Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-03
TIE CONSTITUTION TINKERS.
A Complete List of the Various
Amendments
Adopted or Yet to be Acted Upon,
with the Full Text of Each Of the
Important Propositions-An Ex-
hibit Which Every Citizen Should
Carefully Study and Fully Digest.
Special to the Register.


c'dded sess.on of sixteen days Friday and
went nome TO rest. They adopted seven
amendments TO the Constitution, and
have on the calendar nineteen others to be-
considered and acted upon at the next
session, which Will begin on the 18th OF
May. The
AMENDMENTS ADOPTED
by the committee are as follows:
First-An amendment to Section 10 OF
Article ILL.,, adding at the end of the Sec
tion these words:
But an appeal from the judgment of a
justice upon the verdict of jury shall be
granted as matter Of right under such
regulations as may be prescribed by law"
Second-In Section Of Article ", the
following words are stricken out:
But the voter shah be left free TO vote
by either open, sealed or secret ballot, as
he may elect The amendment is &c
make Il secret ballot compulsory.
Third-Amendment 10 Section of Arti-
Gle VIII The following to be inserted in
the place of the present section:
The Supreme Court OF Appeals shall
consist Of
FIVE JUDGES.
three Of whom shall constitute quorum.
The Judges in Office when this article, as
amended, takes effect shall remain therein
until the expiration OF their terms. The
judges of the Supreme Court cf Appeals
shall be elected by the voters OF the State
and shall hold their offices for the term of
ten years, unless sooner removed in the
manner prescribed by this Constitution
Except that at the general election in the
year 1898, one judge shall be elected for
the term of four years, and at the gen.
eral election in the year 1900 one judge
shall be elected for the term of six years
and one for the term of ten years"
Fourth-In Section = of Article ", the
words NO citizen shall ever he denied
or refused the right or privilege Of voting
at an election because his name IS not or
has not been registered or listed as Il
qualified voter" to b. stricken out and tho
following inserted: The Legislature shall
provide by law for
\ REGISTRATION
Of all qualified voters" Section 70 cf Ar
ticle VI. THAT the Legislature shall never
authorize or establish any board or court
Of registration of voters" 10 be stricken
out.
Fifth-Amendment to Section ? Of Article
VII, providing for the election OF Il Sec
rotary of State by vote Of tie pcople.
The other two amendments adopted by
the Committee refer to the Secretary OF
Safe and are consequential Of the a.nu d.
ment of Section ? of Article VII
The amendments pending before the
Committee to be acted upon at the adj
journed session are the following:
First-Amendment to Section 23 Of Article
VI. as follows:
That the members OF the Legislature
shall each receive for their services he
sum of $500 for any session of the Legis-
lature,
BE IT LONG OR SFORT.
and no more except the Speaker Of the
House of Delegates and the President OF
the Senate shall each receive an addi-
tional sum Of 500 each. No other allow
ance or emoluments than that provided by
this section shall directly or indirectly be
made or paid to the members of either
house for postage. stationery. newspapers.
or any other purpose whai1yer."
Second-The following in lieu of Section
q of Article VI:
mo session Of the Legislature shall con-
tinue longer than sixty days: after the
expiration OF forty-fve days of the ses-
sion no bills or joint resolutions Of the
nature Of bills shall be introduced, unless
the Governor shall 10y special message call
the attention of the Legislature TO the
necessity of legislation on the subject
matter embraced in the message and tho
introduction Of bills shall be restricted
thereto
Third-An amendment TO Section - OF
Article VII. provides that the salary OF
the executive officers shall be
FIXED RY THE LEGISLATURE.
and that no State officer shall receive any
fees perquis!tos or other compensation;
an fees to be turned into the State treas
ury.
Fourth-AF r1ment to Section i2 Of Ar
ticle VIII. * ing the words:
They Ghe circuit Courts shall also
have jurisdiction to remove any county OF
district -cGicer from Office for official mis-
conduct incompetency, habltual drunk
enness! neglect Of duty or official corrup-
ton or gross immortality. under such resu-
lati0ns as may De prescribed by law"
Fifth-Amendment 10 Section 4 Of Arti-
Gle XII. relating to the permanent school
fund providing that the fund shall not
b. allowed TO increase beyond one million
dollars. all accumulations 20 the fund be-
yond that amount to be annually applied
10 tho support OF free schools throughout
tho State. and 10 no other purpose what
ever. Amendment 10 Section provides
that:
Tie Legislature shall provide for the
support Of free schools by appropriatine
thereto the interest Of the invested school
fund the net proceeds Of I'll forfeitures
and fines accruing 10 this State under the
laws thereof. A sufficient amount shall be
levied to provide for at least
SIX MONTHS SCHOOL
I'm each sub-scho0l district in tho State.
This fund shall be known as the teachers
fund. and shall not be used for any otheI
pufDose. Provided. that any city town,
village or district may, by a majority vote
of the qualified voters thereof, lay an ad-
di.ional levy 10 conduct the schools in
their respective districts for q longer
period than six months, as shall be pre-
scrlbcd by general law
sixth-Amendment 10 Section 2s Of Ar
tcIe VI. providing that either house oi
the LEGISLATURE may pass bill by a ma
iorlty vote Of all the members elected 70
the house. by the present provision, no
bin can pass except by a majority Of those
present.
Seventh-Amendment 20 Article XIII,
relating 70 land titles. Il simply divides
the thirteenth section in the present Con-
sutution into three parts or sub-secions.
designated first" Second and third"
....-ai,r, 70 tho dirisInns made ~ Iudge