Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-20
THE Legislature.
soSlIPY REVIEW OF raB PERSONAL CHAR
sCTBRISTICS
Of Some of the Members of The Twenly-sscond
West Virginia Legislature = Men Of Both
Paraes Who Do Coed Work and Display
Eminent ability People Who Some Day
May Grace Higher Legislative Positions
spec,ol Correspondent. OF aas sandav Rsois'er.

CHARLESTON, w. VA, February IA
The tweuty-second Legislature OF West
Virginia will compare favorably in aver
age ability with any OF us predecessors.
Every interest q the State is we'll rep
resented, but farmers and lawyers pre-
dominate az usual. 1t is the proud boast
of the Little Mountain State that she
sends her YouDg men 10 the front, ana
a glance at the personnel of the present
Legis ature will Justify the claim. III
would be impossible TO eliminate tue
element OF selfishness from any ieglSia-
tive body, but the votes upon most
measures OF public importance have
proven the members 10 be 10 the main,
broad .gauged, and iberal-minded, as
becomes typical West Virginians.
In the the House there are twenty-six
farmers, and there are nine representa-
tives of the agricultural interests IN Inc
Senate. Eleven members CT the House
are lawyers, SIX teachers, four mer-
chants, three physicians, three miners,
three journalists, and one clerk, miller,
lumber dealer, contractor, physician
and farmer. IL goes without saying
that the grangers can have about any
thing they want in the way OF legisla-
ton, and they generally manage to get
it. There ara number OF Delegates
not yet 80 years OF age, the youngest OF
whom are Wills, of Kanawha, and
Games, OF Marshall. Delegate Harper
is 80 years OF age, and is one OF
family Of twenty children, OF whom
eighteen are living. The Oldest mem
Der in years as well as in point OF SER
vice, is Judge Edwin Maxwell.
Of Harrison, who was member
of the first legislative body OF
the new State, and has been prominent
in politics ever since. He has been
honored by election TO the Legislature
number of times, and was the Repub-
lican candidate against Hon. h. w.
Wilson for Governor. He is one of the
leaders on the minority side, and al
though q bitter partisan, his views
upon legal questions are often sought
by his political opponents. de Is one
OF the most valuable members upon the
| floor OF the House.
Stewart w. Walker, Of Msrtinsburg,
| Senator Faulkner's law partner, is one
of the younger members who has taken
| front rank among the leaders OF the
House. Possessing in remarkable de-
gree the gift of forensic eloquence,
coupled with energy and ambition, he
is the peer in debate OF any man upon
| the floor. He is polished orator, and
tireless worker, and has disting nished
| himself thus far by his opposition to
waste Of time in discussions and dilatory
| motions, and his warm espousal
of measures of economy. Mr.
| Walker is Democrat OF the uniinch-
ing, uncompromising, iron-bound, and
| dyedin-the-woo sort. Socially he Is
the soul of good fellowship and one OF
the most popular, as we'll as one OF the
| handsomest, members Of either branch
| Of the Legislature.
Mr.. cambridge, of Jefferson, IS ma
! tive Virginian, q genial gentleman an
| able debater. and one OF the leaders on
the Democratic side. One OF the hrst
members ia point of ability is Mr..
Lively, of Lewis, than whom no men,
! Der upon either side takes greater in
terest or more active part in the discus
sions. His past legislative exper-
| fence renders him Invaluable, not
only to his party, but to the State as
| well. A member whose voice is not
| ofton heard in debate, but who is by
common consent considered one OF the
| hardest workers aud best financiers Ia
either house, is Mr. c. w. Brockunier,
| of Ohio. With rare business tact, he
combines familiarity with the tnan-
| c;al affairs OF the State, acquired by
onstant study since his appointment
TO the Craftsmanship OF the Finance
Co mmittee.
The interests of labor are carefully
guarded aud watched by Messrs. I'm
hoff, OF Ohio; Thomas, OF Putnam;
Wi ckenhofer, of Harrison; wills, OF
X ahawha, and others. Mr.. Thomas,
W ho has Congressional aspirations, and
Is ready debater looks after meas
ures affecting workingmen, on the
| floor. and Mr.. Wickenhofer also takes
part frequently in the discussions. The
other two gentlemen named are not ora
tors, 61t have been untlring in commit
tee work and as lobbyists, Mr.. lmhoff
being especially active. Mr.. Wilson, OF
| Ohio. and Mr. HanSiord. of Tucker, are
| new members, who are fsmiliarlzng
themselves with the work, and carefully
| and intelligently looking after the inter-
ests of their constituents
On the Republican SIDE of the House,
| Kanawha county is fortunate in having
two representatives who easily rank
among the leaders npOn the floor. John
| B. Floyd was a Democrat q few years
ago, but is now an officer in the ranks
of the enemy. He is an able speaker,
and uniformly fair upon all
| subjects except matters which
have a partisan coloring. The old Dem
ocratic doctrines, however, were so
| firmly instiled in MS heert, that he Is
sometimes found voting with the oppo-
sition. Mr.. Edwards is Cornell grad
nate and q fluent aud rhetorical speak.
| or. but is unfortunate in possessing
! weak voice. II is matter OF frequent
| comment that the two leading delegates
| from KanaWha are rarely found voting
! together upon any measure. Dame
! Rumor has it that Mr.. Edwards would
like to represent the Third Congression-
al District in the National Legislature.
II has been frequently asserted and
never contradicted, that not single
member Of either house has yet found
fault with sny OF the rulings OF their
nresidlue officers. 1t would be inpos-
sible 70 find in the State two men better
qualified for their respective positions,
or two men who give more general
satisfaction than Speaker D. w. Shaw,
of Barbour, and President Rankin
WILEY, OF Point Pleasant. Mr.. Shaw
Is fair aud impartial, yet firm. he
is a farmer and teacher. Mr.. Wiley Is
a prospective candidate for Congress,
vet possessing TOO much innate nodesty
IN he avowedly in the field. He rarely
participates in the debates In the Sen
Etc hnt is an eloquent and forcible