Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-08

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had no right to, but that he retained
and paid to Judge J. NJ. McWhorter his
fees and commissions as provided in
the contracts between him and the
claimants, which contracts were in writ
ing but were not delivered for exami-
nation on the grounds that they were
private property OF said attorney.
Owing to the limited time given to
the committee and important legisla-
ton pending before the House, they
had not time to make a more extended
examination or to go into the question
of further evidence.
w. T. TALBOT,
Chairman"
Little Information.
1t thus appears that the public has
practically but little more information
on this subject at the end of the Leg
i~slatiye session than it had at the be-
ginning. The principal reason for fail
ure appears to be that this matter be-
came involved in the controversy be-
tween the two houses on the question
of the constitution of joint committees,
and that the House was a~pprehensive
that the Senate would not concur in
any appropriation to pay the expenses
of a thorough investigation if it (the
House, should attempt it alone. An
other of the effects OF this wrangle
about the composition of joint COM
mittees was to heap up all committee
work towards the end of the session,
and thus probably make it somewhat
difficult for this committee to bestow
upon the subject the attention it de-
served.
Among the numerous comments
made on this subject by the papers
throughout the State there nowhere
appears any imputation upon the per-
sonal integrity of the disbursing agent,
but there is apparent a determination
that the public shall be ultimately in
formed as to all the details Of this
transaction. That the people have a
right to be acquainted with all these
facts is as plain as anything well can
be, and if satisfactory information OF
this character be not forthcoming at
the meeting of the next Legislature
there can be no question as to It's duty,
whatever be its political complexion,
to at once take such steps as may be
necessary to secure a thorough and
complete Investigation of the whole
subject and acquaint the public with
it's results. That either House has am
pie power to do this Is beyond ques-
ton, and that any expenditure Of time
and money necessary to accomplish 1t
will meet with public approval is equal
ly apparent.
Legislation was had on many other
subjects than those noted, but non of
them of
Special Interest to the Public.
Two or three acts were added to the law
relating to humanitarian or sanitary
matters. One act, making insurance
companies liable for the face value OF
policies on real estate in the event OF
total loss, attracted much attention
from the great diversity of opinion that
arose as TO the effect 1t would have on
the future of fire insurance in the State,
and probably still more from the very
unusual character Of a message from
the Governor concerning it, in which,
after giving a dozen reasons why the
bill ought not to become a Jaw. he APP
proved it in spite of his Better judg-
J ment, so as to give the people a sort of
an object lesson. A brief synopsis OF
the object of each act OF a general ma
ture, except appropriations, with its
chapter number in the official copy OF
the acts, follows at the end, so that
the reader may form for himself an idea
of the general trend and scope of the
legislative work of the session. In adj
dition to these an equal or greater
number of acts of a local nature were
passed, and a considerable portion of
the time of the two Houses was taken
up with joint resolutions of which some
twenty were adopted. None of these
were of much Importance, except that
providing for a new edition of the
code. A great deal OF time was wasted
in the Senate over the amendments
proposed to the State Constitution by
the abortive legislative commission OF
1897, but as was to be expected, there
was no practical result. One amend
ment, allowing the Incorporation of
missionary societies, appears to have
reached the point for submission to