The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-03-11
CHARLESTON LETTER.
CmARLFsroN. March

s.AO oWaES INC Legislature na'
been extended for fifteen days, and
therefore, l can send you letter
again.
se The Legislature Is getting dowr
2 to hard and industrious work, anc
all the legislation that was back il
the regular session, will be passed
nic The Senate has passed the bill
& -apPropriating $40, 900 to the world'l
: Fair, to be expended under re
,strictions. This is more than tn,
State hould have given, and think
the House will cut the appropria
lion down to $4,000. There are
more farmers in the House, and
they are not disposed to make any
Is unnecessary appropriations, thai
d will increase their taxes.
The new assessment bill is meet
ing with much opposition, and pro.
tests against the passage of the bill
4 arc coming in from all over the
State. If it passes in its present
shape. peoples private business will
be dragged before the public. 1t is
very obnoxious measure, and it is
the hope that the good sense of ouI
Legislators will defeat it.
House Bill No. 1s1, concerning
lawful fences, received from the
Senate with amendments, was agreed
20 and passed. This bill makes any
wire fence lawful, and if built OF
barbed wire, instead of the fifth
strand, there shall be used a plank
not less than six inches wide.
House Bill No. 257 concerning
powers and duties of town councils
in towns of 3 900 inhabitants, giving
them the power to erect, or author
izc, or prohibit the erection of gas
works, electric light works, or water
works, and power to lay license tax
on livery men and hack men carry,
ing passengers for pay, was passed.
The Governor returned to the
Senate without his approval, the bill
relieving from taxation real estate
that had been purchased or con-
demned, or may hereafter be pur-
chased or condemned for public
roads, and releasing the land owner
from paying taxes on lands con-
tracted for or condemned by u rail
road company. The Governor ex-
planned his reasons for vetoing the
bill quite fully. Another bill to
answer the same purpose, without
the features objected to by the Gov
ernor, is being prepared.
The Charleston Gazette thus
speaks out on the school book ques-
ton, and what it says will no doubt
receive the hearty endorsement of
your readers:
"For the last two years a systc-
matte effort has been made to fasten
upon the people of this State the
same old school books that have
been in use for the past % years.
Emissaries and apostles. it is said,
have been sent all over the State to
influence the public opinion, and
every endeavor has been used in
the Legislature for the retention of
the books. Such methods should
not be permitted by the members of
the Legislature to have any effect
upon their actions. Ifthe old books
are the best that can be secured, re-
tain them; if not, then get the best.
The people of the State do not want
to pay any more for their books
than they have to, but they are will
ling to pay what is right; and if the
most valuable book comes a few
cents higher than an inferior one,
they are willing to pay the differ
ence. The object of the State in
prescribing text books is to see that
only suitable ones are used, and
when it prescribes books that must
be used exclusive of all others it
should see that the very best and
no others, are selected"
The Governor has approved the
following bills passed by both houses:
to provide that tenant shall not
be liable for the taxes of his land
lord further than his Indebtedness
!. for rent; concerning the use OF
school houses for public; meetings;
y relating to the action of detinue; to
pay compensation of persons en-
r ployed-in the examination of luna
tics out of the county treasury; in
d relation to the record and pubIica-
ton of certificates of incorporation;
p concerning exemptions from jury
duty for the protection of hotel
keepers; to prevent the fraudulent
issue of witness certificates