The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-28
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and Senate worked quickly for few
minutes this morning in all effort 10
reach speedy adjournment. but so
many last minute bits of business ap.
peared II was noon before the end Of
the special session was reality.
There were the usual sights and
sounds of cheers. and everybody eX.
pressed satisfaction 1t was over. Re.
ports OF conference committees ap.
pointed yesterday to bring House and
Senate together on registration and
primary bills were made and the bills
were finally passed in both houses.
They will become effective 30 days
from today.
The House passed the registration
bill by vote of As to 10. Mr. Hughes
OF Mcdowell voted with the Demo.
Gratis. explaining that the bill was not
as good measure in it's final amended
form as the existing statute. but when
II was apparent that a number OF Re.
publicans we're not recorded as Vot.
ing he changed his vote.
The primary bill passed by a vote
Of 81 10 81. AS reported from the con-
ference committee it restored COM
pulsory, primaries to the election sys-
tenn disappointing a large number in
both houses who had openly declared
the system crude and expensive ex-
pertinent.
In the Senate the registration bill
passed IFS and primary 20 to 8.
The appropriation bill providing for
the expenses OF the special session also
was passed. Senators Beckwith. HogE,
kump and Morton voted against II.
Mr.. Morton on question of per.
sonal privilege delivered an address
in which he pleaded for united action
by both parties In the coming session
particularly on the Virginia debt.
The abandonment of the proposed
investigation was not apparent until
late in the day. When the legislature
adjourned Saturday II was believed
that Governor Hatfeld's friends would
be able to induce hesitating members
of the majority to vote for such res.
olution, hut Monday morning came
with four members still holding out.
This was apparent when Sen. Oliver
S. Marshall Of Hancock. introduced a
resolution combining the business OF
the session TO the matters then before
the Senate. Senator Blessing, the
Republican floor leader, at once NOV.
ed recess, and although the motion
carried. Mr.. Marshall voted against
it. and with him Senators Rosen.
bloom, Miller and Billings. Confer.
ences followed, and it became known
in the afternoon that friends of the
movement had decided to give 1t up,
in Difference to certain Republicans,
who. while they believed the alleged
election frauds should be Investigated,
did not bGlive that 1t should be done
in this way and at this time. AS no
other plan was forthcoming, no more
was heard of the resolution.
This left the way open for a com.
promise on the registration and pri.
mary election bills. Democrats and
Republicans in the house were wide
apart on the amendments to the sen.
ate bill and at the close of the morn.
ing session had voted on a suspens.
ion of the rules to pass the registra.
ton bill as 1t had been amended, but
the announcement of the vote had
been held over until the afternoon SEES.
sion. Amendments to the primary bill
had restored the fusion feature. but
had so changed the measure that ex.
ecutive committees of every party in
every political division OF the state
could declare for primaries or con-
vention, and their declaration could
only be overthrown by petition from
forty per cent. OF the qualified cleo
tors OF the party at the last preced.
ing election. Amendments to the reg
istration bill brought the last meeting
of the county court to hear final reg.
istration appeals from the first Mon.
day of October to the last Monday,
and changed the phraseology.
When the house re-convened at
3:l5 O'Clock, Mr.. Duty, the Republican
floor leader, said:
81 desire 10 announce, so that we
may all full understand the situa-
ton, that after we have considered
the registration and primary bills now
before us we will have nothing fur.
Their to consider at this session. This
agreement, understand, has also been
reached in the Senate"
Democrats who had voted against
placing the registration bill on its
final passage at once began to change
their votes, and when the result was
announced, 1t was found IS were for
1t and none against 1t.
The primary bill then appeared, Mr..
Hughes calling up the amendment
which says that every candidate must
be a bona fide member Of his party
and in full sympathy with Its prin-
ciples.
Mr.. Duty explained that the amend.
ment had been inserted In the hope
that It would prevent minority parties