Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1905-02-14

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building by Federal troops, and that
there is good prospect OF early and favor
able action theron by Congress.
West Virginia Lagisleture.
Senator Campbell Dem. Jefferson)
presented retaliatory measure this after
noon in the shape of change in name of
the city of Charleston to Kanawha, The
trouble that has resulted in the mail sys-
tenn and in other ways. owing to the SIM
ilarity of the names Charles Town and
Charleston has been the cause of an effort
to change the latter name to Charles City
and Campbell produced his bill as re-
taliatory measure. claiming that Charles
Town is the older and has the prior right
Wheeling Intelligencer. Feb. 7.
The legislative event of Thursday was
the passage in the House of DR.. Lanham's
two cent railway fare bill, which passed
by vote of So to 10 and now goes to the
sepate. i; limits railroad fare in this
State TO two cents per mile on roads which
have not less than 100 miles in West Vir-
ginia, and makes $25 penalty for every
violation,
The Campbell bill, changing the name
of Charleston to Kanawha. was reported
favorably by Chairman Snyder, of the
committee on municipalities and counties.
The Democratic members of the joint
investigating committee injected some
excitement into the proceedings of the
House OF Delegates Thursday by attempt
ing to get in report from the Elliott in
quiry, when Republican made the
point of order that minority vote could
not be received in the absence of ma
jo-ity vote. The chair sustained The
point and Mr.. Wetzel, of Jefferson coun-
ty. the Democratic leader, appealed from
the speakers decision claiming that they
were not offering report, but were ap-
pealing to the body for instructions. A
parliamentary battle was thus precipitated
and fought along party lines. The idea
of the Democrats was to get the power to
summon persons whom the Republican
members of the committee have refused
to permit being summoned. These are
Governor A. B. White. Col. JOHN T. Nc
Graw, Thomas G. Brady and O. S. Nc
Kinney. The Democrats have all along
attempted line of inquiry which has
been objected to by the Republican men,
bers and SO they decided to force the
Republican members of the Legislature
into an awkward position where they had
to go on record as opposed to giving full
est power tothe investigating committee.
The decision was sustained.
A big sensation has developed with re-
gard to the bill pending in both houses
of the Legislature to cut down the fees
charged corporations doing business in
other States under charters taken out in
West Virginia. 1t is the attempt upon
the part of number of persons in Charles
ton to secure from the corporations in
terested large sum of money to be used
in securing the passage of the bills and
accomplishing the parties Interested for
services. The bill introduced makes
reduction in the fees of nonresident cor
porations of thirty per cent, and makes
up the amount thus left by increasing the
fees of resident corporations.
House Joint Resolution No, 20, pro-
posing an amendment to section 20, of
article of the constitution, increasing
the pay of county commissioners TO three
dollars day, and prescribing the monies
of their election, was passed.
Mr.. Wetzel moved to strike out section
1873 of the bill decreasing the charter
fees OF municipal corporations, and in
sert the section of the present law on the
same subject.
In support of his amendment Mr.. Wet
eel severely excoriated the majority for
blindly following the dictation of their
bosses in such matters, instead of using
their own judgment, to relieve the non
resident corporations of the payment of a
large amount of money and to make up
the loss of revenue to the State by charg-
ing the home corporations more. Here
ferred to the charges that had been made
concerning the matter in which the bill
was conceived and was proposed to put
through, and besought members to be
independent and vote as they thought
right, instead of being controlled by the
unseen powers. The amendment was
defeated.
Mr.. Wetzel moved to strike out the sec
ton increasing the fees of resident cor
porations and insert the section of the
present law relating to suchfees.
Pending the amendment thehouse took
a recess.
MIR. Campbell introduced S. B. No.
1877. changing the name of the county
seat of Kanawha county, w, Va... from
Charleston to Kanawha.
ii. Bill No. Ioa, introduced in the
House by Mr.. Evans, of Min2o. pro-
vldes that all the terms of the Supreme
Court of Appeals shall be held at Charles
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