Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-27

is criminal charges, showing an increase
OF y44. 900, or a total for the current BIZ
| ennial period of S204, 000. The Demo-
cratic Auditor reported to the Republic
| can Legislature of 1895 that 1t would re-
| quire 5000, 900 to meet the exepnses of
| this kind for the ensuing two years, but
that body refused to allow more than
$170, 900, and
! Much Political Capital
was sought to be made during the last
campaign out of the fact there was a
| deficiency appropriation necessary to
be made by the Republican Legislature
of 1897 to square up this account. The
amount asked for and obtained by the
| present administration is a tacit vindl-
cation of the correctness of the views OF
Auditor Johnson in 1895. and shows that
the deficiency Was due to the culpable
refusal of the Republican Legislature
to appropriate what was necessary, and
not to any Democratic extravaganza, as
was charged. 1t Is probable, however,
that the expenses OF this fund will con-
tinue to grow under any administration
as long as the present method of allow
ing them remains in force.
In looking at the amounts set aside
for unclassified expenditures and deslg-
mated as the contingent funds OF Tie diff
terent departments, a considerable in
crease is apparent, especially with the
size of these funds. Thus the civil con-
tingent fund advances from 500 900 to
So, 900, al increase of ten per cent, ap-
APPARENTLY, but as an item of $4, 600, here
tofore payable out OF this fund, has
been appropriated for under the head of
criminal charges, the real increase is
$4,000, or thirty per cent. The contin-
gent fund of the executive departments
goes from $1,000 to $14,S00, an addition
OF over tw~enty-three per cent. The con-
tlngent FUND Of the Senate, excluding
the item of $1,750 for chairs and desks
that has been switched over to Mis-
~cellaneous' in the appropriation bill,
has grown from 81, 700 to 5000, show
ing the enormous increase of mor than
two hundred per cent in six years, while
the same fund for the House advances
from $4,000 to $4,000, a growth of one
hundred and thirty-three per cent in
the same period, a very great increase,
and showing that the influence of con-
taglous extravaganza is reaching even
the popular branch OF the assembly. The
contingent fund of the staid and con-
servatlve Judiciary also shows the sings
or the times, and creeps up from $500
10 Sl0,4G0, a sedate advance OF
Over Eighteen Per Cent.
The pay roll Of the Senate for the
regular forty-five day session this time
loots up Sl3,444, instead OF So, I13, an ad-
vance OF over thirty-eight per cent,
while fhnt nf Tho T.~,-1 -. - -----
time passes from S21,036 to $25,417, an
increase OF not quite twenty-one per
cent. And it must be remem-
bered that there has been no
increase in the membership of
either house between the periods
AIKEN for comparison, nor as far as
results in work show it, any necessity
Tor additional attaches.
For the gears 1894 the pay of clerks
at the State House was $4,000 for the
current two years il is S45, 400, an in
crease O. about Twenty-Five per cent.
That this addition Oh clerical force is
unnecessary cannot of course be posi-
lively affirmed by any one unacquaint-
ed with the details Of the work
required to be performed in the
different offices, but if it is neces-
sary, then the clerical force under pre-
ceding administrations must have la
bored very much more than the hard
hearted public ever gave it credit for.
The heading miscellaneous shows
an increase Of a little over 81, 800. This
group OF expenditures usually includes
ODDS and ends that are not thought
to deserve particular places to them
selves, Dr. have failed to connect else
where. The item under this heading
that received the most attention and
comment during the session was a
charge of 81, 500-orlginally $1,000
made by the Attorney-General for pro-
fessional services in what were known
as the Ohio county liquor cases, as in
volving among other things, the prln-
ciple of certain State officers receiving
extra compensation in the shape of fees,
A clear idea of the transaction may be
obtained from the following editorial
in the Charleston Gazette of February
18th, 1899:
A Niger in the WoodpiIe.
There has been a good deal of I'M
savory gossip in and about the State
House within the last few days regard
ing some of the claims unblushingly
urged before the Committee on Appro-
priations. One of the most odorous is
told regarding one OF the many claims
put forth from time to time by Attor-
ney-General Rucker. There is the lit
tie item of $4,000 for instance. 5 1000 of
which is for some alleged services rem
dered regarding one of the bridges
neal Wheeling. But it is the ebony
gentleman or coon in the other 81, 900
to which the talk more specifically re-
lates. 1t seems that some 1870 saloon
keepers OF Wheeling determined to
evade the license tax by taking out
what is known as the short license"
for what they paid $3.50, leaving out the
5000 generally assessed. Twas said the
| Acknowledgement, ever on the alert to
turn an honest penny and with a thrift
| unknown to his predecessors away off
in Mcdowell scented the chance await
ing him in Ohio county. He hied him
sell hither, unexpected and unlimited.
The commemorative attorney of Ohio
county engaged Mr.. Caldwell to aid
him in bringing these recalcitrant sa-
loon keepers to justice and the story
goes that Mr.. Caldwell was fully paid
for his no doubt valuable services. In
deed, it is said the prosecuting attor-
ney kicked like . steer at the Attorney
Generals superserviceable intrusion up
on his preserves. However that may
be. which, however, seems true, Mr..
Rucker underwent the severe fatigue