Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-25
A BAD LEGISLATURE.
The BOdy Which Has Just Adjourned
Was Quite the Worst Ever.

Nicholas Chronicle.
When the ''round up comes, after this
Legislature %adjourns, it will be found
there have been brought forth the crudest
laws ever born in this State, and smack
ing more of ~partisanship than ever before
since the days of the test oath and pro-
scription. The Democrats in the Legisla-
ture are powerless. They are gagged.
They can only protest against improper
legislation; go on record; and occasionally
shame the Republicans into doing some
things in the direction of right. Take the
matter of fees collected in the office of
Secretary of State and in the office of the
Auditor, running into tens of thousands OF
dollars annually, as instances, and pocket
ed by the gentlemen holding the offices, in
addition to the salaries allowed by law.
Mr.. Anderson, the Democratic leader of
the House, offered resolutions of inquiry
into these matters, claiming that these
fees should be turned into the State treas
ury in order to reduce the tax burdens of
the people and that the people should
know what these officers are receiving.
His resolutions were referred to commit
tees, although not so warranted by the
rules. One committee reported f~avorably.
Then the power of the bosses receiving
the ill-gotten gains was developed and
exercised. The resolutions so reported by
a party vote, referred them to the COM
mittee where his other resolution was
slumbering. He offered resolution after
resolution requiring the committee to re-
port, and made it so hot for the majority
that the committee reported back adverse
ly his resolutions, and they were killed by
a party vote.
Mr. Kenney's resolution to investigate
the insane asylum was improperly, and
in violation of the rules, referrel to a
committee. where it still slumbers. And
so it goes all along the line. If they have
Investigations of any kind the reports of
the committees have nothing in them but
whitewash.
The bills to redistrict the State are in
famous gerrymanders, and were so de-
nounced and denominated by Mr.. Anderson
and other Democrats. Let our people look
at the map. .~Pocahontas. Webster, Brax-
ton, Gilmer and C~alhoun-hve Democratic
counties in a string, reaching from the
Virginia State line to within forty miles
of the Ohio river. are put into a senatorial
district. How would a man go from Poea-
NNNPN ~ -
the c. & O., to Huntington, thence to
Parkersburg, thence up the Little Kan
awha river? Quite a roundabout way,
would it not be? And how much of inter-
course and community of interest is there
between these two counties? The Wayne
district is 800 miles long and ten miles
across in one place. We were put in with
Fayette in a senatorial district to hold
us level" but they gave US a delegate.
They had to do hat in order to let in
Morgan, Brooke and Hancock. Republic
can counties with about half our popula-
ton. Each of these was given a dele
gate, while the grand old Democratic
county of Jefferson, with nearly three
times the population of either of the last
named counties, was given but one dele
gate.
For unfairness and partisanship this
Legislature has never had an equal. In
our judgment, a day of retribution will
come. There ought to be, and is, among
our West Virginia people. a spirit of fair
ness which will cause them to rebel. later
on, against Republican methods and Re
publican politicians.