Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-01-20
Our Charleston Letter.


busiest one tor the capitol city Il
history ct the State. The West Viz
ginia Legislature convened on the
fourteenth and some days prior to
that time delegations from all parts
Of the State came In great numbers
Candidates for Speaker and their
friends were here and working
hard. The first to arrive was Meats
OF Parkersburg, and then came the
Ohio delegation with Caldwell and
Gregory, of Tyler, showed strong
On the same train. Cunningham,
of Tucker opened headquarters
and begun to fight maniully. It
was strange coincidence that all
the prominent candidates for
Speaker were friends and had their
quarters at the Hotel Ruffner. On
Sunday last those who showed
strength such as Caldwell, Gregory,
Meats and Cunningham formed q
combination and agreed to get to-
gether and fight the Hog Com.
-bine" which was backed by Daw-
son and White. along with Cald
we'll, the would be u. S. Senator
from Huntington. The Kanawha
combine were for Shawky for
Speaker and the other gentlemen
enlisted, Charley Dorr, Judge Freer.
Cen. Curtin, Campbell Richards,
Jim Hall and the greatest of all
fighters and former supporter OF
Dawson, Major G. D. Elliott. The
agreement was to the effect that all
should throw their strength to
gether and defeat, If possible
'Sllppery Bill Dawson" and his
gang The prettiest fight and the
only one for the Speakership and
the boys from the Panhandle and
chose from the coal regions and
Saountain counties soon showed
the Hog Combine" that they were
the whole thing and defeated
Shawky with Meats by a handsome
majority, thus securing the entire
organization Of the House and the
appointment of all the officers and
COMM ees. The Speaker has
given cat that Gregory will be
chairman of the committee on cit
les, towns and corporations and a
member of numerous other COM
1nittees, while Hill will be chair.
man of railroads, Caldwell, of judi
ciary, Reynolds, of Finance. There
are the only ones as yet made pub
lie but the announcements will be
made on Monday morning.
Clark May has been selected
president of the Senate and both
Houses are ready for business.
Harry Smith secured a clcrkship
In the Senate while G. R. Martin
was placed In the House, and
strange to say that this Is the first
time Tyler county was remembered
In such substantial way. Hill and
Gregory have Jared better than
any other delegates and are strong
workers In the House and Tyler
county Republicans need not have
any fear from these gentlemen.
Gregory introduced the Virginia
debt resolution and also the Ohio
River Improvement resolution the
first day of the term and will fight
for their passage Monday. Strange
to say that Cunningham. of Tucker,
and Hughes, of Jackson are In favor
of a small payment of the old Vir-
gInia debt, while Gregory, the only
Virginian In the House insists that
West Virginia does not owe nor
shall she pay any portion Of 1t. We
predict that Gregory's resolution
will have the endorsement of the
majority of the House, thus defeat.
ing all propositions of settlement
or compromise.
The city Is filled with politicians
and lobbyists and so much impor-
tant legislation Is proposed that 1t
would seem that the time of the
session will be too short.
The House Is a strong body of
men and the leaders will be Rey.
nolds, Gregory, aud Cunningham,
each of who m have agreed to sup
port the Speaker on the floor and
look after the interests of the party
and people. All Of these gentlemen
are good SPEAKERS and we will hear
q great many discussions Hughes,
of Jackson, seems to desire to &C.
cupy all of the Speakers time with
motions and objections, while the
leaders are staying In the back
ground until such men as he talk
themselves ont entirely.