Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-07-01

| NOlcrS.' ~
The striking out of the forty-third
section of article six is a change con.
seGuentlal upon the proposed amend.
meht OF section twelve of article
| four.
ARTICLE NI.-TIIE LEGISLATURES
There arc only three changes pro.
posed to this article. | can make
the first two amendments understood
without quoting them at lcngth.-
The first amendment is to section
twenty-five, and it read as follows
-. No bill shall be introduced af.
ter the tOrtieth day Of any session.
unless the Governor shall bv special
messenger recommend its conSIdera-
tlon, and unless permission for its
introduction shall be granted by n
concurrent vote of two thirds of the
member elected to each house, taken
by yeas and nays, and entered on
tho journals.
The prolific source of bad legisla-
ton Is primarily in the flood of bills
that is poured in upon every session
Of the Legislature. 1t is useless for
few wise Legislators to storm and
rage and say these bills ought never
to have been introduced 1t is true
a great majority of bills ought never
to find their way into any legislative
assembly. But this evil is not con-
fined to West Virginia. 1t exists i'm
every State. 1t exists in the Con-
gress Of the United States. 1t is the
privilege of member to introduce
bills. The practical end to be gained
ls to intercept the passage of bad
bills; but this cannot be done by
limiting the length of the legisla-
tive session. The attempt to limit
has had the contrary effect; in order
to accomplish the passage of some
measure with merit, members are
often forced to yield, in. closing
days of limited session, to the pas
sage Of measures which their iudg-
ment does not approve. This is es-
pecially true during the last few days
of short and limited session when
the flood of bills poured in, is poured
out, passed, without deliberatiOn and
without consideration. This amend
ment limits the time within which
bills can be introduced to forty DAYS,
leaving twenty full days for the clos.
ing of the session, and longer, if the
members choose to sit without pay
l am sure the effect of this amend,
ment if adopted will be to secure
more deliberate consideration of
bills passed.
The second amendment to this ar
ticle is to section thirty-three, which
reads as follows:
33. The members Of the Logisla-
ture shall each receive for their SER
vices the sum Of four dollars pcr
day for actual attendance, or, when
sick or absent with leave, for q pc
riod not to exceed sixty days at any
regular session and forty days at any
special session, and nothing thereaf-
ter, and ten cents for each mile tray-
eled in going to and the same in re-
turning from the seat of govern
ment by the most direct route, and
the presiding officer of each house
shall receive an additional compen-
sation of two dollars per day. No
member shall be entitled to mileage
for any special session called within
ten days after an adjournment of
any regular session. The Governor,
in calling an extra session, may
limit the same, and i'm such case the
session shall not extend beyond the
time limited without the concur
renee Of two-thirds of all the mem.
bers elected to each house and the
approval Of the Governor. Com
mittees of either house, or joint
committees Of both houses, ap.
pointed to examine the institutions
of the State, other than those at the
seat of government, may receive
their actual expenses, necessarily in.
Cured while in the performance OF
such duty; the items of such expense
shall be returned to the chairman OF
such committee, and by him re.
ported to the house or houses by
which the committee was appointed
before the same or any part thereof
can be paid. Each member shall be
entitled to one copy of the laws
journals and documents of the Leg.
islature of which ne may be a mem.
ber; but shall not receive at the ex
pense of the State any other allow
ance or emolument, of any charac
ter whatsoever, not expressly author
lied by this constitution.
The pay of members remains 6
per diem as at present, but is limited
to 60 days for regular sessions ant
forty days for special sessions. The
governor in calling special sessions
may limit them as to time. Mem.
bers can receive mileage but once
to and from the seat of government
Committees TO visit the State institu
tions can receive nothing; OnlN
their expenses are paid. This re
moves the temptation to get up visit
ing committees to draw ten cents .
mile each way and ride on a pass
] predict that if this amendment il
adopted the State institutions will
be inspected only when it is neces
sary to be done. Every one famil
lar with Legislation knows that Wis
ltlng committees are often raised fO
the purpose Of raising revenue f0
the members out Of mileage. Ou
OF courtesy the mover of IA resolu
tion to raise a visiting committe,
must be made chairman. The re
suit Of this is often to put at tn
head of a committee the least com
petent man in the Legislature. III
wants his mileage; it is forty, fift,
sixty dollars clear money to him
he introduces his resolution to rais
committee to visit the Home TO
lncurables to investigate, ETC.; resC
luton adopted !; distance $50 mile
each way; mileage $1,000. Me
are mortal. 1t is we'll that they b
not led into temptation, but deliv