Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-01-12
THE LEGISLATURE.
Leaders Selecting House and
Senate Committees.

F0fce Raymond out or tue University
Charleston Gossip.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, January TO-
1t has been very quiet day in
legislative circles. AS soon as the
house met it adjourned and the SEN
ate is not in session The house ad
journed till Monday to give the
speaker time TO appoint committees
and assistant clerks. Dawson and
the leaders have been in conference
with speaker Wilson on the make
up of committees and the work will
not be finished until Monday. S.
G. Smith may be chairman of the
committee on judiciary and Laugh
lin may be chairman of finance in
the house.
President Smith informed the
News correspondent today that the
committee on education Was the on
ly one he has decided on and will be
made up as follows
A. S. Koran, w. B. Corder, s.
George, Alex Miller, Byrd Hill, r.
G. Burkhart, J f. Beavers.
, Smith says Clark May will be
chairman of the judiciary eommi ttee.
T. E. Davis will be chairman OF the
finance committee with Whitaker
second Committees will be an
nounced tomorrow in the senate.
The state legislature is now get
ting down to quiet, orderly basis.
Scarcely ripple OF excitement mars
the placidity of the legislative
breast. The only thing that has
caused any excitement is the Fitch
Harris battle for clerk Of the senate.
1t was a scrap with the old time fla
vor. Since 1t has been settled there
has been nothing doing. The legis
lature has always got down to bust
ness and having a good start, may
be depended upon to turn out good
grist from the hoppers. The cleo
tion of Stephen B. Elkins is about
the easiest affair OF the kind that
ever occurred. Thejob will be hand
ed the gentleman on silver platter
and there will be no one to say him
nay.
An interesting story is told in ex
PLANTATION of the vote Senator n E..
Whitaker received for president of
the senate. His fealty to John T..
Harris, for clerk, is said to be the
cause of his defeat The Fitch crowd
went after the senator Immediately
upon his arrival here, and informed
him that they would support him
solidly if he would drop Harris
Fitch had seven original supporters,
Marcum, Koran, Miller, May, York,
Hill and Campbell. These seven
votes were promised Whitaker and
he was asked polnt blank if he would
throw Harris. Again he declined to
do so and the Fitch people made a
deal with Anthony Smith by which
Fitch gained enough votes to dead
lock the caucus and the seven origi
nal Fitch men supported Smith sol
idly
It is probable that Whitaker would
have withdrawn had not several oppo-
nents Of Smith for speaker misrepre-
sented the situation TO him. Gov.
Atkinson went to Mr.. Whitaker with
a list of II senators whom the govern
or said would support the Ohio coun-
is man. The governors idea was to
keep alive the impression that Whit
aker was to he president of the senate
and thus eternally down Smiths
chances in the house. The rnse sue
ceeded.
Mr.. Whitaker believed the twelve
senators would support him, and the
members of the house believed Whit
aker would win, consequently both
Wheeling men were up against a po-
litical double-cross, and Ohio county
got another throwdown at the hands
Aof the republican party.
Col. John ID. Alderson's greeting OF
the democratic faithful in their caucus
yesterday was an affecting sight.
The ragged ranks of democracy pre-
scented sorry showing compared to
the stalwart lineup of the republic
cans, and the colonel quietly walked
around the circuit, clasping the hands
of the assembled gentlemen. much
after the style of the chief mourner at
funeral Colonel Anderson will be
the democratic leader, a position for
which he is we'll qualified. The col
onel has long experience in legisla-
tive matters, and while his following
may be small, he can keep up guer-
rilla warfare that will worry the ma
jority nightly.
Senator OseDton will not resign his
seat In the senate though he is alst'
prosecuting attorney Of Fayette coun-
ty. Osenton admits that according
to the democratic contention be is not
: allowed to retain both jobs, but &C
cording to republican precedent estab-
lished In the Getzendanner.P Pearson
CONTINUED on Third Page.