The courier-index., 1921-01-14
-o-o--o-o-O-o-O-O-
 LITTLE ROCK LETTER

General Assembly IS Tn 1ul sWlhscc
 Fortunately for the expedltlng or
 business, the organization had been
 nretty well agreed upon before the
 payels fell at noon Monday. By a
 nrocess of elimination and the pledg-
 ing of members in advance, there
 was left but one candidate in each
 house for presiding officer.
 The withdrawal of Senators Bone,
 Wood and McFaIlin left the presl-
 dency of the senate open to Lee
 Cazort of Johnson county, former
 sneaker of the house. Similarly Tn
 the house, the retirement of MT.
 Hill and others left Joe Joiner Of
 Columbia. speaker of the extra ses- sions of 1919, unopposed for the speakership. Soon after convenlng the senate proceeded to elect MT. Cazort and all other officers and employees in accordance with eau GUS which had previously been held. The house being a much larger and more unwieldly body, has never caucused, althought it has been sug- gested that this might greatly sim plify the organization of that body and prevent long and serious de- lays in the selection of minor of ficers. There has been the usual large number of applicants for ev- cry position. The selection of MT. Joiner for speaker has met with general approval as he has establish ed a splendid record in the chair and is very popular with all members. For secretary of the senate Ira Langley of Clay county was re- elected without opposition and Jlm Higgins of Conway was reelected chief clerk of the house, also with out opposition. There is no one more familiar with legislative pro- cedure than MT. Higgins. He has been connected in some capacity with the legislature for many years and that he should be at his ac- customed place at the clerks desk IS considered as necessary as the presence of the members themselves: In the senate Ira Langley, although he has not been on the job so long, | is considered also as most capable | and conscientious secretary and his 1 friends are predicting for him some | greater things in political field.
 The election of Senator Cazort | as president is admitted to have been victory for Governor Me- Rae, who was understood to be fa- vorable to his candidacy. However, other candidates for the office have said that they are in thorough ac- cord with Governor McRae in a gen eral way and predict that there will be harmonious session. However,i the test of strength between the ad- forces is expected to come early in the session when the of Governor Brough on the Arkansas Corporation Com mission are submitted to the senate For ratification, Governor McRae claims to have pledges from more than enough members to defeat con- firmation. But on the other hand the friends of the commission claim that they have the advantage in this regard. Should continuation be defeated, it will indicate that the opponents of the commission are likely to win their contention. In the event the legislature should de- clare for oblition, it is known that Governor McRae has an alternative to offer which would properly safe guard the interests of the people and work no hardship upon the cor porations themselves.
 Governor Brough's farewell mes sage will be delivered Tuesday and it is expected that the inaugural address of Governor McRae will be | delivered Wednesday afternoon. l Someone with genius for the super stitious has said that Governor Me Rae objected to being inaugurated i on January 13 which is Thursday | and some of his friends were equal Iy opposed to his inauguration on Friday. which left Wednesday as the most available day. However, it is believed that these considerations have not bothered Governor McRae in the least. He has said that he does not propose to be bothered by pardon attorneys and lot of other things which have worried former governors, and such a little thing as the 18th or Friday is not likely to enter into his thoughts.
 So far no politics has developed very strong, but it may be expected that by the end of the session, po- tentiai governors, congressman, sen ators and other state officers may come into the limelight Tom J. Terral, who retires this week as sec retary of state, and who ran second in the gubernatorial freefor-all last fall. has already announced that he will be candidate for governor at the expiration of Col. McRae's serv- ice. It is rumored that another state official who made somewhat sen sational race in the lats primary al so has his eye on the governors chair.
 Just as the United States will have membership in the League of Nations no matter by what name
 it be known, so will Arkansas have Corporation Commission, even though it bear different title.
 Governor T. c. McRae has never stated that he will abolish the Ar
 kansas Corporation Commission ab- soluteiy. His statements have been
 L ..l. %Lmr