Wet
eel? Why not with any other counties?
shall vote for this plan now till ma
jority of the Democrats in the LegiSla-
ture tell me to stop.
Others expressed themselves rs salts
fled as 10 the cOnStitutiOnalitya and ieaSl-
bilty of the scheme. and the matter
was dropped.
Senator ST. Clair called attention TO
Mr.. Miller'S resolution introduced to-
day. providing for ten days recess, and
thought it was intended to injure the
Democrats, and that 10 would be well
enough to be careful as to procedure on
it, No decision was reached or asked
for on the matter, and the body adjourn
ed sine die.
The following is the plan adopted:
Number of delegates, Il. Total popu-
lation, 7G2, ,79i. Ratio, lO.T43. Three
tifthS of this ratio, GAS.
The delegates are apportioned as fol-
lows: Barbour |, Berkeley l. Boone /, ca
bell ?. Calhoun /. Doddridge l. Fayette .,
Gilmerl Greenbrier >. Hampshire !,
Harrison ., Jackson >, jefferson l. ka-
nawha I, Lincoln /, Logan !. Marion ,,
Marshall .. Mason >, Mercer ], Mineral
l. Monongalia |, Monroe /, Nicholas II
Ohio 4, Pendleton !, Peasants /, Poca-
hontaS l. Preston ., Putnam /, Raleigh
!. Ritchie ]. Roane l, Summers l. Tay-
lor 1, Tyler /, UpShur /. Wayne >, Wet
zle /, Writ /, Wood 3.
Delegate DiStricts-Berkeley, Jeiler-
son aud Morgan ., Braxton and Clay >,
Brooke and Hancock !, Grant and
Hardy /, Lewis and Webster ., Me
Dowcll and Wyoming i, Randolph and
Tucker ., Tyler and Wetzel /,
1t is said that by this plan the politi-
cal complexion of the House will be.
Democrats Al; Republicans 30.