Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-01-13
No VIRGINIA DEBT TALK
IN This LEGISLATURE.
THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTS
A RESOLUTION DECLARING
AGAINST 1T.
THE BONDHoLDERs SURPRISED.
INDICATIONS GOOD FOR A CONsTI-
.TpTIONAL CONVENTIONAL
REDISTRICTING ROW.

oPNNidi ~ tllC 1NtoAatCA-
CHARLESTON, w. Va, January y.
Senator Campbell's resolution declar-
ing that this State owes none Of the
Virginia debt, and will take no steps
to assume its payment, went through
the Senate this morning unanimously,
and the ghost of that political and fin
ancial Banquo is-laid for another two
years.
The resolution coming so early in the
session found the friends of the bond
holders unprepared to meet the issue,
and so the blow came. and from a
Democratic source.
Senator Whitaker's bill for con-
stitutional convention is what is
known as the Ferguson bill, being a
copy of the measure prepared a num-
Der of years ago by Judge James H.
Ferguson. 1t is designed to secure as
nearly as possible a nOn-partisan con-
vention. It provides for fifty-one MEM
bers, being three from each senatorial
district and twelve from the State at
large, and providing further that no
voter shall cast his ballot for more
than seven members at large or more
than two district members. This, 1t
is thought, will give the dominant par
ty a fair working majority, and yet
leave the minority with enough to
make a telling opposition to what they
might consider unfair and oppressive
legislation.
There is Every .-eason
to believe the bill will pass. and the
State be provided with a new organic
law. Republican members are almost
unanimous in its support, and con-
siderable sprinkling Of Democrats viii
be found voting for it.
Senator Nays dog tax bill seems de-
signed TO allow owners of dogs to
make them property if they desire to
do so. The dogs are TO De taxed in
case the owners want them taxed. 1t
will be interesting to note, IN case the
bill is enacted into law, how many
people will willingly invite the laying
on Of taxation.
Senator Whitaker is not, perhaps,
as young as he used TO be, but he has
lost none of his youthful .chivalry, so
that when members of the fair sex
applied to him to introduce a bill ex-
tending that sex the electoral fran
cnise, he consented to introduce it into
the Senate and let it take its chance
among the many others with which
his trunk came loaded.
The redistricting bills are creating
more and more discussion as the mem
bers think of them more, and soon
they will occupy the center Of the
stage in every gathering. There will
be a considerable scrap over the for
nation of
The Congregational Districts,
for the number of those beginning TO
regard themselves as Congressional
timber is rapidly growing, and soon
embryonic Congressman will be met
at every street corner and in every
hotel and capitol corridor. Everybody
IS telling OF how the redistricting mat
ter must be fixed up early in the ses-
sion. so as TO have it out of the way
OF other things, but it may be SCI
down in the column Of facts that it
will be one Of the last things disposed
Of during the meeting.
Kenney's resolution to investigate
the Offices of Auditor and Secretary of
State viii receive a good deal OF Re
publican Support, unless the powers
go to work and choke it of by main
force. for there are many of that faith
who believe that these officers are en-
ti-ied m inst com oeuSar;On and No
more, and they feel that at present the
occupants Of those places are getting
more.