Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-13
Special to the Register.

Charleston, w. Va, January 12.-The
lobby and gallery OF the hall Of the
House OF Delegates were we'll filled
when Speaker Mckinney raped for
order at 10 o'clock.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. DR..
Canter, of the Dickinson Memorial
church.
Major Bennett, of Cabell moved that
the chair appoint special committee
on privileges and elections. Mr.. Cut
right moved to amend by directing
the chair to appoint the regular COM
mittee on privileges and elections. MI.
Davis, of Harrison, made the point OF
order that no rules providing for the
appointment of a regular committee on
privileges and elections have been
adopted by the House. The chair de-
cided the point we'll taken. Mr.. Cut
right moved as an Amendment the APP
pointment of a special committee on
rules and regulations. The chair ruled
that the amendment was not germane
to the motion, and therefore out of
order. The chair also stated that no
other matter would be permitted to
take precedence over the determination
of the membership of the House.
In answer to an inquiry from the Re-
publican side of the House as to what
rule the chair had adopted, the speaker
stated that in the absence OF any spe-
cial rules, he was governed by the gen.
eral rules pertaining to parliamentary
procedure. Major Bennett took the
floor and defended the Democratic po-
sition. Mr.. Outright offered a resolu-
ton providing for the adoption or the
rules governing the last House Inc
chair stated that the resolution could
not be entertained for the reason that
it was not germane to the subject mat
ter and started to read from an
authority on parliamentary proceed
ure May / inquire what you are
reading from?" asked Mr.. Outright.
Certainly" replied the speaker, Il am
reading from Thos. B. Reed" He got
no further in his reply, for his words
were drowned by the laughter and ap-
plause from the Democratic side. Mr..
Outright appealed from the decision of
the chair, and the chair was sustained
by a vote of 43 to %. Mr.. Darst (Rep),
of Jackson, changed his vote before
the result was announced
The question recurring on the mo-
ton by Major Bennett, Mr.. Haptonstall
moved to lay on the table, which mo-
ton was defeated by strict party
vote. Mr. Davis, of Harrison, demand
ed the previous question, and the de-
mand was sustained. Major Benefits
motion was adopted by vote of 81
to a.
Mr.. Hughes, of Taylor, offered
10 hot ho init
consist of three Republicans and four
Democrats. The chair assured Mr..
Hughes that the minority would be SO
represented on the committee, and the
motion was withdrawn.
Mr. Davis, of Harrison, took the floor
and started to make speech when
Mr.. Hughes made the point of order
that nothing was before the house eX-
cept the appointment of the committee
on privileges and elections The
! Speaker stated that he desired time to
reflect upon the membership of the
committee and would permit Mr.. Davis
to continue until he ascertained wheth-
er he desired to make a motion. Mr..
Davis then moved that the list of men,
bers, prepared by the Secretary of
State, together with certificates, Gre
dentials and other papers accompany
ing it, be brought to the House and
read by the clerk.
Pending consideration of the motion
the Speaker announced the committee
as follows: Morrow, of Jefferson;
Fisher, of Braxton Carter, of Boone;
Cunningham, of Randolph; Hill, of
Mason; Mcclure, of Ohio; linn, of
Ritchie.
Mr. Outright made the point of or
der that the House had not yet notified
the Senate that it was ready for bust
ness.
Because it is not ready" replied the
Speaker, causing another laugh at the
expense of the leader of the Republi-
can side. Mr. Oldfield objected to the
immediate consideration of the resolu-
tion but was ruled out of order.
The clerk then read the certificate of
election of j. d. Logan, properly sign
ed by the board of canvaSSers, showing
that Logan received 1925 votes and Via
1920 votes; also the action of the Cir
cult Court, finding that Logan received
1,257 and Via 1851 votes, and other
legal papers.
Mr.. Davis, of Harrison, moved to re-
fer all the papers which had been read
to the special committee with inctruc-
lions to ascertain who has tie prima
facia title to seat in the House as
delegate>from Monroe county, and en-
powering the committee to demand
from the Secretary of State all other
papers bearing on the case.
Mr.. Martin, of Kanawha, offered as a
substitute, a motion referring the pa
pers to the committee, empowering the
committee to call for persons and pa
pers, including the disputed ballots and
permitting Mr.. Via and Mr.. Logan to
appear before the committee with at
torneys. Upon this motion Mr.. Mar
tin made lengthy argument to which
Mr.. Davis replied. The House then
took a recess until three o'clock.
At that hour consideration of Mr..
Davis resolution, and Mr.. Martins sub
stitute was resumed. Mr.. Oldfield took
the floor, and made an argument in
support of the Republican position. Mr..
Stephens (Dem.) spoke briefly, and Mr..
Martin (Rep) replied with some feel
ing to Mr. Davis charges against the
Secretary of State. Major Bennett
(Dem.1 replying to a statement by Mr..
Martin, said he did not understand that
a vote for or against the resolution
would be vote upon the merits of con-
test involved. Major Bennett closed
the debate. The substitute was lost by