Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-01-15
THE LEGISLATURES.
Organization Of Beth HOu-
ses-ReRdy for Work.
Correspondence Independent.
WHEELING, Jan. II, is

LIE TWO houses OF Tue w cSt flr-
ginia Legislature assembled at IL
o'clock to-day, and at once proceed
ed to organize.
The Senate was organized bv the
election of the following officers
President, DIR. +. A. Sumner, of Ka.
nawha; Clerk, Col. ID. D. Johnson,
of Tyler; Assistant Clerk, Mr.. A.
Reinstrom, Of Ohio; Sergeant-at-
Arms, J. ID. Anderson, of Nicholas ;
Doorkeeper, ID. O'Kelley, OF Green
brier.
The House was organized by the
election Of the following officers -
Speaker, E. Willis Wilson, of Kama
wha /; Clerk, j. B. Peyton, of Mon
roe; Sergeant.at-A Arms, Harrison
Cain, Of Gilmer; Doorkeeper, James
p. Neales, OF Hampshire.
The Governors message was then
read, and shortly after the House ad-
journed to give the Speaker time to
prepare his committees.
The choice Of officers in both bran
ches was well made. They are able,
efficient, and, with perhaps one or
two exceptions, have had considera-
BILE legislative experience, and this
knowledge will enable them to expe-
dite the business of the session in
the interest Of the State.
The election of Hon. f. W. Will
son as Speaker OF the House, will no
doubt be highly gratifying to his
many friends in Berkeley and Jeffer-
son, who know him as an active and
able worker In the Democratic ranks,
when he resided in jefferson.
There were probably ten applicants
for every subordinate position in the
Senate and House, and the hotels
have been crowded, aud the mem
bers beseiged day and night by the
candidates for committee clerks,
pages, sc. OF course nine out of
every ten applicants have been dis
appointed, and have returned home
disguised with the unreliability of
legislative promises. Put not your
trust in Princes.
The personnel Of the Legislature is
fully up to that Of any preceding one.
A large majority Of the members
have had no legislative experience,
but they are men Of good practical
common sense, and will readily grasp
and comprehend the work before
them. The body is made up Of just
enough lawyers and professional
men to give proper shape to the CON-
mon sense and practical suggestions
of the farmer class, few of whom,
perhaps, could put their common
sense ideas into shape in a bill, but
will furnish the ideas for the lawyers
to put into shape. They have a big
work before them, but / should Judge
they are fully competent to the task.
Since the organization OF the two
Houses, the Leading topic is the Sem
atorial contest. Hon. j. N. Camden
arrived here on Tuesday, and Sena-
tor Hereford cane last night. Gov
ernor Mathews has been on the
ground all the while. Judge Bran
non who is supposed to be q candi-
date, is expected tomorrow. The
fight has already opened up pretty
lively, and promises 70 increase In
interest. Camden is acknowledged
on all sides to be the leading candi-
date, and the fight Ia made entirely
against him by the opposition. 1t Is
field against Camden, and the effort
is to prevent his nomination on the
first ballot. In looking over the field
it strikes me that Camden Is too far
in the lead to be "corneredn by any
combination or any Of the tricks
known to politicians. Hisforces are
and win stick" ss
There is no doubt that the unwar-
ranted attacks made on Camden by
his opponents has reacted In bis IA
vor. The Democrats OF the State
have always regarded him as an ac-
tive and trusted leader, and conceded
his great services to the party In the
past. They cannot understand why
1T is thata man whom the entire par
ty have heretofore always been ready
to honor, has so suddenly become un-
fit to hold public position, as as
serted by the anonymous scribblers
who are employed to throw dirt at
him now. They naturally conclude
that there Is q ssnigger in the wood
pilen somewhere. And q little search
discovers the truth that Camden's
unftness lies wholly in the fact that
he is in somebody elses way for the |
position. This Is the sole cause Of
the unjustifable attacks made upon
him. And now that this Is becoming
patent to the most casual observer.