Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-24

Charleston, w. Va, February %
The spectacle of an acknowledged Re-
publican leader denOuncing prominent
Republican of1iceholder in unmeasured
terms of bitterness upon the floor OF the
State Senate was furnished for the de-
lectation of a large lobby, including
fully half the members of the House
of Delegates, this morning. 1t con-
stituted the most sensational incident
Of the entire session, and furnishes an
other proof of the fact that there is
lamentable lack of harmony among the
leaders in the dominant party in West
Virginia.
The officeholder who received the I'M
merciful roast was no less distinguish
ed a parsonage than Attorney General
Edgar P. Rucker 1t came from the
lips of Senator n. E. Whitaker who has
not been pleased with the course of Mr..
Rucker in advocating the passage of
measures in which Mr. Whitaker feels
an interest, and especially in view of
. the fact that the majority in the Senate
was influenced to vote with the minor
ity through the fundamentally of
Rucker.
The item in the appropriation bill
allowing Rucker and others $1,000 for
special services in prosecution of the
Ohio county saloon keepers furnished
the opportunity.
Whitaker did the rest. He began
very mildly, by stating that he was en-
tirely free from entanglements and was
in position to speak from a standpoint
of business and fairness. He alleged
that the amount of the item was not
just, and in support of this statement
charged that the bill as presented to
the auditor, asked for only $1,000.
Rucker had only appeared in court
once in the matter. He argued that
the charge was unconstitutional. as
the Attorney General had simply per-
formed a service in the line of his
duty, for which the State allows him
an annual salary of $1,000. There is
fees.
AS Senator Whitaker continued in
his argument, his remarks began to
assume an acrimonious personal tinge.
He referred to the audacity of the At
torney General in devoting three days
to lobbying for the passage of the ap-
preparation. Instead of allowing the
emolument of Rucker, he said, the Leg
islature should have cast of his feat
ures in marble placed upon the dome
of the capitol building labeled 'Audac-
ity." The next thing in order would
be claim from Rucker for his services
as lobbyist He denounced the claim
as an outrage upon the political party
to which Rucker owes his position, and
a stencil in the nostriIs of society. If
this be Republicanism, he could easily
be a Democrat forever hereafter. He
stated that he had been approached
yesterday by a friend of the Attorney
General with proposition to withdraw
his opposition to the appropriation, in
return for which there would be no ac-
ton upon certain measures which he
favored.
He wanted it understood that he
could not be bribed with money or any
other consideration. He denounced the
proposition which had been made to
him as an evidence Of audacity and
10 Il
from the path of honor and rectitude
Attorney General Rucker sat beside
Senator Smith while he was being ar
raigned by Senator Whitaker, and
WINGED perceptibly under the severe
criticism to which he was being sub
jected.
Senator Whitaker warmed up to his
subject, and spoke with considerable
feeling.
Senator Smith tried to interrupt
him several times, but he was entirely
ignored. When Whitaker concluded.
Smith said something about a lack of
knowledge of the courtesy due a gem
tleman to which Whitaker retorted
that he would not go to Smith for
lessons in courtesy.
Smith made a rather feeble reply to
Whitaker's speech He stated that
the journals of the session of 1887
would show that Senator Whitaker
had voted for claims of attorney gem
erals similar to that made by Mr..
Rucker, to which no reply was made
When the appropriation bill came
upon its passage, at the close of the
protracted afternoon session Senator
Whitaker voted against it.
Senator Whitakers speech is not
the only evidence of ill-feeling among
the Republican leaders, which has de-
veloped during the closing days of the
session.
The Register accurately forecasted
the action of the governor upon the
bill Tor the relocation of county seats.