Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-09-30
STARTLING BUT TRUE
Democratic Legislatures Com.
kpared With the Republican.
GRAND REPUBLICAN RECORD.

The Records Show Tint - Ccmn,,.n
with the Republican Legislature the
Democratic scssioas Were Costly. Cor.
rups. Incompetent aud Vicious "A sting
Ing Rcbahe os tho Democratic Platform
by Hon. r. w. Norris
Hon. p. w. Morris OF Ritchio county.
who has served several terms in the
State Senate and House Of delegates. and
who was member OF the last Iegisla.
ture, (the first Republican body In a
quarter OF century, has nm additional
article In his paper. tho Ritchie Gazette,
showing comparison Of the records OF
the Democratic Legislatures with tho
Republican ono. IL is singing rebuke
TO the infamous Democratic State plat.
form and we give ID in full. as follows:
The platform adopted by the late
Democratic State convention attacked
the Legislature OF 1898. which was Re-
publican In one branch. in vile and
false way. The Legislature was the
abiest. most industrious and most hon.
est that has assembled since 1870. and
Its work surpasses that OF any Demo.
cratic Legislature the State has ever
known.
Unlike the first Democratic I,cgisln-
ture OF this State, IL went 20 no ex-
tremes. did not pass any partisan meas.
ures and failed 20 call n costly constitu.
tional convention.
The Legislature Of 1895 completed its
work within the constitutional limit of
10 days. something which n Democratic
Legislature rarely ever did.
IL unanimously adopted early i'm tho
session resolution to the effect that
west Virginia is not responsible for any
debt OF the old State. and thus gavo
notice to all lobbyists that IL was not
worth their while To attempt to infiu.
once It's action.
It founded two good schools TO bene.
1T the mining and negro population of
the State.
lt pissed school book law, which
will save the people OF the State &c, 900
per year In the price Of books; and IL it
had not been for the delay Of n Demo-
cratic book board. would have saved the
people $4,000 year.
IL appropriated s175. 900 for criminal
charges which was 10000 more than
the Legislature of 1898 appropriated,
made necessary by deficiency under
the Democratic State administration.
II passed 81 acts of local and general
bcnofit comprised In 262 pages of com.
pact, sensible, grammatical matter.
among which wero law making the
educational institutions of the State
non-p partisan In their management. a
Law providing for a board OF agriculture:
law giving the people OF the State Ave
months public school; law establish.
ing the county OF Mingo and many other
useful laws.
For this work IL paid the members of
the Senate. including mileage, S5, ,S47. 40
and members of the House of Delegates
including mileage, $i5.70s.6o. Total,
81 .65l.OO. For the work it did 10 was
the cheapest, Legislature ever held in
the State.
1t appropriated TO the public printer.
Democrat. for all purposes $2S. .OOO. 90,
and that official has threatened to resign
because 1t was not sufficient TO fill his
Democratic nav. He has not carried
out his threat at this writing.
1t was absolutely the freest from sus-
picion Of corruption of any Legislative
body the State has known.
How does this splendid record com.
pare with that of Democratic Legisla-
tures2
The Legislature Of 1893 was strongly
Democratic in both bodies. IL sat
around for 10 days with it's feet on the
desks. some of the members drinking
good whisky and smoking good cipars.
the latter In the hall Of the House while
1t was supposed TO be In session, and
was Immediately reconvened by the
Governor 10 pass the appropriation bills,
which 10 had failed 70 pass. II then
took IL days extra In which to paas
these. In its totad sessions of 81 DAYS IL
did not pass one bill of Importance, and
but few Of any kind.
This Democratic Legislature Of 1893
Appropriated for pay TO members of the
Senate T,140.40 and TO members of the
House Of Delegates, $19, ,059.OO. Tho
total was $26.2J8.40, or about $1,000
more for doing nothing than was paid
the Republican members for intelligent,
beneficial work
Nhf7 DotAbAAtuAc alpfDprlhteQ 70 tne
public printer Democratic and still he
did not resign) al, 900
Tho Legislature Of 1901 was In ses-
don from the 14th day Of January till
abe 18th day Of March iuclusively.
being extended beyond the constitu.
tional limit IL paid its members the
sum OF f25,543.40 and appropriated To
the Democratic public printer SG4. 900. 90.
(It viii be observed that the printer did
not even threaten 10 resign this year. }
It's 20 called "acts" arc put In book of
100 pages, but these are nearly all from
the Secretary Of State, being charters
OF corporations. This Legislature
passed some good bills, however, being
notable exception in this particular 20
any other Democratic Legislature OF
West Virginia.
The Democratic Legislature OF this
State for 1899 and the extra session Of
1890, was in session % days. Il passed
only one bill Of Importance. that estab.
hshing reform school. The total
number OF pages Of acts passed ere I73.
The total appropriation for the pay Of
members was $50, $3.50. 10 only paid
the public printer S5l. .OOOOO-and stiI
this patriotic Democratic official did not
resign this year.
The Legislature did one big thing.
however-it stole the Office Of Goverpor