Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-14

. lfLENGl HEN 1f1ElR IOOll 1ON
IN THE SENATE.
| Special to the Register.
Charleston, w. Va, January 13.-The
Wheeling City Council is a more tur-
bulent body than the West Virginia
Legislature has been thus tar.
Correspondents for newspapers pub
| liShed outside of the State, who eX
pected to find every legislator armed
to the teeth, have discovered that the
proceedings are conducted in a dis
tressingly decent and orderly manner.
The battles that are fought are battles
of brains. The fre-arms stage has not
yet been reached, nor will it be.
Undoubtedly the hardest struggle is
yet to come, and it may be attended
by exciting scenes upon the floor of
the House and Senate. This depends
largely upon what the Republican pro-
gramme will be in the event that DEM
ocrats from Monroe and Taylor are
seated. There is this difference be-
tween the respective positions of the
| two parties: the Democrats are con-
dicting their case upon it's merits
alone, while merit is entirely ignored
in the proclamation of the Republican
| managers that they will have "An eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"
There can be no question that the Re-
publicans will gradually embrace any
pretext bearing a semblance to justice
in unseating all the Democrats in the
Senate.
Thirteen hold-overs will be nice
little start for Senator Elkins toward
reelection in two years. 1t is very
likely however, that the threat of Col
lector White is intended to simply bluff
the Democrats out of seating the legal
ly elected delegates from Taylor and
Monroe.
THE ACTUAL BUSINESS
of the Legislature has boon ignored,
and nothing will be done until the
House of Delegates is properly consti
tuted.
With the exception of creating a few
offices for recalcitrant Republicans, the
Senate transacted no business of a
more startling character than the
adoption of a resolution instructing the
janitor to maintain a temperature OF
6S degrees Fahrenheit in the Senate
chamber.
This branch of the Legislature has
adjourned until Monday TO await the
| developments in the other end of the
capitol building. The House met this
morning and adjourned until tomor
row to enable the special committee on
privileges and elections to conclude
consideration of the Monroe and Tay-
lor county contest cases.
The only point secured by the Re-
publicans was made while the minority
controlled the temporary organization.
| Their cut and dried programme was
carefully carried out. Byrd Hill, who
presided, had Dawson's typewriter in
structions on the desk before him. Be
fore deciding any point he consulted
these instructions, which made the
matter very easy for him. 1t was the
Republican scheme to swear in Bro
hard and Via, neither of whom had
prima facie title to seat, in order to
| place the Democrats in the attitude Of
unseating them.
The remainder of this transparent
and exceedly flimsy plan will be re
vealed when they plead retaliation in
| justification of their action in the Sen
ate. But there may be Republican
| members who will decline to unseat
Senator unless sufficient cause is
shown.
| The House special committee on
privileges met tonight and considered
| the Taylor and Monroe county mem
| bership cases. The Republican side
was presented by Attorneys Edgar P.
| Rucker, Joseph Gaines and Mr.. Nc
CIntock, while ]. H. Holt and Judge
A. n. Campbell ably presented and de-
| Tended the Democratic position. The
| arguments were very interesting, but
even disintereSted Republicans who
were present admitted that the Repub-
lican position was shattered. The ar
| gumsats were made along the line
| heretofore given in the Register Mr.
Rucker made threats, at la White. dur
| ing his argument, remarking that if
the Democrats established a precedent
a condition of affairs would prevail
! within thirty-six hours which would
| be disgrace TO the State
The Monroe county case was first
considered. and the arguments on the
| Republican side went into its merits
| Chairman Morrow ruled that the COM
,mittee had only been empowered to
Enquire into the question of prima
efaoie title to the disputed seats, and
Ildeclined to consider a motion by Mr.
| Mcclure to ask the House for authority
TO enter into the merits of the cases
When the arguments were concluded
tha commitfae doeided IN roaon,mand