The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-17
Debt Matter in the Senate,
State Police in
House.
HIR1 POLICE BILL IN
Senator Harmon Wants to
Create a Vest Pocket
State Guard.

,Fl,a stage has been set and the curtain
ready to 60 up for the real drama
iss ii fhe extra session OF tho West
Fire,uia legislature. Within the week
ahir problems for which tho session
n nslIed are expected to be solVe1'
me a fhess-COming up first IN inc
sate-ls the Virginia debt settle
tsnF, The ether to be found out l1rSt
r ma house Is the provision ior some
.jIihd q state police protection lH No
iYst week OF The session SerSeu W
ins beth these questions IN the lorm
# bilIs, 20 the stage OF second reading
ere consideration was to begin THIS
8ess
rhe virginia debt settlement 9ropo'
sitign was brought to the floor Oh INC
iee islatare By special joint committee
beth houses, with both the ways
A means features wrapped up In one
bllis Fhis does not necessarily ntah
aat the bili will be so accepted aAo
sed, though that probably VIII nap
s,ea, I'll the 6plnlen Of most ob5ct y3ts.
there viii be efforts to amend u
FeTef, il Is bslieved, particularly
Is seetish providing for the raising
eyeates. The bill as IL Stanls pro-
Ses ieF laying Of direct tax on nil
Sic property In the state-a seven
kenk levy being necessary on present
4aiuafi6Hs-to create tho sinking
fund for retiring the bonds and paying
Tie Interest on them.
Fhe acceptance OF this proposition,
sby Che house, hsWever, may depend
somewhat en- the consideration Of the
efiate is willing To give to the '"hn
biii t,reYidins fer q privilege Tax on
MI and gas transportation In the sta:e
iis measure, as the Taylor bill, pass-
sed the house at the regular sosSlcA by
q big majority. There is little doubt,
Mai ii Will be passed again either TO
ba the debt OF part Of 1t, or for he
general revenue.
The police protection proposition
nds on the house calendar In the
tfas 6f twd bills Of widely different
biifp5rt, beth on second reading. Ore
st the Bills, the committee state rc-
HIS 1ilaIl, PRESENTS centralized CON
beiice tgrce, to be uniformed and
& astant duty. The other, the Wy
sns On Unign labor bill, provides tor
eeentraliEed force Of deputy sler-
ffs Of much larger proportions, = be
bii duty Whsh called out for emerscn-
tie3s
VITA labor absolutely opposed to tse
fifst Bill and ali other Interests IA
tie state, practically, opposed to the
ee5nd, ks 1t ID drawn, d compromise
beWeeA the two or noth'/g at all
Weaid se6nt the most likely outcome
"a he house. Governor Cornwel has
let 10 10 known that he will vetoe any
aifeshift proposition and there has
been q hint that another extra session
S9llld be called at, once unless some
thing Is done, y
rho situation was further complt-
catud by the Introduction in tho Sen
ktsb Saturday OF a I'D police bill
which Senator George B. HaTlG III
sponsors. The Harmon bill calls for
US creation Of a state guard of 5HO
members under the direction OF the
halatsnt general.
IL provides that the members OF the
euara shall be recruited from the sew
eral counties Of the state in proportion
te the population and 1t Is made tie
duty ue tho sheriff Of each count to
obtain BIZ voluntary enllstment5, If
possible, d sufficient number OF n,en
IL til the quota allotted to such cCun-
" ana submit the names OF such en-
listed men 10 the adjutant general Tor
appointment, and no one may be ap-
pointed without his approval.
Members and officers OF the guard
must be citizens, and voters in West
Virginia Ut at least three years rest
dence; aga II to As years: able To
ride horseback; OF sor~H constitution;
Of good moral chara' q and shall be
required to Eass such mental and ply
steal examination as may !e prescrib-
ed ~ the adjutant general and enlist
nient shall be for two years.
Members Of the guard would receive
en- annual pay Of 500 from the state
and So q day and expenses when in
service and when attending periodical
0rlllb as PTeSCFloeu ny Guo @NIuIenN
general and approved by the state
board Of public works. Their equip
ment is to be Furnished by the ad1u-
mi general. The training of the
guard would be given by two captains
Is Be designated by the adjutant gen
erai, who have had military training
Tor ct least two years and who would
be paid $500 each annually.
The jurisdiction Of the state guard
Is extended to any part of the state,
ana the governor is authorized to call
out all or any portion OF the state
uard whenever in his judgmen, local
authorities are unable to cope with the
situation IN any given county or terri
tory to be prescribed by him by procla
elton, and It is made the dVty Of the
iutant general to carry out the gov
ernor's orders.
d estimated by the author OF the
bfIi that its administration in OH mary
times would not cost above 100000
annually.