Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-21
Special to the Register.

Charleston, w. Va, February 20
their powerful lobby here will prob
ably succeed in preventing the passage
of measures providing for their assess
ment and taxation. Fresh proof of
this is furnished with each succeeding
session.
A few days ago the Hobbies for the
different corporations were at logger
heads, and the hope was entertained
that some measures to compel them to
pay their proportionate share of the
State taxes might be enacted into laws.
To-day that hope has all but vanished.
The difficulty in passing the omnibus
bill has been explained in these col
umns. Realizing the situation the
Democrats in the House offered sepa-
rate bills which were designed to reach
The former was up in the Senate to-
day and the latter would become a law
if it were not side-tracked in the Re
publican branches of the Legislature.
The Standard Oil Company, the West
ern Union Telegraph Company,the Long
Distance Telephone Company and 9TH
er powerful ~monopolies have their lob
bies here, while there is no person to
plead the peoples
The Western Union pays $500 a year
in State taxes, and the express COM
panies $3.50 a year, and the telephone
company not much more. The MAJ
ingly disproportionate distribution of
the burden of taxation which these fig
ures reveal would seem to call for a
readjustment along the lines of equity
and justice. Yet the spectacle is pre-
serted of the lobbyists circulating with
out h|indrance among members on the
floor of the House and members dodg-
ing into committee rooms during roll
calls upon matters affecting
THE BIG MONOPOLIES.
The scene in the second act of the
drama of "Monoplies VS.. the People"
was transferred to-day from the Demo-
cratic House to the Republican Senate.
The bill to tax the express companies
was sent up from the House with the
stamp Of its approval, All the monopo-
listic lobbyists were united against it,
and even the railroad interests, which
have hitherto held alooi, took a hand
in the fight. 1t was a magnificent bat
tie, but only one result was possible.
The people lost.
A motion was made to strike out of
the bill under consideration blouse bin
No. 217), all after the enacting clause,
and substitute therefor the provisions Ct
Senate bill No. 10, known as the "Om-
nibus bill" providing for the taxation
of telegraph, telephone, pipe line and
express companies. Senator Whitaker
and others made very ingenious argu-
ments for the substitute, taking the
position that it was unfair to select but
one corporation for taxation.
Senators Osenton, COrnwell and 9TH
ers. fought s|tubbornly for the original
measure, but to no avail. When it came
to a vote the population of the cloak
rooms was augmented and the substi-
tute was adopted.
The vote may fairly be regarded as
a test of friendship for the monop-
olies.
Senator Osenton desired further to
test the sincerity of the Senators who
favored the Omnibus bill. He moved
to suspend the constitutional rule and
put the bill IN it's passage. Senator
Whitaker moved to adjourn. The mo-
ton was lost. Senator Fast raised a
point of order which, in effect, prevent
ed it's immediate passage, which the
chair decided well taken.
The effect of the action OF the Senate
CANNOT BE DISGUISED.
1t will absolutely prevent the pass
age of a law, at this session, to assess
and tax monopolies. 1t was claimed
that the omnibus bill is unfair in con-
struction, and the shrewd lobbyists
have interjected politics into it for the
purpose of %arraying Democrats in Cd,
position to it, The Senate may pass
the omnibus bill tomorrow. ANY 9th
er course would be SO g%laringly incon-
sistent with Republican pretentions on
the floor that this course seems the
most probable. The Republican Senate
seeks to place the responsibility for it's
defeat upon the Democratic House, re-
lying upon the partisan feeling which
has been created through the ingenious
representatives of the lobbyists.
If the House refuses to accept the
omnibus bill, there will be no legisla-.
ton to compel the ~monopolies to pay
their share of the taxes and the lobby
lists will have gained a signal victory.
The time is too short to prepare or. con-
slider any other measures.
The responsibility for the defeat of