Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-08
A DAY Of D|SGRACEFUL
SCENES IN THE HOUSE.
THE MAJORITY, LED BY REYNOLDS,
AND AIDED BY THE SPEAKER,
OVERRIDE RULES,
DECENCY AND COMMON SENSE.
ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH
USAGE.
Special to the Register.

Special to the Register
CHARLESTON, w. Va, February Z.
The House did not get as much done
to-day in the way of business as on
some days that have gone before, but
in the matter of violating the consti-
tuition, tearing up the rules and tramp
ling down the minority it made re-
cord hitherto unapproached.
The trouble began early, and lasted
almost the entire day, barely missing
elimination in an actual fight with
the assistant sergeant at arms as one
of the principals.
1t was undoubtedly the most un-
graceful day in the history of West
Virginia legislation When the House
met the journal had not come from
the printer and a recess of twenty
minutes was taken that it might be
secured. When the session was re-
Sumed Mr.. Willis moved that the
reading Of the journal be dispensed
with.
MIR. Anderson addressed the chair
and while he was trying to gain the
attention of that functionary Mr..
Smith, OF Ohio, a number of seats fur
Their away arose and was recognized to
move the previous question on the mo-
ton to dispense with the reading.
Anderson protested against being
thus cut down and demanded the ayes
and noes, which were taken and at
the conclusion of the call the chair de-
clared the motion to dispense with the
reading adopted.
After Some SquabbIing
between the chair and Anderson the
announcement was changed so as to
appear that the main question was Or
dered, which was proper, the point in
1t being that the Speaker was so ig-
norant OF the rules or so ratified in
their application that he didn't know
what he was doing until those on his
own side set him straight. Then the
vote was taken and the reading was
dispensed with So far all right But
even dispensing with the reading does
not mean that the journal is approved,
and the Speaker should then have
SAID: Are there any corrections"
then after waiting time: IF there
are no corrections the journal stands
approved"
Not only did the Speaker not do
this, but he made no reference to it.
When Kenney and Anderson called at
tention to the fact that dispensing
with the reading of the journal did
not mean its approval, and sought to
have some of the glazing errors in it
corrected, they were ruled out of Or
der. While Anderson was on his feet,
Stapleton asked. Are you making
these motions for profit and Alder
son replied - desire to have this
journal corrected so that it will be
true record of the proceedings of yes
terday, and l will say that the major
ity
VIII Get Along Better
10y not trying to run over us in this
high-haDded way"
House nill PIT was then takln up as
a special order with committee amend
ments. This is the Dawson corpora
ton bill, taking the limit off lands
they may own, not neglecung in the
meantime the building up of a lot
more fees for the Secretary of State
Anderson moved that it be made the
special order for 10 o'clock tomorrow,
saying it was an important measure,
that there were a great many amend
ments proposed by the committee that
members had been given no opportun-
ity to read, as they were first printed
in the journal which had just come
from the printer, and Tor the arrival
of which the House had been obliged
to take recess.
Millender, a member of the finance
committee, said the bill had been re-
committed to that committee yester-
day morning and was reported back
with twenty-five amendments, which
were printed in the journal just re-
ceived; that there was no meeting of
the finance committee between the
time of the recommittal of the bill
and its return to the House; that he
had been informed that three members
of the committee had met off IN some
corner with the Secretary of State. and
that the amendments now sought to be
rushed through were not the amend
ments of the committee. but of the
Secretary of State and the three. He
stated further that the bill as orig
inally brought in with the odor of the
committees sanction upon it was not
a production of the committee, but was
prepared by the Secretary of State and
introduced at his instance.
After the statement had been made
several times that the chairman of
the Finance Committee had
Brought in the Amendments
under false colors, chairman REYNOLDS
took the floor to make "a bluff at re-
polling the assaults. He said the
amendments had been discussed night
after night by the committee and he
had been instructed to prepare and
bring them in
Finally Anderson said: Il want to
ask the gentleman from Mineral a di-
rect question, and want him to reply
without evasion. Was there a meet
ing of the Finance Committee between
the time this bill was recommitted
yesterday morning and the time it
was reported back with these amend
ments yesterday afternoon"
Reynolds hesitated and to save him
from further confusion the Speaker
ordered the clerk to proceed with the
reading.
Anderson and Kenney demanded as
they had right to demand under the
rules that the bill be read eecfion nv