The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-09-30
BY Those Who Are Attending
Federal Court in Wheel
ing This Week.
tEy charIes Brooks snlth.l

PARkERSBURG, Sept. ga SEES
sion OF the federal court Is an ope
season to the storehouse of lates
political plans and chitchat, an,
tliither Journeys your historian of pol
tiles In quest of fresh material for
Noracious market. For, be 1t known
that at these Intermittent terms of tn,
superior court, there gather lawyers
who are almost invariably leadin,
men of note i'm their respective com
munitfes in political life and publis
affairs generally. And along with
them, come men of other profession.
and business, who figure largely as ac'
tive party men conspicuous in leader
ship. And then there lis the small
army of court attaches who, by The
very feet of their ofIiccholding, are
energetic and expert politicians
Hence, session of the federal court
causesc a rendezvous of the political
clans. A survey of the crowd attend
Ing the session at Wheeling at present
justities the preceding statement.
SOHtnun opposes Session.
Chief among the topics talked was
Governor Glasscock's proposal to
raise more revenue by imposing a
heavier tax on natural gas; and the
governors desire to call the legisla-
ture dn special session to do this
thing. There is no danger of misstat-
ing, nor misjudgins the sentiment of
the visitors to Wheeling. so over
whelmlngiy onesided 1t was. In so far
as the extra session was concerned.
In my cancass for expressions / did
not find IA Republican of prominence
and standing who favored sudh a
thing. Among those with whom l
talked were two state senators Meth
err expressed himself with any tinality
on the proposition of the )vernor to
further tax natural gas, .,ut both
spoke without hesitation and with eai-
'phasis against an extra session. Sena-
tor Charles Coffman declared 1t as his
opinion that a greater political blum
der could not be made than ito con-
Senator C. p. Craig gave practically
the same opinion in practically the
same words. THE pcopl desire, and
are entitled to a rest from lawmak-
ing" declared Senator Coffman.
There Is no urgent necessity at this
time for more revenues. The state
government is amply financed and per-
fectly solvent do not seen any rea-
sonable excuse for a special session"
Perhaps the most interesting person
l CHANGED to interview on this subject
was Major c. d. Elliott. By reason of
his recognized position at the last leg
islative session as personally repre-
senting the then governor what
he had to say about the much-mooted
subject. was invested with greater inn
por;ance and interest. AN extra ses-
sion" said he, would bring about
chaos and place the Republican party
ON the rocks. or very close to them
This would be true. because, In my
Judgment, nothing would lbe done by
the present Legislators on sthc gov
ernor's Sas-taX proposal such rs he
has vaguely outlined he thinks ought
TO be done. The legislature as a,
present composed, showed unmistaka.
bly, Its position on gas taxing, as vel
us coal and oil, at the last session.
Elliott Against 1t.
Il 90 not care to seriously discuss
the merits or dement's of Governo,
Glasscock's plan to increase the tax o,
gas. Maybe it should be taxed heav.
Ter. And should 1t he taxed as TIL,
governor would have 1t. there ca,
be only one result thercfrom-mor,
revenue for the state. 1t would no
conserve the gas supply to this state
of that we can be certain. Now. TIL,
state government stands in no need o
more revenue. Its income is suficien
at this time, and greatly in excess o
a sufiiolency VI economics were prac
tlced strictly all aCong the line
What we politicians should do /
to turn our attention to the practicin
of rigid. economics and the introduc
ton oil strict economy In every de
partment. II we don't. in my judg
ment, something decidedly unpleasar
Is going ito happen. Raising revenu
in excess OF what is actually required
means more offices created, more es
travagances. more waste.
81 had the honor to personally rel
resent the present governor during til
hast legislature before important CON
mittees. One bill upon which he s,
his heart on having enacted into la
was the one creating the State Boar
of Control We promised commttte'
officially, and used the argument c
Individual members. that IL the
would create this board and kee
down appropriations twenty per Ger
below those of the preceding bienni
period, by the practice of econon
the state government could be sati
fectorily conducted Financially. OF
Of OUT offers was accepted the Boa