Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-02-09
RIMARY ELECTION BILL
Causes a Lively Discussion in the
Legislature.
TROUBLED WITH The REVENUE
How to Raise Sufficient TO Garry on
the Government is a Great
Question.


Charleston, w Va. Feb. 7-Both
houses of the legislature spent a
strenuous day. the lower branch being
particularly prolific of sensational
features The primary election bill as
sumed the center Of the stage at Il
O'Clock, having been half hour before
made special order for that time. and
until after 5, with a recess for dinner
and slight diversion in the shape OF
another special order, the battle rag
ed fiercely and unreleatingly.
AZ one time it seemed as though
there would be personal collision be
tween Wells. of Tyler, and Strother,
Of Mcdowell, and then between Wells
and the negro member from Fayette
county (Ellis). Wells made a caustic
remark about an amendment that
Strother had offered. and reflected
upon the gentlemanis sh cerity in the
matter, declaring it was offered to kill
the bill and would not perfect It,
As for himself, he declared he would
lose his political head before he would
engage in that kind of tactics. Stroth-
er retorted that the gentleman might
lose his head and not be much loser.
Wells replied in modified form as TO
Strother, and declared that Ellis had
sold his birthright for a mess Of OPP
position pottage. Finally Kenney. a
democrat, went to the aid of Cooper
the patron of the bill and by demand
ing the previous question got the
measure down to a vote, 1t was Sent
to third reading hey md the amend
4 ing state. This was not accomplish
ed, however, until after many roll
calls had been made in filibusserlne
motions and much time was killed
4 With majority of two to one against
them, the black-belters fught the fina
vote off for the entire day IN as game
a parliamentary struggle as was ever
witnessed.
i III tHc SClidtC itlt itSOiutiot W iliNtS
tigate the mine disasters at Stewart
and Thomas came up, and the opposi
ton to the investigation renewed Their
fight. Johnson offered substitute
which proposed to leave the matter IN
the hands of the senate and the house
committees on mines and mining, civ
/ ing them power to send a sub-commit
tee to make an investigation, If found
necessary. This discussion was in
progress when Mr.. Nugent arrived
with a message from the house an
nouncing the adoption Of resolution
for an investigating committee. This
stopped the fight in the senate, and
the house resolution was taken up and
adopted. This resolution, which came
from the committee on finance as a
substitute for the Nugent and Stallings
! resolution, referred to that body, pro
vided for joint committee of five to
| investigate the facts connected WIN
the disaster and to employ experts II
necessary. 1t was adopted by the
house without debate and with but
one opposing vote.
The house advanced to third read
ing the bill providing sor the examina-
ton and licensing of Osteopaths and
the Harper pure food and drug bill.
AS members of the joint committee
TO Investigate the mine explosions
President McDermott appointed Cart
Ian and Kidd on the part of the sen
ate, and Speaker McGrew appointed
Strickling, Duty and Mitchell on the
part of the house.
Estimate of the Charges.
The estimate of the probable
charges against the state treasurer
for the running of the state depart
ments and institutions during the next
two years has been made by the
finance committee of the senate. The
list is a long one and while many
of the institutions and departments,
especially the former, will not get
what they would like to have, there
has been decided increase over the
past two years and the amount the
state will be compelled to arrange for
is largely in excess of what it has
ever been before. In explanation of
this however, it might be stated, that
the institutions are growing, the diff
ferent departments are expanding, the
state is growing. and all this tends
toward much greater expense to the
taxpayers.
An approximate list OF what the A.
nance committee rs figuring upon is,