The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-17
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT
|, What West virginiaus Will
Try Next Election.
sENEToR FERGUSoN's BILL
Will Probably Pass the Legislature
This Congressional District May
Be Made Republican in the
New Charleston News.
s,...a! DsDqles 10 u. hGuissnoer.

R.tsa! DLipdLeh 70 Ne IalRt6eHeer.
CHARLESTON, W. VA, Jan. 16.-It i
safe to predict that the next election il
we,, Virginia will be held under tn,
Australian ballot system. The bill in
troduced by Judge Ferguson in thu
House and Colonel St. Clair in the Sen
ate this afternoon is precisely the SAINT
as that OF last session, prepared by ex
Governor Wilson, but it will probably
he amended considerably before ii
passage, as its Democratic friends claim
i is too severe in its original form. Il
will probably be treated as party meas
ure and passed by party vote.
JUDICIAL cIRcutTs,
The Judiciary Committee is at work
upou measure to increase the number
Of judicial circuits and change the pres
ept law, go that judges can be elected
next wear. IL is well known that the
circuits as at present arranged are entire.
" too lsrgs, and 1t is impossible for
business to be disposed OF by the courts
as It should be, and each succeeding
wear adds to It's volume. Under the
present law Judges cannot be elected un'
III 1897, aud this makes paovision 10
elect them next year necessary in case
the number Of circuits is enlarged, az il
doubtless will be.
CONTESTED ELEeTIoN.
To-day Colonel S; Clair presented de-
positions in the Morris o sdin contssted
election cast to the Senate. 1t was re.
ierred to the Committee on Elections
and Privileges. Mr.. Morris claims to
have proven twenty-five illegal votes
aud Mr. Ogdin will have to go, showing
the hooelessneSs OF hid case 10 Demo.
cratic Senate. He will make little de-
Tense. 1t would seem that Democrats
could afford to be magnanimous in this
instance, but they,won't be. One said,
ave have q United States Senator to
elect two yeers from now and we want
every vote We can get, but Morris was
elected and he ought to have the seat
ANYHOW" Tho committee has set the
case for the SOth, SO the Republicans Of
Inc Fourth district will have the benefit
Of their Representative for two weeks
anyhow.
REDIsTRICTIEa.
The House Judiciary Committee ia
cudgeling It's brains over the redistrict'
ing bill. Just how to FIX the thing seems
IN worry them considerably and little
appears 10 be known Of their plans.
Everybody pleads ignorance, but Demo
Gratis are emphatic in their denial that II
will be a political measure in any sense
They say only geographical location and
population will be considered; that the
bin will be a just one, framed without
any intention Oi giving either party an
advantage. However, the party's rec
ord Is not such as TO lead to belief that
Ia honesty is hurting 1t much. Judge
FeIpuson is the leading spirit in It's pre-
para,ion, but declines to say anything
as 10 what changes the bill will propose.
Itis strongly hinted, however, that the
report that the First district would be
made reliably Republican and the otheI
three Just as reliably Democratic may
prove true.
CAUGHT A TARTAR.
Holly G. Armstrong, whose candidacy
for Clerk Of the Senate was intended to
be made the stepping stone to the nomi'
nation for Auditor in 1902, seems tc
have caught tartar in his prize. In
selecting his assistants, their quslihca'
tions wers not considered as much as
the influence each was supposed to have
that might help Mr.. Armstrong two
years hence. The result ia that mueh
difficulty is experienced in disposipg O
the work. Mr.. Armstrong isnot familiar
with II; his assistants are not familiar
with il, and it is aaid he is thinking o
resigning his position in disgust. While
AZ 6e saws, his friends arranged all his
appointments to the best future advan
taee for him, as he thought, 1t seems Y
be the impression outside that wbll'
gratifying to the few fortunatee, 1t has
made bitter and lasting opponents In th'
disappointed many. his position may
prove an apple OF sodom after all.
SOME SORENESS.
There is much soreness still over th'
election of Speaker Bennett, and th'
wounds do not bid fair to heal, and !
seems to be the impression, too, viii
many that he is not the right man 10
the place. a prominent Democrat sai'
to-day: "To tho uuinitiated II is bar
TO understand why experienced parlla
mentaIians like samuels, White, Glosoi
and Welch should be ignored to homo
the young and inexperienced memps
from Lewis. But party eEigencies 9nl
party combinations demanded bus eieC
ton. Now the question is, will the re
suit be as his friends desired? There
a 'nigger in the woodpile' and may tel
you more about 1t soon."