Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-05-03
WEST VIRGINIA DELEGATES ~
VOTE or SIS TO 81 KILL
SuTPHIN BILL.
TO CONTINUE THE STATE POLICE
Stand of Good Citizens Impressed
Legislators With Need Of Forse
To Protect state.

I6LuIo u dDOllSu the et8Uo pO&1~U
force went down to an overwhelm11gI
defeat recently. when, by . vote "a
S. to 81, the bill was not only killd1
but any future effort 10 have the -
posed legislation reconsidered BY The
delegates was thwarted eAectuaI3Y.
Thus, the life of the Public Sase1V
Department, which has proved nj
| effectiveness in the enforcement 81
the prohibition laws and policinoI
rural districts, has been prolonged.
Heated and prolonged debate NJ
tween opposing forces on the door III
the House marked the advent a1AV
final disposition OF the bill. John "a
Hall, of Williamson, Mingo county,
sponsored the motion that relega1 q
the measure to obscurfty. In Q t9Nl
words he urged vote on motifja |
! to indefinitely postpone Bill LIS, ri
the measure, introduced by Delegab |
Irving Sutphin Of Boone county, vG6l
called, IN order that the House mig4 !
get down to imperative financial leg1-
lation.
1--WE Need Police" Says scaaBon.
Delegate T. 8. scanlon. Of CaA(n ]
county who had listened to sevefU
other speakers decry the troopers III
Industrial police" took the floor -
dramatically asserted:
I'VE need the state police TO 4n-
force all the laws. They were not J
created for the mining industry. WI
need them for road work and for Al !
law enforcement work where fear
less police ofRcers are needed
"Onefyear ago was opposed 70 theI
state police Since being elected. u
have visited Cabin Creek and other
places where they are doing nobJe !
work. I have talked to the men q
the mines and the railroad men dAs
say that the state police are God
send to them. We haven't them -
Caben county but some counties mood
them and the state needs them. II
am not here as county legislator.
Even as my arm Is a part OF my
body, SO is Cabell county q part u
West Virginia, and West Virgins
needs the state police and I'll vots
for them"
Miners Wanted Force Abolished.
Three public hearings were given
on the bill during which county a.
GERS and responsible persons fro0
throughout the state appeared befOBo
the committee to urge retention of ths
troopers. Support of the Sutphin bin =
came chiefly from the United Nine
Workers and other labor organinr
lions who were represented at H.
hearings by Messrs. Townsend ~
Houston.
The United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea, had numerous officials and lobby
lists In the House when the matter
came up for discussion. It was seen
at the beginning that the members u
the house supporting the unions
move and sanction to have the pol1do
abolished intended to speak hide
nitely in an effort to thwart the pal
age Of Delegate Halls motion.
The recorded vote showed 48 dels,
gates favoring the state police =
against A. Delegate Kuhn was IL
only one who changed his vote ana
did so in order that he might be =
position to move for Yeconsideration
at some future date, thus making the
vote stand ~ to 40.
Approaching the strategy hAse.
Delegate William Farris, OF Mineral
county, moved that the vote on Dele
gate Halls motion be reconsiderod.
Delegate Kuhn objected, stating tint
he has voted for the motion in order
to make the motion for reconsidepSy
ton himself. Delegate Farris, insist!
ed on his motion and then. voteA |
against It. The motion to reconsider
lost by vote Of 81 to IS, thus end
ing all consideration Of the bill.
cItixens Endorse Police.
Persons rom every walk IN H.
appeared before the judiciary en-
mittee 1t it, hearings IN IN eG1ose
to have the Sutphin bill defeated anll
spoke earnestly for the retention d
tho state police. They came ffomS q
over the state Miners mingled M
sheri6s. prosecutors and other o6
U6lcers and with newspaper man ~
BUSINESS men who came 10 maho
plea for the state police befcSs u
committee.
Interpreted between these mse
mgs, dispatches were published
the press Of the state. telling that
the large and small cities Of WEI
Virginia Kiwanis, Rotary and oth1
clubs had endorsed the state polic
In many cases recommendations wei
adopted and forwarded to the repr
sentatives Of each community, ur
ing that the house defeat the bill.
Probably, apart from the Capite
removal bill, the state. police mea
ure was the most hotli contest,
piece Of Legislation introduced duril
the 1929 season Of the West Virgin
iaw-makinG body and aroused md
&sasaGt nhlly. fhan my othel hilII