The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-03-01
The LEGISLATURE.

The first Republican Leglsla.
ture in twenty three years I'D.
iourned last Friday at midnight.
It was in session only forty.five
days andin this respect ii goes
far ahead Of the record Of the
Democratic party. For ten years.
preceding the present session,
the shortest time occupied by any
one Legislature under Demo.
cratic rule was iifty.seven days
and some of them were over
eighty days in length. The Re.
publicans came INTO power on
a tidal wave that was presumed
10 carry into the Legislature a
large number of inexperienced
men. The work was new 10 them
and they were placed at q great
disadvantage. The Executive
and an the State officers as well
as the Supreme court were still
in the hands Of our Democratic
friends. Its we'll known that
TO do successful work there
should be a high degree of har-
mony between the Legislative
and executive branches of the
government. Just after the
election the Democratic news
papers Of the State FASTENED
TO say that the Republicans
would notbe able to accomplish
anything and the Democrats
would still be able, through their
officials, to control legislation.
fortunately these officials have,
in many respects risen above
that narrow partisan spirit that
their demagogic allies had hoped
would take possession of them.
And iet il be said, to the credit
OF the Governor and his associ-
ates in Office, that they have
acted the part Of men, not dema.
igogues,
With these conditions confront.
ing them. the Republicans as
sumed control of one branch of
the State government.
In the Senate there were IS
Republicans. just half of the
whole number (26J. 1t will be
seen that there was no certain
majority for any party except
in the House. That this Legis-
lature, in forty-tive days, should
be able to complete its labors
and adjourn. certainly shows, a
decided Improvement compared
with the record of other years.
A United States Senator was
elected, the institutions of the
State were visited and better
appropriations given to the
asylnmns and educational insti-
tu:ions; a law reducing the price
of school books was passed and
the total appropriations for all
! purposes were about $t00,o00.0o
less than the appropriation made
at the session of '9S. The Vir.
gina debt question was given a
short but decisive answer by
adopting a resolution declining
to negotiate with the Virginia
commission on the terms set
forth by Virginia. While it is
true that some measures We're
passed that probably should have
been side tracked, on the other
hand a number of good laws
were enacted and when our Dem
ocrahc friends assail US for
not doing more, we console our
selves that we did not call an
extra session at the expense of
the people and with only part
of the machinery of the State we
hardly expected to make every
needed reform in one session.
especially since the Democrats
with full power for over 20 years
have not corrected any of the
evils they censure the Republi-
cans for not correcting in As days,
Sandpaper is made with powd
cred glass instead of sand. Glass
is easily powdered by heating it
red hot, throwing it into water
and finishing the powderiug in
an iron mortar.
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