The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-02-13

80 - ~--<< - 49,
The methods by which an attempt
IL being made in the legislature to-
form new county out of portions Of
Monongalia, Marion and Wetzel are
significant of the temper of the
times.
Not single provision of the con-
stitution and laws regulating the es-
tablishment Of new county has
been complied with.
They don't pretend to comply with
the law. Law or no law they want
the new county, and they have gone
to the Legislature relying solely on
the fact that the rev county will be
Republican, and as the Republicans
have a majority in the Legislature,
they ought to use their power to Sc
cure this political advantage!
What is the constitution, or what
is law, forsooth, as against MAORI
ty of the votes?
That is the controlling idea upon
which this movement is proceeding.
And the mere statement of. it is a
sufficient commentary on the signs
of the times.
There is nothing in our political
organization which has been so
hedged about by the constitution
and laws as this forming new
county. 1t is regarded as a very
serious matter to interfere with the
established boundaries of the State
as fixed by the constitution. Hence
the constitution and the laws made
in pursuance thereof, require that
certain well defined, deliberate, and
preliminary steps shall be affirma-
lively shown to have been taken be-
fore the Legislature has any author
ity to even move in such matter.
These are:
/. A notice of the intention to
apply to the Legislature for the
formation of new county shall be
published for four weeks in a news
paper in each of the counties from
which territory is to be taken, or
posted at the front door of the court
houses.
2.-Then, the county court of each
county shall order survey in order
to ascertain the number of square
miles in the county.
3.-The county court shall order
census of the population of the
whole county, and also of that por-
ton to be taken from it.
4.-Then the county court shall
order an election to be held in the
territory to be taken to ascertain the
will of the voters therein.
5.-Then the application to the
Legislature must be accompanied
by the certificate of the county
court that all these provisions of the
law have been complied with.
6-And, then the constitution pro-
vides that no new county shall be
formed with an area less than 400
square miles.
Mot, with population of less
than 6O00
S-Nor, shall any county from
which territory is to be taken be re-
duced in area below 400 square
miles.
9-Nor, reduced in population be-
low 5000.
1O-Nor, finally, shall new coun-
ty be formed without the consent
of majority of the voters residing
in the territory of the proposed new
county.
All these several steps and condi- |
tions we have enumerated, must, we |
say, be affirmatively shown to have
been complied with, before the Leg
islature has any right to even con
slider a bill for the formation of a
new county.
Nevertheless, for the last ten DAYS
or two weeks the Legislature has
been seriously and defantly consid-
ering, debating and trying to pass a
bill offered by boisterous and de-
termined lobby, and regularly en-
tered on it's calendar, in connection
with which it is tacitly or openly
admitted that not one single require
ment of these solemn provisions of
the constitution and laws has been
complied with.
We haven't seen anything equal
to this in the history of legislation
in West Virginia.
We have no comment to make.
In the language of the peddler
who saw his apples kicked all over
the street: 'sThere amt no bloody
word fer it,"
LIVELY ROW.
Ill., |