West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-01-24
THE LEGISLATIVE MILL.
News and Notes and Current Comment ON
the Work OF Our state solons at
Charleston.
Specially reported for The ARGUS.
CHARLESTON, w. Va.

1
CHARLESTON, w. VA,
January s2, 1901.
If the present session of the Leg
isiature does not accomplish some
real good, it deserves to be severely
condemned, because it has the best
chance for work of any Legislature
ever convened in the State. Here
tofore there was always big hight
on hand over the election of a Uni
ted States Senator that generally
took up all the time of the body, or
else the political complexion of one
branch or the other, or both, was so
closely divided that each party
fought the other and interfered with
the transaction of any real business.
but this time none of these matters
are in the way. The election of a
Senator is a mere formality, and the
Republicans have a two-thirds ma
jority in both Houses and can do
anything they please.
TT
They are doing it, too, with ven.
geance, and the way tina, million
dollar surplus in the school fund.
left the State by the Democrats, will
melt away, if the Republicans get
whack at it, will be a caution about
laying up stores for the future. Some
mend on ancient history has discov-
cred that the Senate of 1893 man
aged to struggle along very nicely
with four assistant clerks, five COM
mittee clerks, one sergeant-at-arms
and one doorkeeper. This Senate
has ten assistant clerks, ten commit
tee clerks, "a few extra clerks, three
doorkeepers, two sergeant-at-arms,
two cloakroom keepers, two libra.
rians and small army of pages.
! / /
The Republican members of the
Legislature met in secret caucus last
Wednesday night and discussed with
Governor>elect White the matter of
recognizing the Boards of Manage
ment of the various institutions of
the State. The Boards as now con.
stltuted are made up of five Repub
licans and four Democrats. Mr.
White demands that they be re-
organized so they will have three
Democrats and six Republicans, and
that the terms of service be so ar
ranged that the incoming Governor
VIII always have the appointment of
majority of each Board. A bill to
this effect will be introduced in both
branches of the Legislature.
III
The bill to prevent school trustees
from employing their relatives to
teach in the public free schools was
considered by the Committee on
Education, and reported with the
recommendation that it pass. There
have been many quarrels on account
OF the determination of school off.
GERS to foist their relatives on pa
irons of schools who did not want
them, and the wonder is that such
statute has not been enacted
long ago.
Last week when the news came
that Quay had been reelected to
the U. S. Senate by the Pennsyl-
vania Legislature, the Hon. lake
Fisher, of Braxton county, intro
duced the following resolution, which
was unanimously adopted by a ris-
ing vote:
Resolved, That the majority of
the House of Delegates of West
virginia tenders its congratulations
to Hon. Mathew Stanley Quay on
lis magnificent victory, and the
Speaker is directed to transmit this
resolution to Senator Quay"
Jake is a rampant Democrat, and
caught the Republican members slick
enough before they knew it, as his
resolution specifically states "that
the mGIorily of the House of Dele
gates" etc, which refers of course
to the Republicans.
TT
Senator Harmer's bill is sure
enough antitrust, clearly defining
what is meant by trusts, and pro-
viding penalties that ought to be
adequate to their destruction. The
State corporations that enters into a
trust is to be deprived of its charter.
and the foreign corporation that so
ofends is to be deprived of the
right 10 do business in this State.
AS Tor the individual, he is to be
punished by fine Of not less
than one nor more than
fifty nor more than five thousand
dollars, or by imprisonment in the
State penitentiary for not less than
ten years, or both Whether the
/ 4 legislature will enact a.. t;i 4.