The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-09-09
Interesting
Facts About
43rd General
Assembly
BY Clio Harper.

DY 0ilo Ildi pei
Little Rock, Aug. 30.--A complete
roster Of the 43rd General Assembly
which viii conrene January 10 next,
reveals some interesting facts. 1t
appears that only fourteen members
of the last House were reelected,
which is probably a lower percentage
than has been true of the legislature
for a numebr of years. Several menu
bers were defeated for reelection,
among whom were /. NJ Campbell, of
Faulkner. Robert l.. Carson, of Mar
ion. j. r. Goldman of Miller, Chas. f..
Sullinger of Mississippi, z. l.. Carter
of Pike, j. l.. Turner of Pope, K. o..
Bagley Of Pulaski H. c. Limbocker of
SEWER, James II. Choate of White.
Thirteen members of the House have
served in sessions previous to that in
1919 so that there is total of only
twenty-seven members in the body
who have had legislative experience.
Peter Diesch Of Phillips county was
promoted to the Senate. There are
eighteen hold-over members in the
Senate and three of the members
were reelected, Greed Caldwell Of JEFF
ferson, Houston Emory of Garland
and Ben Fl. Johnson of Waldron. This
leaves fourteen new men in the Sem
ate, of whom five have had previous
legislative experience.
An analysis of the returns shows
that the road situation had consider
able to do with the results in many
of the counties, but the defeat of
many of the old members can not be
entirely ascribed to this cause. In
some instances radical opponents of
special road legislation have been
elected; in other counties the nomi-
nees are ardent supporters Of the
good roads program. So it appears
that there will be a sufficient diverg-
ence of opinion among them tom
sure a spirited controversy in any eff
fort that may be made to enact vol
ume of road legislation such as that
which characterized the sessions of
1919.
In a few counties the Republicans
have made nominations and it may be
expected that the usual number of
the minority party will be elected to
the Senate and House, probably not
more than half dozen at most.
Legislative politics is beginning to
be talked freely among the members
and their friends. AT least three can
didates for president OF the Senate
have already come to the front. They
are Lee Cazort of Johnson county,
who was speaker of the 1917 House,
S. NJ. Bone Of Batesville and R. c.
Stewart of Stamps. There are per-
sistent rumors of effects being made
for a fractional organization of the
Senate. There are rumors that one
ring or another is planning to seize
and control the Senate organization.
There promises to be an even more
spirited contest for Speaker of the
House. Those already announced for
tka Office are Harvey Parnell of Chi
cot, Joe Joiner of Columbia, Tom A.
Hill of Jefferson, T. G. Jobe of Hemp
stead and r. L. Dickson of Lafayette
All of these save Mr.. Dickson and
Mr.. Jobe were members of the last
House. Mr.. lobe is one of the veter-
an law makers of the state, having
served in the House in 1899, 1901 and
1913 and in the Senate of 1903 and
1905. He was nominated this time
by vote of 2174 to 725, the largest
majority, it is said, ever received by
any one in the county. Mr.. Parnell
and Mr.. Hill were among the recog-
nized floor leaders of the 1919 SEES
sions and each has strong and loyal
following. Mr.. Joiner was elected
Speaker of the special sessions OF
1919 and made splendid record. Mr.
Dickson is prominent attorney al
Lewisville and says that he proposes
to make vigorous campaign.
1t is probable that there will be
other aspirants for the speakershiI
as the game is young and it is known
that there are other ambitious mem
bers in the body. Among those
whose names have been mentioned as
possible candidates for the speaker
ship is R. X. Mason of Ouachita.
One of the oldest members of the
House, in point of years as we'll as
legislative experience, will be James
E. Wood of Mariana, one of the two
representatives from Lee county
"Uncle Jimmy" as he is Familiarity
known, served in the Senate from the
18th district IN 1894 and 1868. He
was then an old man, but he still
retains much of the vigor which made
him a powerful leader on the floor OF
the Senate twenty years ago. Anoth-
er of the old time statesmen, grown
grey in the service of his state, is
the venerable R. J. Wilson of Fayette-
vile who will represent the 5th dis.
trict in the Senate. The records re
veal the fact that Bob" Wilson made
his appearance in the Legislature il
the House of 1887, thirty-four year.
ago. In 1898 he was elected to tht
Senate from the 9Th district and ser
we'd in the Upper House in the SEES
sions of 1893, 1895, 1897, 1901, ane
1908, having been elected three time:
and was President of the Senate il
1901. He and Colonel Wood are pro
badly the ranking members of the
| legislature in the coming session.