Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-01-31
THE LEGISLATURE.

LUG utol too0 Vi oeicuSeh VI 49,
lation between the administration
forces and the insurgents in the Senate
came on Monday, and resulted in a
draw. The bill to limit the levying
power of county courts to 30 cents
on the 800 valuation for general pur-
poses; and 10 cents for paying debts,
was prepared by the State Tax Com.
missioner, and is a special admins
tration measure. When it came up
the iusurgeut Senators primed them
selves for fight, determined to have
trial of strength with the opposition.
Senator Blue moved to amend ths bill
so as to make the limit S5 cents In
stead of 80 cents. After some dis
cussion the amendment was agreed to,
and the insurgents drew first blood.
Then Mr.. Bailey moved to amend by
striking out the provision for the
State Tax Commissioner to visit the
various counties and oversee the levies-
Mr.. Blue switched to the administra-
ton side on this, and it was lost by
vote of II to IL. There were seven
absentees, and as the position of some
of them is not very well known, it
cannot be said with accuracy how the
Senate stands
The House was surprised by the
report of the Judiciary Committee,
which recommended favorable action
on the Bland amendment to prohibit
the manufacture and sale Of intoxicat-
ing liquors in the State. 1t had not
been supposed that the measure would
get so far even as favorable commit
tee report, and the fact that it has
done so brings the liquor interests up
standing. The argument of the COM
mittee is that the question Of probibi-
ton has not been submitted to the
voters of the State for almost thirty
years, and that the people have a
right to vote on it if they wish to do
80. Such strong representations have
been made that they feel that the
voters would like another opportunity
to register their will and they at least
wanted the whole House to act on the
same matter.
Senator Campbell made a breezy
talk on the lobby on Monday. Rls-
ing to privileged question he wanted
to know what had become of his Jim
Grow bill and his bills to create a
railroad commission and fix maxi
mum rate of two cents mile for pas
senger travel. He was loath to think
the measures were being held in COM
mittee by the power of the lobby, but,
remembering the fate Of aimilar meas
ures introduced by him on former &C.
casions, he feared that might be the
case. He then launched out into
fiery arrangement Of the railroad lobby,
which he denounced in scathing terms.
Members of the committee on rail-
roads assured him and the Senate that
the bills had been delayed simply be-
cause tH committee wanted to give
all interests the opportunity to be
heard Meetings for that purpose
would be held Tuesday aud Wednes-
day nights.
Senator Campbell sought to get
resolution through the Senate calling
for a report from the committee ap
pointed two years ago to investigate
State institutions and in discussing 1t
made rather sensational speech on
the matter. He referred to charges
Of cruelty that had been made against
the penitentiary officials and said he
was loath to believe such things could
have taken place there. The only
way he could account for it was that
they had occurred while Warden Had
dox, whom he knew to be very hui
name man, was absent stumping the
State for Dawson. His resolution
was defeated.
The joint resolution to amend the
Constitution. so as to make the limit
of the legislative session 80 days and
the pay of members 5000 year was
adopted in the Senate.
Delegate Wetzel stirred up the an
finals in the house on Friday in OPP
posing the increase Of salaries bill.
The Charleston Gazette says that Mr..
Weizel sis regarded as an able de-
batter and one of the best parliament
tarians in the House"
In the Senate Mr.. Miller introduc.
ed bill to appropriate $50, 900 to
pay for West Virginia's defense
against the suit of Virginia now pend
ing in the Supreme Court. The rules
were suspended and the bill advanced
to the third res ling.
The bill to amend the law so that
county courts could give power CON-
panies the right to string their wires
along public highways was indefinitely
postponed on motion of Mr.. Wetzel.
Senator Miller introduced in the
Senate the administration measure to
raise more revenue from the liquor
and kin ired interests. Liquor Ii
censes, wholesale and retail, are in
creased from $500 to $3.50; brewer
les must pay Is cents barrel on
their product, the minimum being
$3.50 social clubs must pay 81 each
for members up to $50, making a
maximum of $500. No games of