Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-12-22

| oDiiO tiuiC dBO dItu pIdIliCdlly ulhuc OUT
the organization Of the legislature, the
character of the work 20 be done by
that body has been about agreed upon,
and all questions affecting policies in
state affairs passed upon What the
decision in these matters has been has
not been learned, but some informa-
ton as to what was really done will
likely be forthcoming in a few days.
Committee Assignments.
1t has been learned that while Rep
resentatiyes-elect Hubbard and Stur-
giss were here one of the subjects dis
cussed was committee assignments for
the sixtieth congress. Every member
of the delegation as 1t will be COM
posed when the sixtieth congress con.
yenes, wants the place on the rivers
and harbors committee now held by
Representative Dovener Under the
practice of Speaker Cannon West Vir,
ginia is regarded as sure to continue
to retain the place on the rivers and
\ harbors committee. The question,
/ therefore, is who will Get the plum
Representative-elect Hubbard would
< like to have it because he succeeded
Dovener and ought to get his assign
ments. epresentative-elect Sturgiss
would like to have 1t because be just
wants 1t, while Representatives Gaines,
! woodward and Hughes think by reason
of the fact that they have been in con-
! gress for some time they ought to
have 1t. Representative Gaines thinks
( he ought to have it because he ana
Representative Hughes are the Oldest
members of the delegation in point OF
service, each having entered congress
at the beginning of the fifty-seventh
congress. Representative Hughes takes
the ground that he is tho Oldest mem
, Der of the delegation, and that Gaines
has .lready better committee assign
ments than he has He feels that the
craftsmanship of the committee on the
election of president, vice president
and representatives in congress, and a
member of the committee on inter-.
state and foreign commerce ought to
satisfy Mr., Gaines. Mr.. Hughes is
chairman of the committee on expen.
, ditures in public buildings position
whose principal If not only emolument
, is committee room DOWN in the dun
geon" of the house-and is a member
of the committee on accounts and of
the comittee on census. He fells that
he is entitled to something better.
Woodyard's Chances.
Then along comes Representative
woodward with the assertion that he
is the one to have the place. He
points out to begin with that his dis.
trict has more navigable water than
any other district in the state. Then he
says he has no committee chairman
ship as Gaines and Hughes have He
says that by all proper means of set
Ting the question he is entitled to the
place And so there you are. Sol
widely divergent are the views of the
various aspirants that it is probable
that a caucus of the delegation will
be held to settle the question. With al
caucus on the subject. 1t would prob
ably be anybody's fight, with the
chances favoring one of the three old
members. AS between the three, i'll
choice is made of one of them the
chances would favor woodward. 1t is
believed-though, of course. not known
that II Sturgiss and Hubbard were to
see it impossible to win the place for
either of themselves they would turn
their influence to woodward. The fact
is that it is a pretty safe guess that
in the political alignments in the
state Hubbard and Sturgiss are closer
to woodward than they are to Gaines
and Hughes.
No Daggers Hidden.
1t must not be supposed from this
account that Hubbard, Sturgiss, Wood
yard, Hughes and Gaines are at dag
gers points ready to fly at each Others
throat at any moment. On the other
hand they are all on good terms and
are in reality friends of one another.
The fight will be waged In all good
nature and there will be no heart burn
ings as a result of it.
From little statements picked up
here and there it seems fair to con-
clude that there will be no two cent
/ rate fixed ON the railroads OF West
! Virginia at the coming session OF the
legislature. From what can be gather
ed the leaders will favor the creation
of state railroad commission to con-
slider the whole question and TO make
a report to the next iegislature-the
one which meets two years hence