The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-27
speolal pIgpatch to thO IntelllEsnesr.

Bpeoial DiBpAtch 10 InO 4nteulkeuGsE'
CHARLESTON, W. Va. April a.
The constitutional committee resolved
to-day to adjourn on next ThurSday. 70
meet again May 10. At this, the next
session. It is expected the committee
will conclude It's work of drafting
amendments To-day was principally
devoted to discussions OF various prop
osltions before the body.with the ques'
tlon as to whether the salaries Of STATE
officers should be taken out Of the con-
stltutiou and left to the legislature. 80
the main theme OF debate.
Judge Brannon, Of the supreme court
by invitation, addressed the COMMITTEES
and devoted the major portion Of hii
remarks 20 this subject, tRvoring the
proposition 20 leave salaries 70 the Iegs
islatDTe. he also urged the commission
TO present but few amendments, ana
mako no radical changes 10 the consti-
tuition. There were a number OF re-
ports from the various sub-committee1
on proposed amendments heretofofo
presented. The work between this ana
Thursday will consist chiefly on the
preparation OF reports by the sub.eom-
tee meets again In May, practically All
Of the proposed amendments VIII De
before the body for hnal action. ChAir-
man Fast and Nj. Hansford were to-
day granted leaves OF absence.
The main feature in the debate SAT-
urday was the impressive speech BY
Colonel r. E. Fast IN support Of the
proposed amendment TO eliminate from
the constitution the specific salaries
named 10 be paid state officers ana IN
favor Of leaving the matter TO the leg
islature. An animated debate arose over
the proposed change. afr. Darst ana
Mr.. Curtis also spoke in favor OF the
amendment. Senator FarT spoke earn
estly for the system Of leaving these
salaries in the constitution, and want
ed the committee 20 make any changes
in the salaries that might be deomed
wise and let the people adopt or raJect
the changes, when they vote on the
amendments. Mr.. Toler also spoke IN
similar strain.
eraI scheme OF arbitrarily designating
fixed salaries In the constitution, and
with eloquent force he pointed out that
the federal constitution afforded . gltid-
ing Stnr permanently fixed In the firn-
arnent OF LEGISLATION that had the exper-
ience OF a century back OF It, wherein
salaries were left 70 CoEBrSsA AZ Ee.
ferred to the great commopWealth9 OF
the union, including Ohio, PennsyIya-
MIA. Illinois, New York and many oth@
ers that left the matter OF salaries TO
the Legislature, and Showed that SAe
most enlightened wisdom IN the van
guard OF American states dealt with
this subject as matter OF statubotS
enactment.
In the course Of his speech Mr. Fast
took occasion 90 impress upon the COM
ruittee the necessity OF a keen dtscrim-
nation between matters OF law that
were Of their nature organic and those
that were purely statutory. He warned
the committee in eloquent languAGeand
with forcible argument against ne
temptation to draft Legislation into fho
constitution.
SeHator whitaker, who commands the
admiration and respect OF the members
OF the committee of both parties, oe'
cause Of his conservatism and abhltV,
spoke in favor Of preserving intact the
irreducible school fund, but limting it
"a as not to exceed one million douaFS
through future accumulationS. Tho
Committee was divided IN opinion on
this subject, but It is not likely that the
cund win be done AWAY with bY di9-
birsements TO the counties throUBh
Term OF years, as favored In some guar