Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-28

! may put I'm his best ticks before the eau
Gus. and he has been actively at work
with his friends I'm his own behalf. lie
will be opposed by a brother Of Judge
George l., Christian, who comes from
Louisa; Mr.. r. $. Thomas. Of Greene. and
King George man, whose name he does
not know. Inner Doorkeeper Arthur ..
Sullivan, the genial, jovial, one-legged
veteran, who has stood so faithfully at
his post during many sessions and paid
the delegates off with great regularity,
Is without an opponent. He never has OPP
position though he humorously goes
around each year after he reaches the
city, looking for 1t. Mr.. L. T.. Lipscomb,
the Outer Doorkeeper, a King William
man, has no opposition this year. He is
on the scene though, having arrived yes
terday, and If any opposition presents
itself he will look after his interests.
After having organized their houses and
gotten down TO work one Of the next
duties that will devolve upon the legis-
lators will be the election of State OFF,
GERS, and for this purpose a caucus will
be held as early as possible, perhaps on
Wednesday night. There are any number
of candidates in the field for the plums
to be thus distributed. and some of the
most spirited fights that have been made
in a Virginia Legislature in years will he
made by these office-seekers.
WHO HAS TO BE ELECTED.
There will have to be elected by this
Legislature a Secretary Of the Common
wealth. Treasurer, Auditor of Public Ac-
counts. Second Auditor, Register Of the
Land Office, superintendent of Public In
struction, Superintendent Of Printing,
Railroad Commissioner, and Superntend-
ent OF the Penitentiary. The Treasurer,
Mr.. Hartman, and the two Auditors
Colonel Marye and Mr.. Ryland-have 10
opposition, but for the other six offices
there are twenty-three candidates rom
which selections will have to be made.
In each case the incumbent is a candidate
for reelection, and only two of them can
count their opposition on one finger
General James c. Hill, the Railroad
Commissioner, has five opponents State
Senator II. S. Kane, of Scott county, Is
one Of them. and Major j. w. Rawley, Of
this city is another. Mr. John U. Sump-
ter, of Montgomery, is also seeking the
office, as are Colonel Granville Gaines, Of
Warrenton, and ex-senator William T..
Bib, OF Louisa. All of these gentlemen
have friends at work In their behalf,
and ii is safe to say that there is not
a single member of either branch Of the
General Assembly who does not know Of
their candidacy.
FIGHT AGAINST MR.. MASSEY.
A very spirited fight IS being made
against Hon. john T. Massey, the Super
intendent of Public Instruction, who de-
sires to continue in office. Probably the
most prominent opposing candidate in the
field is State Senator j. W. Southall, Of
Amelia, who has been making a most ag-
gressive canvass for some months. Mr.
William Mcdonald, Of Clarke county, who
enjoys the distinction Of having been the
author of the first school history publish
ed after the war, is seeking the office,
as are also Mr. j. II. Bader, of Staun-
ton; Mr.. Frank Z. Brent, of Accomac;
Mr.. r.. Il. Craighill, of Lynchburg, and
Mr.. George II. Hulvey. of Rockingham.
The friends of Mr.. Massey have opened
headquarters at Murphy's Hotel, and
they will vigorously push his claims for
reelection. Mr.. Massey's friends assert
that they have a splendid organization,
and that he will receive a decided ma
jority in the Democratic caucus. They
have inaugurated a vigorous campaign,
and their first utterance I'm public print
is in the shape of an interesting inter-
view with Mr.. Massey, given with his
characteristic terseness.
Mr.. Southall has been here several days
in conference with his friends and CO.