The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-14
LEGISLATURE IN SESSION.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ORGANIZED
TODAY AT NOON FOR FORTY
DAY SESSION.
Some of the Elective Positions VIII
He Ballotcd rpon--Senate Caucus
Held Last Night.

Columbt,, Jan. 10.-The general
assembly az South Carolina will be
convened today at noon. The cleo
tion OF officers I'm each body will be
entered on and peehaps the organ
iza,ion will be completed In time for
the Governors message to be read to-
day. The message Is said to be short
er than usual. In fact all OF Gov.
Ansers messages have been short
In the senate the deliberations will
he called to order by Thos. G.. Nc
Leod. the retiring lieutenant COVER
nor. who will preside over the senate
until the formal Inauguration of his
successor. G. A. Smith. The house
win be called to order by Jas. A.
Hoyt. the former clerk. 1t was stated
last night that w. F. Stevenson. form
er speaker. would be chairman of the
committee on the whole and that
Frank B. Gary. another former speak
or. would nominate Mendel l.. Smith
OF Camden for speaker for the en-
suing term. position which Mr..
Smith also has filled.
In the senate there appears to be
no contest for clerical positions ex-
cept that OF sergeant at arms. Fred
schumpert OF Newberry, who has
served for a number OF years Is being
opposed by Col Hough OF Chester.
M M. Mann OF st. Matthews, clerk
OF the senate. has no opposition. w.
3. Stokes. reading clerk also has a
{. fair field.
In the house there Is a contest for
clerk. Jas. A. Hoyt. clerk for the
last two years. Is opposed by J. will
son Gibbes. for seven years assistant
clerk under Clerk T. c. Hamer. Each
candidate has strong endorsements In
the manner OF resolutions passed by
former legislative bodies. and each
candidate is fitted by training and
experience. Mr.. Gibbes was the Co
iumbia correspondent OF the Charles
ton World and later held reportorial
and editorial positions on other news
papers Mr.. Hoyt has also had ex-
tensive newspaper experience in
Greenville and In Columbia and is
now editor OF the Columbia Evening
Record.
,. 3. Wilson sergeant at arms OF
the house is said to have an opponent
sn ". III. stansell OF Barnwell whom
Mr.. Wilson defeated several years
ago. Mr.. Wilson under the acts OF
the last legislature. has renovated the
hall of the house OF Representatives
and has installed beautiful new furni-
ture. The senate chamber has new
carpet.
For reading clerk OF the house
there are two candidates. McGowan
simpkins OF Edgeheld and Eppes of
Greenville. Mr.. slmpkins has been a
member OF the legislature.
M. L. Smith. who probably will be
elected speaker without opposition,
said l,st night that when he had Sc
cured enough pledges OF members to
ensure his election he began to look
around for NJ ateriai for the standing
committees. While he will not
materially alter existing conditions on
committees yet he will try to show
more attention to committees which
I'm the last few years have been COM
ms forward I'm their importance. For
instance the committees on agricul-
ture and on commerce and manufac-
lures demand the appointing OF the
very best men. on account OF the
prominence OF the high subjects i'm
piled In the names OF those commit
tees. He Is not prepared to state who
will be the chairman OF the COM
mittees. but he claims TO have disre-
gerded personal friendships in trying
To get the best men. He has taken
a census OF the members OF the house,
knows who are farmers and who are
members OF other professions, i'm fact
ne knows their campaign speeches
and other details which assist him in
making an estimate OF their value
Last night the holdover members
OF the senate held a caucus and de-
eided on several matters vi import
ance In executive session. Senator
Mauldin OF Greenville will be presi-
dent pro tempore and chairman OF
the finance committee; Senator Car
iisle OF spartanburg will be chairman
of the judiciary committee and sena-
tor Appelt OF Clarendon will be chair
man OF the committee on railroads.
Prof. Muensterberg says that the