Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-09

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would have received its quietus at
once, but in 1896 everything went Re
publican, and along With the result
went all reasonable prospect of eur
ing the passage of any Law putting an
end to what is conceded to be an UNI
mixed evil, at least so long as the
present regime continue sin power.
When, therefore, the second Repub-
lican Legislature men, In 1897, but lit
tie was expected of it in this regard. 1t
did something, however. 1t
Made the Amazing Discovery
that this matter could only properly be
regulated by constitutional provision,
and using this discovery as one OF the
p~retexts, proceeded to devise a costly
legislative commission to revise the
entire Constitution of the State. OF
curse this talk about constitutional
action being necessary to correct the
evils of the fee system is the sheerest
nonsense. There is not a word in the
Constitution giving either the Auditor
or the Secretary of State the shadow OF
a claim to any compensation whatso-
ever in addition to their salaries. On
the contrary, this practice of receiving
fees has grown up in defiance of the
Constitution, and is mainly the result OF
legislative enactments passed since The
adoption of that instrument. The de-
vice of a constitutional commission,
however, served it's purpose. 1t sup
piled a few additional places for de-
serving party men, ana afforded a
plausible excuse for leaving the fee sys-
tenn in u~ndisturbed peace, at least for a
while.
When the result of the election of
last November showed that the House
would be Democratic, it was hoped that
some step would be taken to emphasize
the wishes of the bulk of the party on
this very important question. This
expectation vas not, however, realized.
The narrow margin by which the
over the disputed seats, the senatorial
election and the continuous squabble
between the two houses all helped TO
divert the attention of the House
members from this subject. The House
majority also felt that it would be a
case of labor lost, as far as practical
results were concerned, since any
measure that it might succeed in pass
ing would have to run the gauntlet of a
hostile Senate and Governor, and also
encounter the potent opposition of the
head of the Republican State ~organiza-
tion, who is the chief beneficiary OF
the present system. The Senate being
Republican, naturally neither desired
nor intended to interfere with the exist
ing condition OF affairs, so it tinkered
away at it's constitutional amendments,
knowing they would practically result
in nothing; and thus another Legis-
lature closed without any action in
reference to a matter that ought to
have been disposed of when public at
tention was first called to it.
The Republicans have now virtually
Abandoned All Pretense
of doing anything in the way of put
ting an end to this evil. If they should
prevail at the next election the present
occupants of the State Offices are likely
in most instances to hold them again,
and the Legislature will still be con-
fronted with the plea of vested rights
All IIS luJuStiCC VI ullllllSLluS t1C
fees Of officials while they are in Office.
TIC expect any relief from the constitu-
tional amendments in the proximate
future would seem equally vain. In
the ordinary curse they would not
reach the people before the election OF
1902, and to do this they will have to
pass the Legislature of 1901 by a two
thirds majority Of each house, a result
that is extremely doubtful.
The most feasible way to achieve vic
tory in this contest between rhe people
and the office-holders would seem 20 be
for the next Democratic State conven-
ton to declare in unequivocal terms
that the Legislature then to be elected
will abolish the fee system before the
inauguration Of the new STATE admin
~istration on March 4, 1901. No one can
then complain of injustice, and plenty
OF deserving and competent men can
be found to take these offices on the
salaries fixed by the Constitution. If.
however, contrary to present indica-
tions, the Republicans shall again sue
coed in electing their State ticket and
the Legislature, or one branch of it.
this vicious practice that enriches a
few o~ffce-holders at the expense of the
State may be expected to continue -four
lshing in undiminished vigor for some
years to come.