West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-06-10

ingly large and caused the newspa.
per men to contemplate the out
look with the gravest apprehension
This trio stood rs firm and un.
dauanted as the Greeks at Their
mopylac, but were finally overcome
10y forces superior in numerical
strength MS well as in legislative
experience.
The strong undcrcurrent against
newspaper interests came to the
surface early in tho session and
assumed defuite form in radical
degree. On the very first day that
the Legislature was ready to re-
ceive measures, one Of the first to
be introduced was House Bill No.
~, better known MS the collins
Bill" The single purpose of the
bill was to repe,l outright. the law
requiring the publication in one
newspaper IN each county, of the
personal delinquent list. No bill
/ could have been advocated with
more vgor and Vehemence, or
pushed with greater zeal and en-.
ergy. 1t had well organized
corps Of supporters who seemed to
have come to the Legislature for
the single purpose of repeating a
law that had no effect more per.
nicious or banefuI, than to cast "A
few crumbs from the public table
into tho mouth Of the scantily fed
and poorly remunerated editor. In
addition to its avewed supporters
there were large mum Der Of mem
bers who seemed to regard the
Collins Bill" as a good thing,
and were ready at every juncture
of It's progress to help push it along.
Despite all the impediments that
could be thrown in its pathway,
1T made STEADY progress and rapid
Advancement through every stage
incident to legislative procedure.
Once, IN an unguarded moment,
the two newspaper men in the
House managed to recommit the
collins Bill" to committee. but
1t was back on the calendar again
before they had time to prepare for
It's second reception or to lay any
mature plans for delaying its pro-
gres5 or defeating it's passage.
Finding themselves unable to stem
the impstuous tide, they drftcd
with the current to pick up auy
folsom that should appear about
the wreckage. A substitute was
offered which made large conccss-
ions Of newspaper interests, re-
duclng the expense Of the publica-
ton dswa to an amount barely SUI
licIent to cover ccompositiop
according to the scale Of the ty-
pographic unions. The substitute
was rejected by an emphatic vote.
The argument was made before the
committee, and repeated on the
floor of the House, that no possible
benefit could result from the pub
lication Of the personal delinquent
list, and any moRey expended for
that purpose was so much money
wasted. lncidently it was con.
tended that the publication Of any
matters and proceedings relating to
public affairs is unnecessary and
without reciprocal benefits for the
money expended. These argu-
meRts struck a responsive chord i'm
the breast of the average Watch
Dog Of the Treasury" and gave ac-
CELEBRATED impetus to the COLLINS
Blil' in ts triumphal march
through the lower house Of the leg
islature. 1t went over to the Sen.
ate and tho newspaper men felt
reasonably certain that it would be
suothered to death by friendly
committee. But the same skill
that bad steerod it safely through
the breakers was there 10 prevent
it from noundcrlng in the vortex.
They followed IL over to the Senate
and lowered about the chamber like
so many EVIL spirits around the
deathbod Of an incarnate Gend
They poured into The ears of the
Senators the oft told "talo Of woe"
about the goading hardship i'm
posed on The PROSTATE tax payer
by the iuiquitous law they sought
TO repeal BY their inportunitiss
they made life burden to the
chairman Of the committoo wherein
the beloved and roycrred collins