The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-17

have not the ability to do this; very
few men have such ability. Good
craftsmen are very rare. Our first
constitution was a wen drafted instru.
fnent.i and there was little controversy
about the meaning Of any part Of It.
The present constitution Is muddy,
and its meaning in very many parts
rs uncertain. We have the anomaly
in It for instance. that bill may
be passed by the House by a vote of
the majority OF a quorum. but II the
bill happens to be amended in The
Senate in any particular, even by the
change OF word, when It goes back
to the House 1t requires then the con.
currence Of majority OF all the mem
bers elected to the House to agree to
the amendment, or else the bill fails.
I doubt whether any person has ever
attempted to draft a comprehensive
statute on any important subject, who
has not run up against some obstacle
in the present constitution. To re
quire that every member Of the Leg
islature should be able properly to
write an important bill on any sub
ject, and to know the whole body Of
the statutes SO well as to avoid any
conflict between his proposed law and
the laws in force, would require that
every member of the Legislature
should be a thoroughly well trained
lawyer at least. This is not desira-
bic. because the ideal legislature is
one which would contain citizens Of
all professions and classes. Some
time after / had arrived at the con.
clusion that 1t would be well to have
this expert help about the Legislature,
I saw the same idea advanced in the
able publications of the New York
State Library. which has put the whole
|cuntry under obligations to that
State for the immensely valuable in.
formation published from time to time
in its bulletins. Your sessions are SO
short, your labors- so arduous, your
work 50 important, that you ought for
thorough works sake to have all rea-
sonable help and assistance.
Lieutenant Governor.
The subject of the creation of the
Office of Lieutenant Governor of this
State has been discussed more or less
for many years, and there seems to
be distinct trend of public opinion
in favor of it. 1t is my opinion that
the creation OF such an office would
be wise thing to do for number Of
reasons.
Il Pardon Clerk.
The last Legislature did a very wise
act in abolishing the Pardon Board
and substituting Pardon Clerk. In
repeating the law concerning the
Board, which was done in the appro.
pfiation bill, reference was made to
the wrong chapter of the Acts of 1891,
which may cause some confusion. |
do not know that any statute is neces.
sary concerning the Pardon Clerk; he
shoald be considered a confidential as
sistant 10 the governor.
seaiers Of Weights and Measures.
We seem to have no sealer Of
weights and measures in this State.
The Adtutant General was formerly
ex.ofiicio this officer; but in the enact
ment of the military code and the con.
sequent repeal of the old law. this
feature seemed to have been overlook
ed and the Office abolished. ] suggest
that the State Bank Examiner be made
ex.officio sealer Of weights and meas
ures. He and his assistant are re.
quired in the discharge OF their Off
cial duties. to visit many sections of
the State during the year for the ex-
animation Of banks, and at the same
time they could perform the duties Of
a sealer with but very little additional
expense. The additional expense put
upon the State for this work could be
covered by the charging of small
fee, collected by the sealer. and paid
into the State treasury. My attention
was called to this subject by com
nlunication from the Director of the
Bureau of Standards of the depart,
ment Of Weights and Measures OF the
federal government. This communica-
ton asked me as governor to cooper
ate with that bureau and with the
sealers of weights and measures of
other State, to improve the conditions
affecting commercial weights and
measures. The director said in his
letter to me that sit is evident from
the number OF convictions for the use
Of dishonest weights and measures in
localities where rigid inspection is
maintained, that the amount Of fraud
in States and cities where there is no
inspector, or inefficient inspection,
must be enormous. and unfortunately
the loss falls upon those too poor or
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