Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-22
NEW FEDERAL DISTRICT
BILL SEEMS SURE 70 PASS.
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
SAID TO BE READY TO MAKE
A FAVORABLE REPORT.
HANNA's POWER ON THE WANE
A REPUBLICAN WITH THE NERVE
AND ELEMENTS OF LEADERSHIP
COULD SOON DISPLACE EIM.

Special to the Register.
WASHINGTON, d. c., December 21
That the bill dividing West Virginia
into two Federal Court districts will
become law almost Immediately up
on the reassembling of Congress, after
the holiday recess, there seems no
reason whatever to doubt.
This bill recently passed the low
er house by unanimous vote, and it
is stated upon the best of authority
that the Senate judiciary committee is
ready to make favorable report up
on this measure, during the first week
in January. Senators Elkins and
Scott, who are heartily in favor Of
the plan, will take special interest
in pressing the bill to a vote, and
Congressman Dayton, the patron of
the measure, who has zealously labor
ed for its enactment, since he first
introduced the bill in 1894, expresses
the utmost confidence in it's success
Mr.. Dayton expresses the opinion that
had not local opposition been mani
tested the bill would have become a
law during Mr.. Cleveland's admins
tration, thus giving an opportunity for
the appointment of a Democratic judge
for the proposed new district.
The creation Of this new district will
now furnish an opportunity for pro-
viding
Several Quite Nice PlumS
for the distribution of the powers that
be- the most important OF which is
the judgeship.
While, as a matter Of Senatorial
courtesy Senators Elkins and Scott
will have the naming of the appointees
yet it is reasonable to suppose that
Mr.. Dayton, being the patron of the
measure, will be consulted when these
appointments come up for considera-
ton.
While, no doubt a large number Of
applications for the new judgeship
will soon be filing in, yet your CORES
pendent is led to beneve that only the
names OF a very limited few will be
actually considered when the final ac-
ton concerning this matter is had.
Divesting the question of all bias or
prejudice, it is difficult to find real
ly valid objection to this measure, as
it does not propose in any way to
curtail or diminish emOluments of the
present federal judge OF your State,
only dividing the work between him
and he proposed new Judge, and be-
sides, the bill proposes to establish
courts at three other points in the
southern portion of the State, thus ne
cessitating the construction of new fed
eral buildings, ana adding very much
to the convenience OF the members Of
the bar and of litigants who may have
business IN these courts.
Hanna on Beer Tax.
Senator Hanna has manifested a
great deal of interest in the reduction
of the special war tax on beer, and
it is claimed that he is endeaVOring to
make good his ante-election promises
to these interests, whereby they were
ABSURD that in consideration of i'm
mense contributions to the Republican
campaign corruption fund, this tax
would be restored to original rate Of
$100 per barrel, instead of at $500,
as now imposed. He is meeting with
considerable opposition from some OF
the leaders of his own party, among
them Senator Aldrich, who maintains
making such promises, and that other
interests demanding reduction OF taxes
are of more public Importance than
those of the brewers. 1t is believed
that Notwithstanding the efforts of>Mr.
Hanna the Senate will adhere to the
action of the House, which made
reduction of forty cents on the barrel.
1t is also claimed that the brewery
interests are threatening the Hanna
ship subsidy bill unless their demands
for the reduction of the tax on beer
be reduced to S1.00 per barrel, and
hence his doubly increased energies in
behalf of this reduction.
The regime of Mr. Hanna as abso-
Lutte dictator of the Republican party
is evidently on the wane, and all that
is required, even at this early day, is
for some prominent member of his
own party to manifest sufficient nerve
to lead the opposing forces, and from
that period the downfall of Hannaism
will begin.