The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-23
In State Senate in Reference to a
Plain Business PROPOSE
tion of Importance.
RESOLUTION VIRTUALLY KILLED
Which Ought to Have Passed
Unanimously, but Was Grip !
pied by a Partisan Vote.
The Resolution to Ipqulre Into tie
ExpedIency of Paying Salaries In-
stead Of Fees to State Officers
Gets q Black Eye-The
Peddlers Tax Debate.

Special Dtlpdlch 10 tbe 4htEtgeNf6,
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Jan 22.-Quitl
little breeze was started in the senat,
this morning when a resolution came "
providing for joint committee to inves
tigate the Offices Of the State Auditor
and Secretary OF State in regard to the
amount Of feeFreceivsd and where they
came from, and report Us to the desira
bllity of turning the same into the State
Treasury. Mr.. Rankin Wiley moved to
refer the resolution to the Finance Com.
mittee with instructions to inquire into
the expediency of such investigation.
This brought Senator Campbell to the
floor. he said the offices should be in.
vestigated. The people had right to
know about this matter. The investiga-
tion was not proposed in partisan
spirit. It should be above the plane OF
politics. The committee conducting 1t
should be composed Of an equal number
OF Democrats and Republicans, and the
Investigation conducted solely in the in.
terest Of the people Of the State.
SENSITIVE MR.'wILEY.
Mr.. Wiley replied that he was doubt.
full Of the expediency OF making such an
investigation. In his opinion the reso.
luton reflected upon the integrity Of
these officers aud unless there were res-
sons to believe that they were not act
ing honestly, he did not believe in sub.
iucting them TO an investigation OF this
kind. If the people wanted to know
these things he thought the proper
thing to do was TO ask the officers them
selves for statement.
Mr. Campbell said the resolution was
no ref lection upon the officers. No one
suspected anything wrong in the Offices,
but it was thought their fees were ex-
Cessiyely large and there was sentiment
that these fees should be paid into the
State Treasury and the officers paid a
salary commemorate with their labors
and duties.
Col. st. Clair said he favored Mr..
Wiley's motion. He said there was no
particular reason for opposing an inyes-
tigation properly conducted, but thought
the resolution was incomplete. In fact
he fayoreda proper investigation, not
because he thought the officers were
getting too much or too little. He was a
high priced man and wanted it under.
stood, but he knew no reason why the
minority should have an equal number
on the committee with the majority.
Republicans might have 9 majority in
Washington and run things to suit
themselves, but they gould not do it
here. So far as he was concerned, Dem.
ocrats had no reason TO oppose a proper
investigation. Their administration Of
State affairs wss noted for honesty, and
they could point to 1t with pride. They
had been honest even down to election
matters aud that the people Of the State
appreciated the fact was shown by the
result OF last Novembet's election. He
thought the Finance Committee was the
appropriate committee TO which to refer
the resolution and accordingly he was in
favor Of Wiley's motion.