Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-01-14
THE LEGISLATURE CONVENED.

The West Virginia Legislature met
yesterday at Charleston, with the Re
publicans in control of both houses.
In accordance with the decision of the
caucus of that party, S. R. Hanen, OF
Marshall county, was chosen as the
Speaker of the House, and Nelson
Whitaker, Of Ohio county, was elected
president of the Senate. The other
offices chosen in the House were Elmer
+. Hood, of Charleston, clerk Cyrus
w. Crislip, of Tyler county, sergeant
alarms John n. Allen, of Taylor
county, dooikeeper In the Senate
John T. Harris, of Wood county, was
elected clerk; ]. W. Devore, of jack
son county, s.rgeant-at-arms; c. c.
Hamrick, of Webster county, door
keeper.
The Democratic caucus was held
Tuesday night, when W, H. McClung,
of Greenbrier county, was nominated
for speaker of the House, and Brice
W. Catlett, Of Morgan county, for pres
ident of the Senate. In the House
caucus the Democrats passed resolu-
ton pledging themselves to oppose any
proposition to reopen the Virginia debt
question. E.A. Bennett, w L. Mans
field, B. F. Harlow, ]. G. Hurst and
George Umstead were appointed e
steering committee.
The Republican leaders have, so 1t
is reported, agreed to unseat Senator
D. w. Shaffer, of this district, and give
H. C. Getzendanner his place, The
ground for the contest was that Mr..
Skaters name was illegally placed on
the gold ticket at the late election.
The fact that Mr.. Getzendanner, as a
Republican Senator, will hold over I'M
Ill 1899, when United States Sena-
tor is to be elected, is such strong
temptation that no other consideration
will be allowed to stand in the way of
seating him.
1t is stated that John Hen.haw,
elected as a gold standard Democrat
from this district, will act with the
Republicans, while Romanus Hunter,
his colleague on the same ticket, will
vote with the Democrats on party ques-
tons.
The annual message of Governor
MacCorkle was submitted yesterday.
He gives considerable prominence to
the natural wealth and advantages Of
West Virginia and shows up the re-
sources of the State in excellent style.
The condition of the States Gnances
are shown to be in excellent shape and
that she ranks among the first provid-
ing for public schools and in the edu-
cational work being done. The Gov
ernor calls attention to the continued
increase in the expenditures of moneys
to defray the expenses of criminal
prosecutions and urges upon the Legis-
lature the Importance of retrenchment
in this line. He calls attention to the
efficient management and healthy con-
dition Of all of the State institutions,
and recommends the establishment of
reform school for girls, and says this
is more important than the reform
school for boys
He recommends the abolition Of the
days of grace at banks and favors a
compulsory educational law.
In referring to the school-book ques-
ton he condemns the present deposit
! tory system for textbooks, and recon-
mends that the present contract sys-
TEN by the Legislature be abolished
and that the matter of selecting and
contracting for books be left to the
several counties. The Governor also
recommends the creation of separate
insurance department and the appoint
ment of an insurance commissioner,
and asks legislation which will control
secret insurance societies and require
building and loan associations that pay
no taxes to pay the same.