Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-18
PEN SKETCHES
Of Leading Members of the Legis-
laluIe.


1t is my purpose in this article to pre-
sent to the readers of the HERALD FEY
pen pictures of the leading members c
the present Legislature. As the trul
able representatives are found in creates
number in the Senate, the House
smallest memt ership, it is natural t
look to that quarter for suitable subject
Of the present sketches.
In many letters and dispatches to tn
HERALD / have had such frequent occa
sion to refer to your own Senator, tn
Hon. Stephen M. White, that it is not u
be supposed that any newspape
reader in the Southern section o
III, State remains in ignorance OF hi
tt .nding and comparative Importance il
the Senate. Therefore, space need no
here be taken up to reiterate what has 81
often been said of the Los Angeles sen
ator. He is a leader among the leader!
and is declared by his friends to stanC
head and shoulders above any member
on the floor, in point of general legisla
tive ability. :.
The only man in the Senate who rivals
White, in the opinion of those who are
the best judges, on accou mt OF their daily
attendance at the sessions, is
ARCHIBALD YELL,
The representative of Mendccino and
Lake counties. Senators Yell and White
are as entirely different from each other
in all their characteristics as it is pos
sible for two men to be; but when the
combined qualifications of one are
weighed against the combined qualiica-
tions of the other, the scales are about
evenly balanced. Nothing would fill
the Senate Chamber more speedily
than the publication Of report
that Yell and White we're about
to lock horns in debate on
some important bill. This would be a
treat indeed, but contest between the
two Senators is not likely to occur at this
session, as they seem TO be in per-
feet accord on all leading PROPOSE
tions. Yell is the handsomest man
in the Legislature, and is goodnaturedly
called by his fellows on the floor, the
Appollo of the Senate. He stands over
six feet in height, weighs close on two
hundred pounds, is straight as an arrow
and is admirably proportioned. His
face is of the Grecian stamp, with clean,
cut features and pair of flashing dark
eyes which speak in advance the senti-
ments which the Senator is about to give
utterance to. All in all, Senator Yell is
q picture of healtful vigor and genial
good nature. Added to this, he is, by
considerable odds, the most eloquent and
forcible speaker on the floor of the Sem
ate. His English is absolutely pure !;
his periods neatly rounded, his
gesticulation graceful. his facial ex-
preston appropriate and his voice
musical and strong. As he is eloquent,
so, also, is he logical and convincing in
debate, and never speaks to an inatten-
tive audience. Senator Yell has been
frequently referred to as the next
Democratic candidate for Governor,
but he has as frequently denied
any intention to seek gubernatorial
honors. There are few who are posted
on the late White Yell caucus race for
the Senate presidency. The fact is that,
upon the. meeting of the caucus, the Men
docino Senator had shade the best of
ths fight, and only lost it through the
"falling down" of trusted fellow Sen.
ator, who had pledged himself to Yell's
Senator Yell will be power in the fu-
ture politics Of California.
SENATOR W. W. BOWERS.
Senator Bowers, of San Diego and San
Bernardino counties, is the leader OF the
Republican side of the Senate. He ia
one OF the busiest members of
the Legislature and is always
found up to his eyes in the business of
his constituents and the State. Bowers
never overlooks an opportunity to adver-
tise the southern section. Almost any
day he can be heard discoursing to inter
ested kuots of senators and dassemblymen
on the wonderful resources and
phenomenal progress of the South. In
the early days of the session he sent to
San Diego for large quantity of pictorial
advertising material, with which he
adorned the walls of his Sacramento
headquarters, 30 that all visitors might
see for themselves the best arguments in
favor of the lower counties.
Bowers is strong in and out of his
party. On questions not purely political
the San Diego Senator usually manages
to attract fair Democratic following,
even when opposed by the wheel horses
of the Democracy in the Senate.
M'GowAN, OF HUMBOLDT.
Senator Frank McGowan, of Hum.
boldt and Del Norte counties, is one of
the newly.elected members, and is
the ablest one of the lot.
He takes an active part in
the debates, and never fails to
advance cogent reasons for the faith that
is in him. Mr.. MCGOWAN is the young.
est member on the floor, though
he is q legislator of considerable
experience, having served his county
in the Assembly two years ago and
assisted in the deliberations of a mum Der
of State Conventions. He is a young
politician of great promise, and is the
pride of the section which he represents.
MCGOWAN is understood and quoted by
the lobbyists and sack-bandlers to be
among the "unapproachable" members.
1t is said that he recently decided TO vote
in favor of a certain important bill
for the sole reason that those leading the
opposition to it were using money in the
ight. However true this may be, the
fact remains that the young Senator is
strictly honorable, and cannot be swerved
by money or any other influence from
what he conceives to be the path OF duty
and honor, E. A. P.
PUBLIC WORKS.
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