Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-01-26

will be one of rhe busiest weeks of
the Legislature. The two bodies will
ballot for a United States Senator,
today, and tomorrow they will meet
in Joint session and elect Senator Step
hen e. Elkins by handsome majority.
John Il. McGraw was chosen as the
caucus nominee Of the Democrat party
and will be placed in nomination to-
morrow.
a bill will be introduced this week
providing for the presentation to Con-
gress of statue Of Francis H. Pier
pont. who was the War Governor of
Virginia, when West Virginia came
into existance. The statue is to occupy
the only place belonging to the State
that is vacant in the National gal
lery. 1t expected that the Legisla
ture will vote to appropriate 5000
for the Pierpont statue.
The only daughter of Governor
Pierpont. Mrs. W. III. Siveter, of
Pittsburg has arrived here with her
brother IF. H. Pierpont, of the same
city,
The. Kenna statue has never been
accepted by Congress. caus Q
cause of some fault with the sculptors
work, but there will be no move
ment toward having new one made.
Another interestin event Of the week
was the argument today before the
Supreme Court in the University mat
ter. A writ of prohibition was issued
by Judge Dent, demanding that the
Board of Regents show cause for the
dismissal of Prof RIA. Armstrong.
George Sturgiss, President of the
board, filed his answer Saturday,
which was a surprise TO the attorneys
on the other side, and at the request
the hearing was deferred until today.
The winds in the university matter
have shifted somewhat. Governor
elect White has learned of some of the
features ON the other side of the ques-
ton of removing DIR. Raymond, and
the edict that the President of the
State University must go has been
suspended. The arrival of President
Sturgiss of the board at the capital
has had something to do with the
change of sentiment 1t is announced
that Governor White has modi
fed his intention of changing the
State boards and removing Governor
Atkinson's appointees. Three new
members of the university board must
| be appointed in the spring, because
their terms expire. There will then
be six Republicans and three Demo-
| Gratis.
Mr.. Sturgiss will likely remain
as President of the board until his
term expires in two years. The
home for incurables will not be con-
verified into an insane asylum, but the
next new building will be built for
epileptics, as Governor White desires.
| Judge John J. Jackson will likely
be removed from the board, being
Democrat, but Mrs. Ruffner, who orig
/ mated the institution, will be retained
as its general manager. These are
some of the important developments
in matters interesting West Virgin
ians growing out of Sunday devot-
ed to conferences among the leaders
while many of the law makers were
away at their homes.
| Senator and Mrs. Elkins will arrive
/ the last of the week and expect TO
give large reception at the hotel.
The most sensational feature of
yesterdays session was the over
whelming vote in the Senate in favor
of an investigation Of the West Nir-
ginia University.
The troubles at this institution
have existed ever since President Je-
rome l.. Raymond was appointed.
Raymond, who was Endorsed by Presi-
dent Harper, of the Chicago Univer-
sity, made himself unpopular by the
wholesale discharges of West Virgin
la professor and supplanting them
with men fresh from the Chicago
University. Charges of reckless ex-
| travagance have also been made. As
Raymond, however, is practically an
appointee of Governor Atkinson it
was supposed a Republican Legisla-
ture would stand by him, but when
Senator Kidd (dem., Gilmer) intro
duced resolution demanding the APP
pointment of joint committee of
five to investiate the charges concern
ing the university it went through by
over five to one majority. Three re-
publicans, Lanhan, Koran and Camp
bell, opposed, but the other republi-
cans voted with the democrats, MAX
ing the vote stand 16 to in favor of
the resolution. The resolution will
be acted upon by the house to
day, and judging by the temper of
that body it will pass. Another in
teresting feature of the session of the
Senate was the introduction of cor
poration BILL modelled after the New
Jersey law, but great deal more Ii
beral. The bill abolishes the present
limit of 5000, 900 upon the capital
stock of companies incorporated UNI
der the West Virginia laws, and pro-
vides for graduated tax in accord
ance with the ammount of capital.
1t was prepared by the Attorney Gen
eral and the secretary of state, and it
is said, will create enough revenue